Our Superintendent
Dr. Michael J. Martirano is the superintendent of St. Mary’s County Public Schools, a high quality prekindergarten through 12th grade school system located in
beautiful Southern Maryland, where he oversees the operation of 27 schools (including the county’s first public charter school) and the instruction of nearly
17,000 students. Dr. Martirano was appointed superintendent of schools by the Board of Education of St. Mary’s County on June 8, 2005, by unanimous decision.
With a focus on improving academic success and building positive relationships, Dr. Martirano brought a renewed energy to St. Mary’s County Public Schools
(SMCPS). Immediately, his motto, “Work Hard and Be Nice,” proliferated throughout St. Mary’s County. He was reappointed for a new four year term by
unanimous decision on April 28, 2009, effective July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2013.
Since his appointment, Dr. Martirano reorganized the school system with an emphasis on service to schools. He takes every opportunity to fully engage in
school-based continuous improvement discussions on what works best for students, and is guided by one focus -- creating a total community committed to learning
and safety for all children in St. Mary’s County. Dr. Martirano has established a vision plan entitled
"Charting a Course to Excellence" that highlights 15 priorities to improve student achievement. These 15 points focus on improving student achievement for
ALL students. Dr. Martirano’s 15 point plan, combined with his clear alignment of school system goals, has enabled SMCPS to focus on targeted improvements
and interventions for individual students and student groups. His guiding reflective continuous improvement questions continually ask all stakeholders to
analyze the data by examining where have we been, where are we, and where are we going.
Dr. Martirano’s vision for the school system also inspired the creation of a new, streamlined mission statement: “Know the learner and the learning, expecting
excellence in both. Accept no excuses, educating ALL with rigor, relevance, respect and positive relationships.” His vision has also led to the implementation
of Educational Pathways, including the establishment of STEM Academies at all three levels that provide a rigorous curriculum focused on mathematics and science
with an infusion of technology and engineering; an Academy of Finance;
and alternative pathways to high school success, including the Tech Connect program and the Fairlead Academy which is a 9th grade school geared toward preventing
high school dropouts. Additionally, programs have been added to the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center to meet the needs of all students.
Additionally, the first new elementary school to be built since 1991 opened its doors on August 26, 2009. Evergreen Elementary School was noted as a Gold L.E.E.D.
(Leadership Energy Environmental Design) standard school. Also, increased focus was placed on safety and security with all schools being equipped with
security vestibules, computerized sign in for guests, volunteer registration, and safe driving and internet safety initiatives.
A key priority under Dr. Martirano’s leadership is enhanced communication within the organization, as well as with parents and community partners. This improvement
came via the school system’s enhanced use of its automated phone system, the redesign of the SMCPS website, development of a local educational TV channel, and the
implementation of more forums for parents and the community to communicate directly with the superintendent. Additionally, a Home Access Center was implemented to
increase communication with teachers and parents. Dr. Martirano strongly believes that family and community partnerships serve as an anchor to the school system and
are crucial to the betterment of student learning and to ensuring a safe environment for students and staff.
These two components are vital to his objective to “Create a total community committed to learning and safety for ALL children in St. Mary’s County.”
Dr. Martirano has been an educator for 27 years and has amassed a wide range of educational and administrative experiences. Prior to his appointment as superintendent,
he served three years as director of school administration with Howard County Public Schools. In this capacity, he was responsible for supervising and managing the
operation of 39 schools, and was responsible for evaluating the performance of each principal. Previously, he served as the principal of Laurel High School, part of the
Prince George’s County Public School system. During Dr. Martirano’s career, he has also served as an elementary school principal, successfully opening two new schools in
two different school systems (Prince George’s County and Montgomery County). He has been a middle school vice principal and has worked in central office as an area
teacher specialist and a director for a consortium of high schools. For several years, he taught science and math at the middle school level. Prior to teaching, he
worked at the University of Maryland in the Division of Student Affairs with the Department of Resident Life.
Dr. Martirano was named Maryland’s 2009 Superintendent of the Year by the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland (PSSAM) at the PSSAM conference retreat dinner
held October 23, 2008. He was a recipient of the 2008 Top Terp in Education Award. Prior to this, he was selected as the 2007 Superintendent of the Year by the American
Cancer Society Maryland Region. In addition, he was named a 2006-2007 Outstanding Leader by the University of Maryland's College of Education and is a member of the
Leadership Maryland Graduating Class of 2007 which selected Dr. Martirano to deliver their commencement address. In 2006, he was named the Educational Administrator of the
Year by the Maryland Association of Educational Office Professionals (MAEOP). These awards followed his 1998 selection as Outstanding Educator for Prince George’s County
Public Schools and his 1993 selection as Outstanding Science Teacher for the State of Maryland. He is a member of Phi Delta Kappa Educational Society, the University of
Maryland Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society, and is a member of a number of community and civic organizations.
Dr. Martirano holds a Doctorate of Education degree in school management and instructional leadership from Nova Southeastern University, two Masters of Education degrees and
a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland. He has had several articles published in national educational journals and is a noted presenter on various
educational topics. Additionally, he has served on the faculty of Johns Hopkins University as a Faculty Associate Instructor in their education department. He is certified
as a secondary principal, a supervisor, and superintendent in the State of Maryland. Dr. Martirano resides in St. Mary’s County with his wife Silvana and has three children;
one is a graduate of the University of Maryland and now attends law school, and two are enrolled in the St. Mary’s County Public School system.
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