To the Editor:

Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year.  I want to take this opportunity to wish every child, parent, guardian, and staff member of St. Mary’s County Public Schools a very successful school year. 

As we begin this school year, we are faced with lots of changes at the federal and state levels.  Ultimately, these changes work their way down to the local level.  As a school system, our job is to stay ahead of these changes.  We always want to be proactive instead of reactive.

To this end, we want to enhance teaching in the classroom to improve the quality of learning and the retention of our students.  Victories continue everyday in our classrooms – the proof is in our assessment results.  Additionally, our graduation rate continues to improve.  This year, we posted an 89 percent graduation rate.  We also had a record number of graduates in the Class of 2010 with 1,145 students receiving their high school diploma.  However, there is always room for improvement.  New phrases that you will hear this year are: college and career ready students; meeting the needs of diverse students; successful, safe and healthy students; great teachers and great leaders; a complete education; and fostering innovation and excellence.  Our actions will center on these phrases and will have one goal in mind – TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

We will continue to protect our children and keep them safe.  Over the years, we have implemented a number of initiatives that focus on safety.  They include a young drivers’ safety initiative and an internet safety initiative. This year, St. Mary’s County Public Schools has implemented the Superintendent’s Bullying Prevention and Community Awareness Initiative.   A 90-minute parent/community anti-bullying presentation featuring nationally acclaimed bullying expert Jodee Blanco will take place Thursday, September 9, 2010, 6:00 p.m., at Leonardtown High School, and I hope you will all come out to this event.  Our children must feel safe, secure, and nurtured in all of our schools before the learning process can fully take place.

We, as educators, must do things differently to address the learners of the 21st century and tap into their higher levels of understanding and thinking.  That is why these changes are needed.  Our children are wonderful and we are primed to welcome them back to another school year where they will be challenged to their highest ability and supported as they sharpen their academic skills.

St. Mary’s County Public Schools is a high performing school system where we believe that ALL children can and will learn.  We are making a difference for each individual child because every child matters.  Here’s to continued academic success for ALL of our students.  Welcome back to school. 

Submitted by:


Michael J. Martirano, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
St. Mary’s County Public Schools