The Howard County Board of Education named Interim Superintendent Michael J. Martirano as permanent superintendent for the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS). Following the announcement, Board Chairman Cynthia Vaillancourt and Martirano signed a letter of intent to begin a negotiation contract that will extend from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2022. Martirano’s contract as interim superintendent expires June 30, 2018.

According to a press release:

In May, the Board appointed Martirano as interim superintendent for a one-year term extending through June 30, 2018. It began in August the process of selecting a permanent superintendent, and solicited stakeholder input via an online survey, community forums, public hearings, and conversations with county and community leaders. The majority of the community feedback, including a large majority of the 2,200 survey responses, expressed a preference for retaining Martirano, with the remainder identifying integrity, strong communication skills, and a focus on the whole child as the most desirable characteristics for a new superintendent.

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“During his relatively brief time as interim superintendent, Dr. Martirano has restored the public’s trust in the school system with his strong understanding of the budget and his creative approach to tackling long-standing problems,” said Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman. “If the last seven months have been any indication, he’s going to be a tremendous advocate for the students, parents, teachers and administrators of our schools.”

Read the full press release for more information.