TOWSON, MD—Dr. Myriam Yarbrough, who will begin her term as superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools on July 1, 2023, on Friday announced the members of her transition team.

The 39-member team includes current and retired BCPS educators, staff, and administrators, employee association leaders, higher education administrators, business and community partners, and law enforcement representatives. Members of the transition team represent diverse experiences and perspectives and have a deep understanding of the issues impacting BCPS and public education.

“There are great things happening in Baltimore County Public Schools, and I am confident that we will overcome our challenges and move this system forward,” Dr. Yarbrough said. “The work requires that we collaboratively take bold and strategic steps to increase achievement for all students and make certain that each student at every school is meeting their full potential. I am so grateful for each leader who has agreed to serve on the transition team. As we build a shared vision for the future, this group of leaders will be instrumental in helping me thoroughly assess areas of strength and opportunity and develop strategic plans to address declining academic performance and improve climate and operational efficiency.”

The transition team will be co-chaired by—

• Dr. Douglas Anthony, director, Doctor of Education in School System Leadership, Senior Fellow at the Center for Educational Innovation and Improvement, University of Maryland College Park, and consultant, Principal Pipeline Learning Community, Wallace Foundation
• Ms. Jill Snell, coordinator, Organizational Development, Baltimore County Public Schools

“The Board of Education is grateful for the leaders, stakeholders, staff, and advocates who have committed to supporting the transition and assisting our incoming superintendent as she listens and learns and works with the Board to develop a strategic direction for BCPS,” said Jane Lichter, chair of the Board of Education. “We look forward to reviewing the recommendations of the transition team and working with Dr. Yarbrough to make our school system the best place to learn, work, and grow.”

The team will meet from June 26-July 14, 2023, and will assist Dr. Yarbrough in assessing the school system’s current state of teaching and learning, operations, and culture/context. The team is charged with developing short-term and long-term recommendations for system progress in the following focus areas:

• Student achievement
• Academic services, programs, and options
• Facilities management and strategic planning
• Transportation
• Food and nutrition services
• Information technology
• Fiscal services
• Human resources
• Professional development
• Equity and cultural proficiency
• Special education
• Social emotional learning
• Safety and climate
• Communications and family engagement

The transition team will develop a report that includes their findings and strategic recommendations. The report will be shared with the Team BCPS community in August.

Transition team members include:

• C. Michelle Anderson, principal, Eastern Technical High School, BCPS
• Nick Argyros, president, Baltimore County Public Schools Organization of Professional Employees, BCPS
• Elizabeth Becker, director, Facilities Operations and Logistics, BCPS
• Nicole Bridges, 2023-2024 BCPS Assistant Principal of the Year and BCPS assistant principal, Towson High School
• Billy Burke, executive director, Council of Administrative and Supervisory Employees (CASE), BCPS
• Barbara Burnopp, retired senior executive director of Business Operations, BCPS
• Adam Carney, principal, Cockeysville Middle School, BCPS
• Dr. Doug Elmendorf, executive director, Academic Programs and Options, BCPS
• Bryan Epps, president, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 434, BCPS
• Beverly Folkoff, 2023-2024 BCPS Teacher of the Year and teacher, Relay Elementary School
• Rita Fromm, retired chief of staff, BCPS
• Douglas Handy, executive director, Equity and Cultural Proficiency, BCPS
• Gevene Harden, bilingual senior communications officer, BCPS
• Dr. Donna Hollingshead, retired associate superintendent for school administration, Montgomery County Public Schools, and adjunct professorial lecturer at American University
• Engr Johnson, 2023-2024 BCPS Transportation Service Champion and dispatcher, Department of Transportation
• Dr. Racquel Jones, consulting administrator, BCPS
• Sergeant Eric Knox, assistant safe schools facilitator, Baltimore County Police Department
• Kim Kuhr, business manager, Department of Transportation, BCPS
• Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, president, Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC)
• Sam Mustipher, executive director of schools, BCPS
• Gboyinde Onijala, director, Department of Communications and Community Outreach, BCPS
• Buddy Parker, principal advisor and retired secondary principal, BCPS
• Delegate Cheryl Pasteur, former vice chair, Board of Education of Baltimore County, and retired secondary principal, BCPS
• Deborah Phelps, executive director, The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools
• Sandra Reid, principal advisor and retired secondary principal, BCPS
• Stacy Rodgers, chief administrative officer, Baltimore County Government
• Jean Satterfield, BCPS principal advisor and retired assistant state superintendent, Maryland State Department of Education
• Dr. Skipp Sanders, retired deputy superintendent, Maryland State Department of Education
• Denise Saulsbury, 2023-2024 BCPS Supervisory Leader of the Year, BCPS supervisor, Academic Programs and Options
• Cindy Sexton, president, Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO), BCPS
• Joanna Crandall-Sick, 2023-2024 BCPS Supporting Services Employee of the Year and paraeducator, Relay Elementary School
• Dr. Jack Smith, retired superintendent, Maryland State Department of Education, Montgomery County Public Schools, and Calvert County Public Schools
• Lauren Tillman, principal, Scotts Branch Elementary School, BCPS
• Sue Truesdell, principal advisor and retired executive director of schools, BCPS
• Melanie Webster, director, Purchasing, BCPS
• Barry Williams, retired Baltimore County Government director of Recreation and Parks and former BCPS principal
• Jeanette Young, president, Education Support Professionals of Baltimore County (ESPBC), BCPS