Reorganization At Howard County Public School System With Hiring Of New Leadership Team

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Eleven new leaders are being sought to guide the Howard County Public School System into the future.

At its May 23 public meeting, the Howard County Board of Education announced that current acting superintendent Bill Barnes had been tapped to become the permanent superintendent effective July 1. He has been filling the acting superintendent role since Jan. 10 after Michael Martirano retired. After a nationwide search and interview process, the education board chose Barnes to serve as the eighth superintendent for the Howard County Public School System since 1949.

Prior to becoming acting superintendent in January, Barnes served as the HCPSS Chief Academic Officer since 2017, overseeing the departments of special education, curriculum, instruction, assessment, program innovation and student well-being.

At the June 6 school board meeting, Barnes told the board that he planned a full organizational realignment that was made with "considerable thought and deliberation."

"It better situates our entire organization to refocus and realign to the priorities of this board and myself ... I am committed to developing a dynamic, innovative, dedicated team of individuals under this new structure that align with the beliefs and values that will guide my work over the next four years, all with a keen focus on encouraging instructional excellence, removing barriers for students and ensuring that every student will graduate with their dreams intact. And these ambitious goals will be more likely to be achieved through a significant focus on strategic planning, project management and accountability," Barnes said.

He gave a presentation showing the creation of several new positions and the elimination of several current positions. A document detailing the realignment can be seen online.

The district currently is accepting applications for the following organizational leadership positions:

• Chief Academic Officer
• Chief Schools Officer
• Chief Operations Officer
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Equity and Innovation Officer
• Executive Director of Elementary Schools
• Executive Director of Secondary Schools
• Director of Elementary Schools (2)
• Director of Middle Schools
• Director of High Schools
• Human Resources Executive Officer (Closes 6/23)

“I am seeking the very best candidates who want to be part of something special in Howard County,” Barnes said. “I intend to lead this district through ambitious goal setting in the classroom and throughout every aspect of our organization and I need innovative perspectives and solutions from those who will join me in this work. Howard County can once again become the beacon for students that the rest of Maryland aspire to imitate.”

Interested applications can apply online.

Related: New Superintendent Hired For Howard County Public School System