On Monday, the school board named Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) alum Dr. Thomas Taylor to be the next superintendent of the school system.
“The culture that I would like to create in MCPS is one of support, safety, mutual trust, mutual respect and innovation,” Taylor said during Monday’s announcement.
He is currently superintendent of Stafford County Public Schools in Virginia. According to MCPS, Taylor has more than 25 years of experience as an educator and six years as superintendent.
Having his entire K-12 experience in MCPS, Taylor went to Somerset Elementary School, Westland Middle School — which was previously Westland Intermediate School — and graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.
The school board will vote on Taylor’s appointment next week. In March, the board announced a nationwide search for superintendent.
Currently, Dr. Monique Felder is serving as MCPS interim superintendent. Felder was appointed by the school board in February after former Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight and the board mutually agreed to separate.
The separation came after McKnight said school board officers wanted her to step away and that she was provided with no justification. She will get $1.3 million in a separation agreement. MCPS had come under the scrutiny of investigations surrounding a principal who was promoted despite numerous sexual harassment complaints against him. Reports came out investigating the promotion and how the school system handles employee misconduct complaints.
