Superintendent says SMCPS will welcome nearly 100 new certificated staff as schools reopen Aug. 26

Superintendent Dr. Smith told the Saint Mary's County Board of Education on Aug. 5 that district human resources had worked through the summer to onboard a large cohort of new hires ahead of the 2026–27 school year. "We're probably going to end up with just shy of 100 new, certificated professionals joining Saint Mary's County for the upcoming year," Dr. Smith said, adding that the district is in a strong hiring position compared with recent years.

Dr. Smith reviewed the back‑to‑school schedule: new teachers will be in their school buildings on Aug. 10, systemwide gatherings and professional development will occur Aug. 11–12, veteran teachers report Aug. 18, and the first day of student attendance is Aug. 26. He also highlighted summer operations: "We are in week 7. We have served over 20,000 meals," he said, noting routine site service levels of about 1,500 children and that meal sites will remain open through August. The superintendent said the district's theme for the year will be "coherence," with a focus on aligning classroom instruction and clear expectations for students and families.

Board members praised recruitment efforts and the district's teacher academy pipeline. The board did not take formal action on staffing at the meeting; the superintendent said staff will continue monitoring vacancies and that substitute usage has declined as hiring fills positions.