Garrett County superintendent announces retirement effective June 30, 2026

Dr. McCartney, superintendent of Garrett County Public Schools, announced at the Sept. 9 board meeting that she will retire as superintendent effective June 30, 2026.

The superintendent read a prepared statement saying, “I have informed the Garrett County Board of Education that I will be resigning as superintendent of schools at the end of this school year on 06/30/2026.” She said the decision was made with “very mixed emotions” and pledged to work with the board and her successor to ensure an orderly transition.

The board president thanked Dr. McCartney for her leadership, noting multiple calls and meetings during her tenure and praising her work steering the district through a critical period. Board members offered remarks of appreciation in public session.

In her statement Dr. McCartney reviewed her decades-long career, beginning in 1971, including time as a teacher, a teaching principal at Kitzmiller Elementary School, and in central office roles before becoming superintendent. She said the district is “filled with talented staff, fantastic students, and a supportive community.”

The announcement was made in open session; the board did not take any formal action at the meeting on succession planning beyond accepting the resignation as notice. Dr. McCartney said she will collaborate with the board and the to-be-named successor in the coming months to ensure continuity.

The board did not set a timeline for recruiting or naming a successor during the Sept. 9 meeting. Any formal search steps, interim assignments or hiring actions were not specified at the meeting.