The county school board voted unanimously Tuesday to appoint Thomas Taylor to a four-year term as the new head of Montgomery County Public Schools after a four-month search that followed the resignation of the former superintendent.
“We are pleased to appoint Dr. Thomas Taylor to the position of superintendent for Montgomery County Public Schools,” school board president Karla Silvestre announced. Her declaration was met with enthusiastic applause from a packed meeting room at the district headquarters in Rockville.
Taylor, who has been serving as superintendent of Stafford County Public Schools in Virginia, will start his new job Monday.
Seated in the front row of the meeting room, Taylor stood during the appointment but did not speak. Silvestre assured the crowd he would “have plenty of opportunity to address the community” after he starts his new job.
“The board is confident in Dr. Taylor’s leadership and looks forward to working with him to support all students and all employees,” Silvestre said.
Taylor, who graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in 1996 and also attended Somerset Elementary School in Chevy Chase and Westland Middle School in Bethesda, was first announced as the board’s selection for superintendent June 17.
The announcement marked the culmination of a four-month, nationwide search after former MCPS Superintendent Monifa McKnight resigned on Feb. 2. It was the board’s second superintendent search in the last three years.
Taylor has nearly 25 years of experience in public education, including six as a superintendent. He holds a doctorate in education from the University of Virginia and a business administration master’s from the College of William and Mary.
Taylor most recently served as superintendent of Stafford County Public Schools, the eighth-largest school district in Virginia. Stafford features 33 schools, more than 31,000 students and more than 4,300 employees, according to its website.
In Montgomery County, Taylor will oversee Maryland’s largest school district, consisting of 211 schools, approximately 160,000 students and about 25,000 employees.
“I spent my entire educational upbringing in Montgomery County from kindergarten all the way through 12th grade,” Taylor told MoCo360 before the board initially announced his nomination. “So I too am from Montgomery County and I’m thrilled to be back.”
Former MCPS administrator Monique Felder has served as interim superintendent following the departure of McKnight. She resigned in February following turmoil surrounding the school system’s mishandling of sexual harassment and bullying complaints against Joel Beidleman, a former middle school principal.
This March, MCPS released the terms of McKnight’s separation agreement with the school board following Freedom of Information Act requests by MoCo360 and other local media. According to MCPS, McKnight was to receive a total of $1.3 million from the district.
The school board appointed Felder as interim superintendent through June 30 while it carried out its search for a new district chief, which resulted in the hiring of Taylor.
“As we make [Taylor’s] appointment, my colleagues and I would like to take a special moment to recognize Dr. Monique Felder’s work to create stability for MCPS while serving as the interim superintendent,” Silvestre said Tuesday. “Dr. Felder saw us through an important period of transition with steady and thoughtful leadership. We express our appreciation for Dr. Felder’s service and wish her well on her future endeavors.”
Before the board announced his upcoming appointment, Taylor spoke to MoCo360 about how he would approach the job.
“I hope that folks can expect me to be high energy, that they can expect me to be a good listener, and that they can expect to see me,” Taylor told MoCo360 before he was appointed. “And that I want to be accessible in the community. And that I want to hear what they have to say because it’s their kids and their school system. I want students in particular to feel like they have a voice and that they’re empowered to take control of their destinies, their futures.”