As part of an annual tradition, Maryland’s Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey M. Wright, along with local education leaders, visited two schools in Montgomery County to kick off the new academic year. Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor accompanied the group throughout the visit Friday morning.
The two schools chosen for the visit were recently renovated. Odessa Shannon Middle School received upgrades in 2022, while Argyle Middle School underwent several smaller renovations and facility upgrades in recent years. During the stop at Odessa Shannon Middle School, Principal Natasha H. Booms led visiting leaders through two classrooms.
Booms welcomed the group by telling them the school “is your home.”
She also referenced the students.
“They’re excited to come back. So, the sentiment is that they are building and fostering relationships with each other and the adults in the building, which is something that we strongly focus on here,” Booms said.
The state-level visit comes after Odessa Shannon Middle School received widespread attention last academic year following an incident involving two students that left one student seriously injured. MCM previously reported on the incident and its aftermath.
During Friday’s visit, however, school leaders focused on relationships between students and staff, efforts to create a welcoming environment and the school’s academic progress.
“As evidenced by our mCAP… we have grown tremendously, especially around our geometry score and our seventh grade students are doing phenomenally well and excelling in English and math,” she said.
That focus is paying off academically, Booms said, pointing to strong student performance in mathematics.
Still, the school continues to need additional resources, and the principal thanked the state for its support around leadership development and other tools that help staff strengthen the school’s culture. Booms said the goal is to make sure every adult in the building is working toward the same purpose: a school where students feel safe and ready to learn.
Taylor used the occasion to thank state leaders for the visit and to reiterate the needs of county schools.
“We’re pressing for support. We do have some facilities challenges, we do have some policy challenges that we are looking for some support. And we have got great partners in our state Board of Education and in the Maryland State Department of Education,” Taylor said.
Educators and students alike were praised for their work, and the visit was described as a valuable opportunity for state officials to see that effort in action.
