July 3, 2023, Staff and Community Update: Welcome Message from Superintendent Myriam Yarbrough
Greetings, Team BCPS,
I hope you are having a safe and relaxing summer! Today is my official first business day as superintendent, and I am truly grateful and humbled at the opportunity to serve and partner with students, staff and families and build upon our shared vision that BCPS can and will be among the highest performing school systems in the nation. From the start of my educational career at Woodlawn High School nearly 27 years ago to my recent role as the BCPS deputy superintendent, it has been my mission to listen and to learn from our students, staff, and stakeholders, and to lead and empower teams to remove barriers to student success.
I am so proud to be a part of this incredible school system. We have more than 20,000 committed staff working relentlessly to improve outcomes for students, strong partners dedicated to investing in our students, and supportive and engaged families. Our county has a rich history, and we celebrate the diversity of our students who represent more than 138 countries and speak nearly 150 languages. Each year, BCPS schools, staff and students win numerous local, state, and national awards.
Yet, while there are great things happening in our school system, we must also acknowledge the urgent need to reverse the trend of declining academic performance and improve climate and operational efficiency. We must ensure each student at every school is meeting their full potential. There is significant work before us and I pledge to lead with a sense of urgency, listen with purpose, thoroughly assess our areas of strength and opportunity, and implement collaborative and strategic action plans with fidelity. I am taking immediate steps to build high-performing school and central-office teams of BCPS staff and leaders that will empower students with the skills, behaviors, and confidence they need to succeed in rigorous and challenging academic courses and in life. I recently announced the launch of my transition team that will assist me in assessing our school system and developing strategic short and long-term recommendations. Our core purpose is centered on increasing achievement for all students and providing a variety of pathways to prepare students for college and careers. Delivering on this commitment means prioritizing resources, investments, and supports in the following critical areas, to ensure success moving forward—
- Academic Achievement– Focused, data-driven, research based, instructionally sound resources, practices and tools that build teacher capacity, promote high levels of learning and increase student achievement.
- Infrastructure–Efficient, effective, responsive and reliable systems that ensure smooth operations across Team BCPS.
- Safety and Climate– Clear expectations, consistent responses and shared accountability will protect and preserve safe learning environments.
- Highly Effective Teachers, Leaders and Staff–Refining efforts to recruit and retain a highly-effective and diverse teacher, support staff, and leadership workforce.
The urgent work in front of us is going to take all members of Team BCPS to make the difference that we want to see in our schools. We need parents, we need communities, and we need to come together with our partners to make sure that we are preparing all students to thrive now and in the future.
I am holding a series of events to hear directly from you about your priorities and hopes for BCPS. These meetings will continue through mid-July. If you can, please join us. I am also pleased to share my community engagement plan which includes a variety of opportunities for members of the Team BCPS community to connect with system leadership, participate in conversations to shape the future of BCPS, and provide direct feedback on system efforts.
I look forward to partnering with you on behalf of our 111,000 students. Please do not hesitate to contact me to share your thoughts, concerns and ideas. I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer break and I look forward to meeting many of you at engagement events this summer and as we begin the 2023-2024 school year.
In partnership,
Myriam Yarbrough, Ed.D.
Superintendent