Open forums scheduled to aid in finding new superintendent

The Charles County Board of Education has initiated its search for a new Superintendent of Schools. The superintendent search process is Charles County's first in 17 years. To help facilitate this process, the Charles County Board has contracted the services of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), an agency that specializes in assisting Boards with the consideration of candidates for educational leadership roles.

Open forums for the community will be held at locations throughout the county to help identify the qualities and characteristics residents want for the new superintendent.

The following are the open forum times, dates and locations:

• Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Henry E. Lackey High School, 3000 Chicamuxen Road, Indian Head, Md., 20640
• Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at Thomas Stone High School, 3785 Leonardtown Road, Waldorf, Md., 20601
• Oct. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Piccowaxen Middle School, 12834 Rock Point Road, Newburg, Md., 20664
• Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. at Westlake High School, 3300 Middletown Road, Waldorf, Md., 20603
• Oct. 10 at 7 p.m. at La Plata High School (session open to the public), 6035 Radio Station Road, La Plata, Md., 20646

Participants will be provided a brief presentation about the superintendent search, participate in group discussions and will be asked to answer three questions:

• What do you feel are the most positive things about Charles County and Charles County Public Schools?
• What characteristics and qualifications do you feel a superintendent should possess?
• What challenges do you think the new superintendent will face?

Input from these forums will be compiled, presented to and used by the Board of Education to develop a brochure and advertisement to solicit candidates for the superintendent position. The brochure and advertisement will be posted on our school system website and placed in local, state and national publications.

Individuals or groups that cannot participate in the forums are encouraged to e-mail responses to kblumsack@mabe.org or mail responses to arrive by October 10 to: Kathryn Blumsack, Maryland Association of Boards of Education, 621 Ridgley Avenue, Suite 300, Annapolis, Md., 21201.