Caroline County Public Schools' Board Appoints Interim Superintendent

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Caroline County Public Schools’ Board Appoints Patricia Saelens, Ed.D. As Interim Superintendent

(DENTON) December 27, 2016 – James Newcomb, President of the Caroline County Board of Education, announced that Superintendent of Schools, John D. Ewald, has resigned for personal reasons. The resignation is effective immediately.

"The Board of Education appreciates the work Mr. Ewald did while in Caroline, and wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavors," said Newcomb. Mr. Ewald came to Caroline County in July 2015.

The Board has appointed Dr. Patricia Saelens, current Assistant Superintendent for Instruction,  as interim superintendent, pending approval of Maryland State Superintendent Dr. Karen  Salmon. "Dr. Saelens has the full confidence of the board, and is well suited to lead the school system through this transition," Newcomb. The board will make decisions regarding a permanent appointment to the position in the coming newyear.

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Message from Interim Superintendent January 2017

 As we move into the second half of the school year I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. As a result of Mr. John Ewald’s recent resignation, I have accepted the position of Interim Superintendent of Schools.

 Raised on the Eastern Shore, I have been an educator for more than 20 years. The first 14 years, I served the community of Dorchester County Public Schools in various positions including teacher, assistant principal, principal and coordinator.      Nearly 12  years ago, I joined the family of

Caroline County Public Schools. Since that time, I have served in the capacity of building level administrator, coordinator, supervisor and Assistant Superintendent of Instruction. These experiences span over all three grade levels PreK-12. I received my Undergraduate and Masters degrees through Salisbury University and my doctorate in Leadership and Innovation in 2007 from Wilmington University.

I want to assure you that I will work diligently to help the system continue to be successful. We are extremely fortunate; Caroline has a well-established and highly respected team in  place across all divisions and all levels to serve our children. Our parent and community partnerships are a critical component as we strive to provide students with real world connections. By working together we can ensure our students' success.

I look forward to your continued support and our work together throughout the remainder of this school year and beyond to ensure our students are provided a world-class education.

 Patricia Saelens, Ed.D.

Interim Superintendent of Schools