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Dr. Cynthia McCabe, second-year superintendent of Carroll County Public Schools, shared her back-to-school goals and challenges for the upcoming school year with WJZ News.
WJZ News recently interviewed Dr. Cynthia McCabe, superintendent of Carroll County Public Schools, about the exciting opportunities and challenges facing local school systems approaching the 2023-2024 school year as part of their "Ready, Set, School!" campaign this month.
Dr. McCabe said that she's more than prepared to lead in her role as superintendent of Carroll County Public Schools this year. "I've pretty much run the gambit on the positions that really prepare a person to be a superintendent."
Dr. McCabe noted she is incredibly excited about the grand opening of East Middle School in Westminster, Maryland. "We know it's been a long-time coming for our community, and we can't wait to see the looks on the students' faces when they come in the building for the first day of school."
Dr. McCabe said that a top priority for Carroll County Public Schools this year is student learning, as many systems strive to implement solutions to curtail the continuing rippling effects of learning loss arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. "[We] are an academic institution, and when all is said and done, we really have to focus on student learning."
Another common issue facing Maryland school systems this year is teacher shortages, and Dr. McCabe admitted that Carroll County is no exception. "We are seeing teacher shortages. At this point, we still have about 20 teaching positions that are open. I know that might sound like a small amount given that some of our neighboring districts have many more positions open, but for us, that's significant."
However, despite shortages in other areas, Dr. McCabe noted she is proud that her schools will have more mental health positions during the upcoming school year. "We feel like our students have really needed that," she said.
Additionally, Dr. McCabe said she feels prepared to prioritize student safety this coming year. "We have a board committee called the 'Security Advisory Council,' which is made up of parents, staff members, board members, folks from the sheriff's department, and members of our own security team. We all work together collaboratively to ensure the safety of our students."
While other systems in Maryland are dealing with issues around transportation, Dr. McCabe said she is grateful that transportation staffing is not an area of wide concern for Carroll County Public Schools. "I would say while we always worry a little bit about school bus drivers and making sure we have enough, it's not as great of a shortage right now as we have in other areas like in our teaching positions and even our custodial positions."
Watch the full interview on WJZ News here.
Dr. Cynthia McCabe spoke with the WJZ News team about her goals for the upcoming school year, as well as challenges facing Carroll County Public Schools.
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