The Board of Education of Harford County conducted a nationwide search for the next Superintendent of Harford County Public Schools. The Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) facilitated this process by collecting and screening applications. The Board reviewed the applications and interviewed seven candidates to narrow the search to four finalists who visited the county over the last two weeks. Each finalist participated in stakeholder interview sessions, a lunch with students and a press interview session.
The search will culminate tomorrow, June 3, 2009, with the announcement of Harford County Public Schools’ next Superintendent. The announcement will be made via a press release to be sent out early afternoon. Members of the media are invited to attend a press event later that afternoon to meet the new Superintendent. The event details are outlined below.
WHO: The New Superintendent of Harford County Public Schools
The New Superintendent will be announced tomorrow afternoon before the press conference. He will be in attendance to take questions from the media.
Board of Education of Harford County President Patrick L. Hess
President Hess will introduce the new Superintendent to the media and take questions.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Harford County Public Schools A.A. Roberty Building – Board Room
102 S. Hickory Avenue
Bel Air, MD 21014
410-588-5203
I hope this doesn’t mean that this person was chosen before they interviewed everyone. Still a little worried about having someone who was a principal until 2007 take over and not sure about others. I will be curious about who it is considering what I have heard, and will be very surprised if it is someone outside of Maryland even though this county could use someone with a different perspective and experience with other state school systems.
I will be sitting at my computer waiting for the announcement tomorrow. Like Kate, I am guessing it will be one of the Maryland men. I wish him the very best and I hope he has some good ideas about improvement — or at the least, I hope he thinks the schools need to improve.
I wish the person who is selected the very best. I hope he has the fortitude to be prepared for the train wreck that is about to happen when the school board go to the elected position process.
Yeah trains are wrecking all over the United States in the 96 percent of school boards that are currently elected. The people of Harford county surely don’t deserve to elect a school board who might have some accountability to the electorate.
An elected board certainly won’t do any worse than what we’ve seen the last few years: block schedule, career clusters, earlier starts for high school students, no gifted education… And my guess is that if anyone had the nerve to publish test scores, they are trending downward as well. But we have no idea because the scores are not released.
I’ve said it before: I voted with my checkbook and at least the private schools seem to look at what is good for kids and that is what they do. This BOE says it does what is best for kids, but as for me, I don’t see it.
Judy I don’t think Tony is challenging that idea but that an elected board in this polorized climate around here is bound to become a single issue vote. Single issue votes have a way of electing the worst leaders known to man.
Cdev
Couldn’t have said it better myself
Elected school board or not, I believe we are all in agreement that HCPS has to focus on promoting student success and achievement, moving students forward and helping to develop creative thinkers.
IF we expect our children to keep pace with the students from China, India and Japan to name a few, we have loads of work ahead of us. Yesterday’s Guest Alumnus speaker at BAHS’ graduation emphasized just that point, (Dr. Paul Tannenbaum).
Let’s hope that the BOE’s choice is someone who is forward thinking, not afraid to take risks, not afraid to admit when something does not work, (LICW, career clusters,…) and will never accept complacency.
I look forward to hearing their decision today. And as far as the elected school board, time will only tell, but I can’t help but believe that democracy is a beautiful thing. It’s not perfect, but who said it was?
email from Teri Kranefeld:
The Board of Education of Harford County has selected Dr. Robert Tomback of Baltimore County as Superintendent of Schools. Following a rigorous screening and interview process designed by the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), as well as stakeholder input into the selection, the Board determined that Dr. Tomback best meets their criteria for the next superintendent in Harford County.
“Dr. Tomback will bring a fresh look at strengthening our academic and instructional programs to help increase our student achievement”, said Board President Patrick L. Hess. All members of the Board expressed support for Dr. Tomback and enthusiasm about working as a team to provide the best possible education for every Harford County student.
“Robert Tomback has a strong commitment to students and staff and I’m certain he will continue the great work that has taken place in the Harford County public schools over the past decade,” said Nancy S. Grasmick, State Superintendent of Schools. “He brings with him a list of accomplishments during his tenure with the Baltimore County Public Schools. We, at the Maryland State Department of Education, look forward to working with him in his new role.”
Dr. Tomback earned his Doctor of Philosophy, Human Development Education at the University of Maryland. He serves as Area Assistant Superintendent, Baltimore County and is instructional and administrative leader for 34 schools and approximately 25,000 students. Before becoming assistant superintendent in 2007, he was a principal, executive assistant, assistant principal, department chair and social studies teacher. Dr. Tomback is excited about the appointment and is looking forward to working with the Harford County Board, students, staff, and community.
