Felder named interim MCPS superintendent

by Judith Hruz

Editor

Dr. Monique Felder took over as interim superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) just two days before she and other school system officials appeared before members of the County Council for a hearing on the findings of the county’s Office of the Inspector General on how numerous complaints of harassment were handled by the school system.

“It’s abundantly clear – and this is my third day  – it is abundantly clear to me that MCPS needs stability more than anything right now,” she told members of the council during the Feb. 8 hearing.

She also said she is “honored and humbled to be in this role” on interim superintendent and will “make sure this never, ever happens again.”

Felder was appointed Feb. 6 to fill the position left vacant when Dr. Monifa McKnight stepped down from her position as leader of the school system on Feb. 2, saying the distraction of the past several months has moved the focus away from her mission of caring for students.

Felder brings 32 years of experience in public education, including as superintendent for Orange County Public Schools in North Carolina, where she was nominated as regional superintendent of the year.

Prior to her superintendency, she served as the Chief Academic Officer for Metro Nashville Public Schools (TN), as an executive director for Prince George’s County Public Schools, and as a teacher, the director of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction and director of the Interventions Network for MCPS.

“Dr. Felder has a long and successful career in public education, and is already familiar with MCPS,” said Karla Silvestre, president of the Board of Education. “We are confident that her background in district leadership, instruction and administration makes her the right person to carry us through this transition and begin the work to rebuild trust among staff and the community, while we identify the next permanent superintendent.”