February 20th, 2018 by WCBC Radio
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. David Cox, has announced several administrative staffing changes at Mountain Ridge, Braddock, and West Side effective April 1st. Additionally, the Chinese Partial Immersion program housed at West Side Elementary School will continue at the secondary level at Braddock Middle School next year.
Mountain Ridge High School principal, Mr. Gene Morgan, will retire effective April 1, 2018. Mr. Danny Carter, current Braddock Middle School principal, will serve as the interim principal at Mountain Ridge. Taking Mr. Carter’s place as the interim principal at Braddock Middle School will be Dr. Molly Stewart, current West Side Elementary School principal. Relocating to West Side Elementary School as the interim principal to finish out the school year will be Dr. Caren Kurtz.
Gene Morgan began his tenure in Allegany County public schools in 1980, and has been Mountain Ridge’s principal for the past six years. “Mountain Ridge is a great place to work, and the staff and students are fantastic,” said Mr. Morgan. “It has been an honor to serve the Mountain Ridge community, and I appreciate that Dr. Cox gave me the opportunity to do that. I just feel that the time is right to move on to the next chapter of my life, and hopefully now that allows plenty of time to move Mountain Ridge forward in the future.”
“Mr. Morgan notified me some weeks ago of his intent to retire, and I asked him to allow me time to facilitate the necessary changes in administrative staffing,” stated Dr. Cox. “I was also evaluating the best host middle school site for the continuation of the Chinese Immersion Program even as Mr. Morgan informed me of his decision, so the timing of these changes have a bit of a domino effect.”
The Superintendent went on to say, “Dr. Stewart, with her extensive experience as an assistant principal at Mount Savage Middle School, will provide great leadership for Braddock Middle and the continued success of the Chinese Immersion Program. Mr. Carter has many years of experience as a seasoned principal and served as a high school assistant principal prior to his tenure at Braddock Middle School. He will provide steady leadership during this transition at Mountain Ridge. Dr. Kurtz has served as an assistant principal at West Side and is familiar with the school and its programs, and she will be able to pick right up as the interim principal.”
Danny Carter has worked for ACPS since 1979 and has served as the principal of Braddock Middle School for sixteen years. “I will be sad to leave Braddock, it’s become a second home to me over the years, but I am looking forward to working with the faculty, staff, and students at Mountain Ridge. That is the community where I grew up, so in a sense it will being like coming home.” In addition to Braddock Middle School, Mr. Carter has also worked at Flintstone Elementary School and Fort Hill High School as both a teacher and assistant principal. He earned a B.S. in biology and a Master of Education in administration and supervision, both from Frostburg State University.
Dr. Molly Stewart came to ACPS in 1997 as a teacher at South Penn Elementary School. She has also served as an assistant principal at both John Humbird and Mt. Savage before moving to West Side in 2010 as the school’s principal. Stewart earned a B.S. in early childhood/elementary education and a Master of Education in administration and supervision, both from FSU. She also earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in instructional leadership from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.
“I am very excited to be named interim principal at Braddock Middle School,” said Dr. Stewart. “I look forward to working with the students, staff, and families to provide superior academic
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