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Janet Wilson - Superintendent Garrett County Public Schools
On July 1, 2012 Janet Wilson became the first woman to serve as Superintendent of the Garrett County Public School System. Prior to that time she had been employed with the Allegany County Public School system, most recently serving in the capacity of Chief Academic Officer. The article below is from the Cumberland Time-News provides some background on Dr. Wilson and her appointment:-
Wilson ready to dig in as Garrett superintendent
Board ‘excited and happy’ to hire educator
Kristin Harty Barkley, Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — When she takes over as superintendent of Garrett County Public Schools next month, Janet Wilson will inherit some prickly problems, including dealing with the community’s emotional opposition to recent school closings.
But Wilson, an educator for more than 30 years — most of them in Allegany County — is prepared for the challenges, Garrett County Board of Education members believe.
The board voted unanimously earlier this week to hire Wilson, who currently serves as chief academic officer for Allegany County Public Schools. Her first day will be July 1.
“Given the challenges we have, we are a shovel-ready project, and Janet is a ready shovel,” said board member Thomas Carr.
“All the Maryland laws are at her fingertips. Administratively, she knows all of the problems we’re facing. We are very excited and happy... It’s great for us. I apologize to Allegany County.”
Allegany County Superintendent David Cox said Thursday that his congratulations for Wilson are “bittersweet, since we now have a tremendous void to fill.”
Wilson, who was one of two finalists for the Garrett County job, was also a finalist two years ago when the Allegany County superintendent position was open.
“We will certainly miss her in Allegany County, but I look forward to continuing to work with her as a colleague within the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland,” Cox said.
An Allegany County native, Wilson began her career in Allegany County in 1980 as a special education teacher.
In 1983, she moved to Kentucky, where she worked as a classroom teacher until 1988, when she returned to Allegany County to teach. In 1994, Wilson became a grants writer and coordinator of academic competitions for ACPS before being promoted to principal of the former Barton Elementary School in 1996.
In 2004, Wilson became an early childhood supervisor for the school system, and in 2007, she was promoted to assistant superintendent for instruction.
She received a doctorate in instructional leadership from Notre Dame of Maryland University last year, and she holds a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees from Frostburg State University.
Wilson was out of the office Thursday and couldn’t be reached for comment.
“Garrett County is getting a highly qualified and effective academic leader,” said Allegany County Board of Education President Sara-Beth James. “She will employ her hard work ethic, energy, expertise and passion for public education. ... We wish her the very best and congratulations in her new appointment.”
The Garrett County BOE began a nationwide search for a new superintendent last summer, after longtime superintendent Wendell Teets unexpectedly retired.
Teets faced the difficult task of balancing the school system’s budget amidst major shortfalls last year, and he made the unpopular recommendation that the board close two schools — Bloomington and Kitzmiller Elementary.
The board voted to close Bloomington.
This year, interim superintendent Sue Waggoner recommended closing Kitzmiller and Dennett Road elementary schools in order to balance the budget. Both schools closed May 30.
A group of parents and community members has filed an appeal with the Maryland State Board of Education to reverse the decision to close the schools.
Waggoner, who had planned to retire last summer before Teets’ announcement, agreed to stay on as interim, but didn’t apply for the permanent superintendent position. Her last day will be June 30, Carr said, and the board held a reception for her last month.
In February 2016 Janet Wilson announced she would not be seeking reappointment as Superintendent and would be pursuing other opportunities. Wilson's contract was to be up for renewal at the end of June 2016.