Harford County Superintendent Search: 2 Candidates Remain

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — As Harford County works to decide who its next superintendent will be, in the wake of the retirement of Barbara Canavan. After months of searching the list of candidates has whittled down to two: Sean Bulson and David Ring, Jr.

Here's who they are:

Sean Bulson

Sean Bulson, Ed.D., has been working in public schools for 23 years. As Interim Vice President for the Division of University and P-12 Partnerships at the University of North Carolina System (UNC), he focused on educator preparation and helps support schools and districts, according to the Harford County Public Schools website.

“Going back through my career, partnership is pretty much the only way I know to do the work,” Bulson said meeting the community at A.A. Roberty Building in Bel Air Thursday evening, the Aegis reported. “My philosophy is to draw on the vast array of resources that are in a community.”

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Bulson has experience as a superintendent. In 2011, he became superintendent of schools in Wilson County, N.C., supervising 25 schools with 12,000 students, holding the job until 2016 when he went to work for the state education system.

He helped stand up the Wilson Academy of Applied Technology, an early college high school for students interested in advanced manufacturing as careers.

Related:

• Community Invited To Help With HCPS Superintendent Search
• Harford County Superintendent Announces Retirement

No stranger to Maryland, Bulson spent the first 16 years of his public education career in the Montgomery County Public Schools system. He served as superintendent there, too. Bulson's spent time as principal of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, which regularly placed in the top 100 high schools in the nation in multiple reports during his tenure.

David Ring, Jr.

David Ring, Jr., Ed.D., has over 35 years of experience in education. He's spent 16 yers as a teacher, chairperson and curriculum specialist, followed by over 15 years of experience as assistant principal, principal and superintendent.

He spent a few hours on Tuesday, May 15, speaking with students, parents, teachers, elected officials and others connected to the Harford County Public School system. He told event attendees that he wants to be superintendent because that' simply the job he likes the most. “I enjoy leading people,” he said. “I enjoy being responsible for things because I’m passionate.”

He's described as highly regarded for his skills in consensus-building, communication and human relation skills, the HCPS website says. When obtaining his doctorate in education, Ring's dissertation was on "The Behavioral Effects of High School Students in relation to Academic Performance."

Ring has worked as Delaware Governor Jack Markell as an executive board member of the Jobs for Delaware Graduates program and has served on the executive boards of the Delaware Association of School Administrators and the Delaware School Board Association.

Ring founded the Foundation for Delmar Education, which increases awareness and resources for programs for students and staff in the Delmar School District.

An active member of his local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Ring lives with his wife in northeast Baltimore County and has two grown children alongside two grandsons.

See the HCPS website for full descriptions of the candidates.

Article image via Shutterstock