Wicomico Names New Superintendent

Wicomico Names New Superintendent
Dr. Micah Stauffer

SALISBURY – The Wicomico County Board of Education has appointed Dr. Micah Stauffer to serve as the school system’s new superintendent.

In a special meeting held Wednesday, the school board appointed Stauffer to a four-year term as superintendent beginning July 1. He will replace Dr. Donna Hanlin, who announced her retirement late last year.

“Finding a new superintendent is one of the most important tasks of the Board of Education,” Board Chairman Gene Malone said in a statement. “This has been a carefully and conscientiously conducted search process with expert support from the Maryland Association of Boards of Education and with input from the entire community.”

He continued, “Each finalist’s video interview was viewed approximately 1,100 times, and many, many people then shared their input on the finalists through a survey. We’re confident that any one of our three finalists would have been an excellent leader for Wicomico County Public Schools. We’re proud to announce that Dr. Stauffer will be the next superintendent of Wicomico County Public Schools.”

Dr. Donna Hanlin, Wicomico County’s current superintendent of schools, announced last fall that she would be retiring effective June 30, 2022. Appointed to the position in 2016, Hanlin has served as the school system’s superintendent for the last six years. Much of her 43-year career was spent in Wicomico County Public Schools.

To that end, the school board began working with the Maryland Association of Board of Education to begin the search process for the next Wicomico County Public Schools (WCPS) superintendent. And in early May, the names of three finalists were announced – Dr. Frederick Briggs, WCPS’s chief academic officer, Dr. Eric Minus, Baltimore County Public Schools’ executive director of secondary schools, and Dr. Micah Stauffer, WCPS’s chief finance and operations officer.

Since that time, candidate biographies and interviews have been posted on the school system’s website, which also featured an online survey to collect community input on the three finalists.

After review and consideration, the school board voted unanimously on Wednesday to appoint Stauffer as the next superintendent.

“As I’ve said throughout this entire process, a great school system always has a great team behind it. Everyone is working together toward a common interest and common goals, and we should always be leading and looking at the success of our students as the priority of our school system. That’s the only way we can be successful …,” Stauffer said on Wednesday. “We have a fantastic school system, amazing students, wonderful families, dedicated staff and a vibrant community and a great foundation to build from. And as we move forward, we will do just that, together as a team. So thank you all very much. I appreciate it, and I’m very honored.”

Stauffer has served as the school system’s chief finance and operations officer since 2019, and prior to that was the director of secondary education (2014-2019).

Stauffer has served as principal of Parkside High and Mardela Middle and High and assistant principal of Mardela Middle and High and Wicomico Middle.

He taught science and coached at Parkside High and is a graduate of Wicomico High School.

“I’m invested in this county,” Stauffer said in his finalist video interview. “I went to schools in this county and grew up here. My wife graduated from WiHi, as did I. My son recently graduated from James M. Bennett and is doing well now at West Point, in college, and my daughter’s a freshman at James M. Bennett, doing well in her activities and in school. The reason I want to be superintendent is because I’m invested in this county and I believe I have the strengths and the leadership skills to help us move forward together as a team.”

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

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Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.