Dear Reader:

For the past five years, Baltimore County Public Schools has achieved what all school systems strive for – consistent progress in raising student achievement.

The foundation for this success is our Blueprint for Progress. The Blueprint unites us with common beliefs, priorities, and goals. The intensity of focus and quality of effort demonstrated by the teachers, students, administrators, staff, parents, volunteers, Board members, and supporters of Baltimore County Public Schools lift us higher and higher from that foundation. Their dedication, intelligence, skill, consistency, and creativity are reflected in every rising test score and every recognition this school system receives.

I want to thank each one of you who contributes to our progress and to urge all of you to increase the intensity and quality of your involvement. Together we can, and will, stand on our firm foundation and reach even higher.

Joe A. Hairston
Superintendent

DR. JOE A. HAIRSTON
Superintendent, Baltimore County Public Schools

Dr. Joe A. Hairston has served since 2000 as Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, one of the nation’s 25 largest school systems. His results-based leadership has yielded rising student academic achievement throughout his tenure.

Many of the strategies Dr. Hairston employs in Baltimore County – including development of a “blueprint” for school system progress, effective use of technology to support student achievement, and key partnerships with the College Board and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) to promote college attendance – evolved over the course of his noteworthy career.

In 2007, the Horace Mann League of the USA elected Dr. Hairston to its 12-member Board of Directors. The League is comprised of 1,000 renowned educators who share the belief that public schools are the cornerstone of democracy.

Recognized by presidents and the national media, Dr. Hairston has been honored with dozens of honors, including The Washington Post’s Distinguished Educational Leadership Award, the Maryland State Department of Education Vanguard Award, and the 2006 Virginia Tech Graduate Alumni Achievement Award. In 2005, Dr. Hairston received local, national, and international honors for his leadership in educational technology, including an Outstanding Leadership Award from the International Society for Technology in Education. Dr. Hairston has been recognized as Superintendent of the Year by The Fullwood Foundation and has been profiled in District Administration, Christian Science Monitor, and Scholastic Administr@tor magazines.

Dr. Hairston earned a doctorate in education administration from Virginia Tech, a master's degree from American University, and bachelor's degree from Maryland State University. Click here for more information