From January 2000 to December 2009, Harford County enjoyed an historic housing boom, then suffered through historic economic downturn.
Harford was the big winner in the U.S. Army’s Base Realignment and Closure decision, but has yet to experience any meaningful impact from BRAC other than the headaches and problems associated with preparing for the anticipated growth.
Harford lost many familiar faces who passed away doing what they loved most in the last decade, but also saw several who left the scene for more nefarious reasons.
Havre de Grace saw a major international golf tournament arrive and depart, and watched as its Promenade was destroyed and rebuilt.
Harford hero Cal Ripken, Jr. retired from baseball, built a stadium in his hometown, and was elected to the Hall of Fame, while ice skater Kimmie Meissner propelled herself toward Harford hero status with her Olympic performance.
The year 2009 opened on a sad note in Harford County with residents still mourning the death of prominent, longtime school superintendent Jacqueline Haas. Before the year was over, Harford County would lose two other wellknown female leaders – former delegate Joanne Parrott and Harford County Councilwoman Veronica Chenowith.
It was also a year of contradiction. Even as President-Elect Barack Obama slowed his inaugural train ride through Edgewood in January to wave and thank a thousand or so supporters, there were a thousand or so more Harford County residents who fought tooth-and-nail in September to prevent President Obama’s live address to be shown to their children during the school day.
Bel Air High School was demolished and Fallston Library was spared from closure. Art Helton survived another political scandal in Aberdeen while Harford County’s delegation to the Maryland General Assembly played a furious and humiliating game of musical chairs in Annapolis.
President Barack Obama has just announced that a new Pay Czar will oversee compensation for top executives at some of the businesses benefiting from government bailout money; the idea being that where public money flows, public oversight will follow.
It is in that latter spirit that we bring you a contract which will be funded entirely by public money, for the newest superintendent for Harford County Public Schools, Dr. Robert Tomback. The contract was released in full by HCPS after a request made by The Dagger.
In these tough economic times, it’s especially easy to jump on a six-figure salary being paid to any public official. Fair enough. But some perspective is also in order.
Public education is arguably one of the most important services currently provided by government. Education is the key to both personal and collective prosperity and without the underpinning of an educated populace, our democratic republic is easily ...Continue Reading
Dr. Robert Tomback was introduced as the next superintendent for Harford County Public Schools yesterday afternoon at administration headquarters in Bel Air. Dr. Tomback, who is currently an area assistant superintendent for Baltimore County Public Schools, will head up Harford’s system of approximately 39,000 students.
While the superintendent’s position was advertised at a minimum annual salary of $190,000, HCPS spokesperson Teri Kranefeld said terms of Tomback’s contract will not be released until after it is signed.
The Harford County Board of Education plans to formally approve the new contract on June 8th and Tomback’s appointment won’t be official until July 1st. But the announcement was the result of a five-month, nationwide search to fill a vacancy left by Superintendent Jacqueline C. Haas, who passed away suddenly in December, 2008.
After being introduced by Board President Patrick Hess, Tomback said “It is an honor to be associated with Harford County Public ...Continue Reading
Harford Community College and Harford County Public Schools announced today the creation of the Jacqueline C. Haas Memorial Scholarship Fund in honor of the esteemed former public school system leader, who passed away suddenly on December 30, 2008.
During her 36-year tenure with Harford County Public Schools, Dr. Haas was a special education teacher, helping teacher, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent. She was highly respected and admired by her peers throughout the state of Maryland and the country, earning Harford County Public Schools and colleagues many accolades through her leadership efforts. Her enthusiasm for learning was contagious and she touched everyone she came in contact with.
The Jacqueline C. Haas Scholarship Fund will enable a Harford County Public School student with a 3.2+ GPA or adults enrolling in the Education Program to receive up to $5,000 ($2,500 awarded per semester) to put toward higher education at Harford Community College. It has been ...Continue Reading
Contrary to speculation among politicos, a high-ranking member of the county administration has confirmed that Harford County Executive David R. Craig is not interested in being the next Superintendent of Harford County Public Schools.
Speculation had been rampant that Craig, a long time history teacher at Southampton Middle School and a career educator, was interested in the position. Being superintendent would approximately double Craig’s salary, and include a much more favorable benefits package. He would also have been able to be the leader of his former field, and education has long been one of Craig’s strongest political interests.
One of the most important duties of a school board is the selection of a superintendent. After the sudden passing of Superintendent Jacqueline C. Haas, the Harford County Board of Education appointed an interim superintendent and has now hired the Maryland Association of Boards of Education to assist them in a nation-wide search to be concluded no later than July 1, 2009. But there’s plenty of interest in the job right here at home.
Probably not from Executive Director of Elementary Education Pat Skebeck, who got the job of interim superintendent in the days after Haas’ untimely death. Skebeck is nearing retirement and not a likely candidate.
The Board of Education of Harford County named the current Executive Director of Elementary Education Patricia L. Skebeck as interim superintendent today, January 5, 2009, to fill the void left by the sudden passing of Dr. Jacqueline C. Haas. Mrs. Skebeck will serve as interim superintendent until July 1, 2009.
Mrs. Skebeck is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She received her Master of Education in Elementary Education from Towson State University and went on for postgraduate work at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland.
Her career in the field of education began in 1964 as a fi rst grade teacher at Mars Estates Elementary School in the Baltimore County Public School system. In 1979, she made the move to the Harford County Public School System touching the lives of third grade students at Hillsdale Elementary School before accepting a position as a Teaching Assistant ...Continue Reading
Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Jacqueline Haas died Tuesday, apparently after suffering an asthma attack and then going into cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
The Board of Education is expected to meet today and Harford County Executive David Craig has already sent a message to Board President Patrick Hess offering to support and meet with the Board and Administrative staff and do whatever he can to provide comfort to students, staff, and citizens and ensure a smooth transition.
Given the current economic meltdown, it’s not surprising that the Board of Education is scaling back plans to build two new elementary schools, opting to build just one new school instead. But the events surrounding the decision to build Campus Hills Elementary School instead of Red Pump Elementary are becoming surreal.
First came the surprise announcement on December 8th by County Executive David Craig, Board of Education President Pat Hess and Superintendent Jacqueline Haas that priorities had suddenly flipped.
