30 Days of Progress: A Message from Interim Superintendent Joseph

Last week marked my 30th day serving as Interim Superintendent, and I want to pause to thank you for the trust, partnership, and hope you’ve extended during this initial phase of our journey together.

✔️Engaged more than 1,000 stakeholders across nine virtual town halls to hear hopes, concerns, and dreams for our district.

✔️Reviewed budgets and embargoed achievement data to prepare for strong school openings and focused instructional support.

✔️Met with our Hispanic and Senate delegations to ensure that PGCPS remains visible and heard at every level of government.

✔️Welcomed seven new executive cabinet members who understand the unique leadership context and culture of PGCPS.

✔️Collaborated with our union partners to advance tentative contracts that better support our workforce.

✔️Spoke with more than 10 media outlets, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and excellence.

✔️Collaborated with MSDE and superintendents statewide to align around student outcomes and operational effectiveness.

✔️Initiated Phase I of a strategic reorganization, including the establishment of the Innovation and Performance Zone to accelerate improvement in our highest-need schools.

✔️Accelerated bus driver recruitment efforts, improving our readiness for day one.

✔️Identified our “Big Rocks” for the first quarter, informed by your feedback and our collective observations.

As author Jim Collins reminds us in “Good to Great,” lasting progress comes from disciplined people, thought, and action. To achieve greatness, we must face challenges head-on, believe in what’s possible, and bring the right people together, all moving in the same direction.

If we, as a school system and community, commit to that mindset every day, I’m confident we will move from good to great, together.

Guided by what we’ve heard from you, here are the “Big Rocks” we’re focused on this quarter:

• Improving Special Education and supports for Multilingual Learners
• Accelerating outcomes in Mathematics and Literacy
• Tackling Chronic Absenteeism with intentionality and urgency
• Expanding access to Internships and Dual Enrollment opportunities
• Building a positive, accountable, and inclusive organizational culture

This week, I’ll speak with our principals and central office teams at the Summer Leadership Institute. My message to them is simple: We are stronger together — and we must be the change we want to see.

Thank you for standing with us, for believing in our schools, and for all you do to support your children and our community.

Let’s enjoy these final days of summer — and get ready for a powerful start to the school year.

With gratitude and resolve,

Shawn Joseph, Ed.D.
Interim Superintendent