Board approves personnel actions; superintendent introduces leadership team and sets early-reading goal

WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. — At her first official meeting as superintendent, Doctor Wallace introduced new and returning school leaders and emphasized a district goal that every student read on grade level by the end of third grade; the Board of Education approved multiple personnel actions and reappointed the board attorney. Wallace introduced school leaders stepping into new roles — including Doctor Jody Stigler at Pocomoke Middle School, Doctor Danielle Jackson at Buckingham Elementary School, Elizabeth Berry and Chris Adkins at Pocomoke Middle School leadership roles, and Ashley Miller — and said she would recommend a new local accountability coordinator to the board. Why it matters: The superintendent framed a districtwide aim to have every student reading at grade level by the end of third grade and described efforts to ‘‘ensure that every student is known by name, by strength, and by need.’’ Board members praised the leadership introductions. Personnel actions: The board approved the July personnel exhibit, which listed retirements (for example, Dawn Barrett, teacher, Berlin Intermediate School), new hires and promotions (including Jen McDowell promoted/appointed to coordinator of accountability and early-reading alignment). The board also approved the superintendent’s recommendation to reappoint Heather Stansbury of Ayers, Jenkins, Gordy & Allman as board attorney for the 2025–26 school year. Attribution and votes: Personnel exhibit and reappointment motions were moved and seconded on the record and approved by voice vote; roll-call tallies were not read into the public record for those items beyond the clerk’s notation that the motions carried. Next steps: The superintendent said she will bring the local accountability coordinator recommendation forward for board approval; staff will continue to align hiring and duties with the district’s early-reading objectives.