Dr. Thomas Taylor, a Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School graduate and current superintendent of Stafford County Public Schools in Virginia, is set to be the next superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
“I’m so excited to be home,” Taylor told MCM.
The school board announced Taylor as their choice for the position on Monday. The board will vote on his appointment next week.
Taylor said he recognizes that although MCPS has a history of academic success, there is still work to be done. He sees that work beginning with building trust in the community — “We need to start with trust.”
“I know that being out in the community, having transparency with some of the things that are happening in the school system, but also holding school system accountable for what’s happening, is really important to building that trust,” Taylor said.
“Our staff needs to feel supported. They need to know that there is stability in leadership, they need to know that people care about them, and that we really work on cultivating a culture of mutual trust, mutual support, and a lot of focus on respect.”
Currently, Dr. Monique Felder is interim superintendent. She was appointed in February after former Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight and the board mutually agreed to separate — McKnight will get $1.3 million in a separation agreement. MCPS had come under scrutiny surrounding a principal who was promoted despite numerous sexual harassment complaints against him. Reports came out investigating the promotion and how MCPS handles employee misconduct complaints.