The Board of Education members and Dr. Tomback will hold a Media Conference today, June 3, at 4:00 p.m. at the A. A. Roberty Building in Bel Air. The appointment, effective July 1, 2009, and contract signing will be made on June 8, 2009 during the Board business meeting. All are invited to attend the Board meeting to welcome Dr. Tomback to Harford County Public Schools.
Cdev and Tony:
The worst leaders known to man — are you talking about the Governor’s appointees again? Certainly nothing political there.
all sorts of them Hitler was a single issue vote. I am talking about single issue elected people. There was a BOE vote in a rural texas school district where prayer in school was the single issue and they elected such a devote group they were teaching creationism and had 10 lawsuits within the year. It runs the gamitt.
When we lived in Texas, we elected the entire school board in 1 election, So it’s probably easier to get a slate with 1 issue. (see also Dover,PA school district). These are small school district with small boards. Since we can only vote in 3 at a time, I don’t see that as an issue. AND with MD now joining other states to support nationwide curriculum standards, some of that malarky will go away. What would have happened if our 100% appointed board had called for addition of itelligent design into the curriculum? What recourse would we have then?
PMS Mom I am not saying elected is without it’s advantages but one big disadvantage to a polarized election is the side product.
Dr. Tomback is the one I would have chosen based on the limited amount of information available. He’s from New York originally and it has some very progressive ideas–and has for years. When I worked at a SUNY college nearly thirty years ago, agreements were in place so students could smoothly transition to four-year schools upon graduation from community colleges and ag and techs. We still aren’t there in Maryland; students still have to haggle over transfer credits. It is getting better, but it needs work. I wish him the very best. Welcome to Harford County.
How will Dr. Tomback be able to solve the problem with transfer credits from community colleges? Unfortunately those decisions are made by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and individual schools. They have gotten better over the years but we still aren’t there yet. Like so much, higher education is extremely political and most colleges are more interested in protecting their turf and interests than the taxpayers and students. For example, Towson University doesn’t have Engineering degrees even though it is probably the biggest feeder university from Harford County. Why you ask? Because Morgan State has some and they want to funnel students to that school instead. UMBC has been trying to get more Engineering degrees for years too and they also get rejected. It makes very difficult for commuter students. If you live in Catonsville and want an undergraduate Civil or Electrical Engineering degree, you have to drive to Morgan.
The example I gave is to show how other states are way ahead of Maryland. It’s not that he can solve the problem, of course he can’t. New York = more progressive. I just hope that he has ideas based on other states’ systems that might benefit our youth. New York also has a Regents program with state tests. Dr. Tomback certainly couldn’t implement that in Harford County either, but he has lived in a place that offers college prep and a higher level diploma that means something to colleges.
I don’t have a lot of faith that any new superintendent can change much of anything. I don’t think most people in Harford County want change and I have heard enough “natives” talk about how great the system is that they don’t even think it needs improvement. I am just happy that even though his experience is Maryland, he grew up outside of Maryland. I’m optimistic.
I agree that most people here don’t want change either and I think that is why he got the job but I hope I am wrong. When the BOE picked Allyson K. for the Bel Air seat they wanted someone too who would maintain the status quo and she has done exactly that. Not from Here I bet if you had a conversation with BOE members, you would be quite surprised at their lack of knowledge about many subjects they vote on.
Why does the combination of him being from New York and the phrase “New York = more progressive” scare me? Am I the only one?
Stakeholder–I would not be surprised. Years ago, I was in a meeting with Susan McComas and was saying how I thought that it was such a pity that a school district the size of HCPS had no gifted education. She went on and on about how in fact HCPS did offer gifted education, which of course was not accurate. she explained to me that she had friends whose kids were in the gifted education program–when it HAD existed years before. It’s scary.
And Phil Dirt, by progressive I just mean forward-thinking and open to new ideas. You know–the same as liberal means open-minded. I would guess that might be a scary word for you too.
Don’t be afraid. Not much is going to happen around here any time soon.
Oh–and Stakeholder–I know McComas is not on the school board. Just another example.
Stakeholder I did not know the BOE picked it’s members….I thought the gov. did!
But we have a assistant superintendant for gifted education, so we must have gifted education!
You are SOOOO funny PMS Mom.