Dr Mark Bedell, the Superintendent of Schools for Anne Arundel County, Maryland, spoke to principals at Harvard’s summer leadership event on Friday. He shared how the school district is working to build strong relationships to help every student succeed. About 170 principals from across the US and other countries attended.
Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell speaks to Harvard Graduate School of Education Summer Leadership Institute #AACPSFamily #BelongGrowSucceedhttps://t.co/shk7prNsGJ pic.twitter.com/AZgnLjEcmc
— AACPS (@AACountySchools) July 19, 2024
Dr Bedell discussed building trust with everyone involved in the school system: students, families, teachers, and the community. He focused on fairness, being open, and working together. He emphasized that the goal isn’t about him personally but about improving the school district for everyone.
In his presentation, titled “Crisis-Proofing Leadership: A Blueprint for Navigating Challenging Times,” he included a discussion of how Anne Arundel County Public Schools:
- Follows new rules from the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
- Started the first phase of a plan to redraw school boundaries
- Worked on a new flag policy that stirred some debate
- Builds good relationships with groups that have been critical of AACPS
- Addressed the shortage of bus drivers with a new program
- Improved teacher salaries from 19th place out of 24 in the state to 4th in just a year
Dr Bedell also mentioned a Listening and Learning Tour, during which community members shared their thoughts. This helped build trust and showed that everyone can help shape the future, even if they don’t always agree.
He just finished his second year as superintendent of Maryland’s fourth-largest school district, serving just under 85,000 students, and has spoken to many groups about his work. In 2023, he won the Joseph E Hill Superintendent of the Year Award from the National Alliance of Black School Educators, according to a press release.