Worcester County superintendent unveils 100-day plan, literacy goal and new recognition programs
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Annette Wallace used her 100-day report to outline a three-phase plan for listening, alignment and cultivation, announced districtwide literacy and recognition initiatives and said the district will begin strategic planning in early 2026.
Dr. Annette Wallace told the Worcester County Board of Education on Oct. 21 that her first 100 days focused on listening to schools and community members, aligning district leadership around shared goals, and beginning to build systems for measurable progress.
"Every child is known by name, strength, and need," Wallace said, describing a three-phase approach she said guided district work: "Listen and learn, align and assess, create and cultivate." She credited staff, board members and community partners for supporting the transition and rollout.
Wallace announced a district literacy goal: "Every child in Worcester County will read on grade level by grade 3." She described a triangulation study of student data and early-intervention plans that district staff would present later in the meeting to identify students needing earlier support.
The superintendent also launched three recognition programs she said are designed to broaden the district's awards beyond athletics and conventional academic honors: the Surge Awards (students who energize and protect peers), the Heartbeat of Worcester Awards (staff who go above and beyond) and Every Child's Voice a Leader (student leaders who model civic values). Wallace and board members honored the first recipients at the meeting, including Mason Senhauser of Cedar Chapel Special School and bus contractor Kimberly Purnell.
Wallace said she has formed a superintendent advisory panel that includes randomly selected students, teachers, support staff and other groups to gather a broader range of perspectives. She also said the district will accelerate recruitment efforts to hire educators who reflect the county's student demographics, pursue pipeline programs and streamline hiring timelines.
Wallace said the district will begin a strategic-planning process in early 2026 that will align local work with the Blueprint for Maryland's Future and emphasized community engagement opportunities such as "coffee with the superintendent" sessions and school-improvement advisory committee presentations.
What happened next: The board received the report and moved on to student representative updates and a broad public-comment period that included both support for and opposition to a newly formed Turning Point USA chapter at Stephen Decatur High School.
Sources: Superintendent Annette Wallace's remarks at the Oct. 21 board meeting and recognition presentations, Worcester County Board of Education transcript.
