Dr. Micah Stauffer Chosen As Wicomico Co. Superintendent Of Schools
The Wicomico County Board of Education has appointed a new Superintendent of Schools.
Dr. Micah Stauffer was one of the three finalists for the position, and was officially appointed at a special meeting Wednesday night.
Stauffer has served as The Wicomico County School System’s Chief Finance and Operations Officer since 2019. He also previously served as Director of Secondary Education, and had roles as an administrator and teacher.
Stauffer is a graduate of Wicomico High School.
“I’m invested in this county,” Dr. Stauffer said in his finalist video interview. “I went to schools in this county and grew up here. My wife graduated from WiHi, as did I. My son recently graduated from James M. Bennett and is doing well now at West Point, in college, and my daughter’s a freshman at James M. Bennett, doing well in her activities and in school. The reason I want to be superintendent is because I’m invested in this county and I believe I have the strengths and the leadership skills to help us move forward together as a team.”
Current superintendent of schools Dr. Donna Hanlin plans to retire June 30th.
“Finding a new superintendent is one of the most important tasks of the Board of Education,” Board Chairman Gene Malone said. “This has been a carefully and conscientiously conducted search process with expert support from the Maryland Association of Boards of Education and with input from the entire community. Each finalist’s video interview was viewed approximately 1,100 times, and many, many people then shared their input on the finalists through a survey. We’re confident that any one of our three finalists would have been an excellent leader for Wicomico County Public Schools. We’re proud to announce that Dr. Stauffer will be the next Superintendent of Wicomico County Public Schools.”
Wicomico County Public Schools provided this biography of Dr. Micah Stauffer:
Dr. Micah Stauffer has served Wicomico County students, families, staff, and the community for over 20 years. As a teacher, coach, and educational leader, he strongly believes that all students have value and ability, and the priority of a school system should always be to support every individual student in
achieving success. He utilizes his unwavering values and attributes, leadership skills, knowledge, and experience to support students and staff, placing a heavy emphasis on collaboration, communication, school climate, and organizational culture. Collaborative problem solving is a priority for Dr. Stauffer as he
recognizes that the success of a school system depends on educators, parents, community members, and elected officials all working together.
Dr. Stauffer was first hired by Wicomico County Public Schools as a substitute teacher, and in 1998 began
teaching science at Parkside High School where he also coached baseball and golf. He served as an assistant principal at Wicomico Middle School and Mardela Middle and High School. As principal of
Mardela Middle and High School and Parkside High School, Dr. Stauffer demonstrated a passionate
commitment to ensuring that all students receive opportunities to succeed at the highest levels. During
his tenure as Director of Secondary Education, he provided instructional and organizational leadership to
all middle and high schools. He worked tirelessly to expand opportunities for Career and Technology
Education programs, virtual learning pathways, and high school dual enrollment coursework in
partnership with institutions of higher learning.
Dr. Stauffer currently serves as the Chief Finance and Operations Officer where he has expanded his
breadth of knowledge to all aspects of the school system by leading the areas of finance, human resources, employee relations, policy review and development, food and nutrition services, planning and
construction, facilities, maintenance, operations, and energy. In this role, Dr. Stauffer has led the Division
of Business and Operations to implement practices and technology to ensure school environments are safe and healthy, as well as ensure that budget development is a transparent process. During his tenure, federal funding has been efficiently utilized to initiate school renovation projects and Wicomico County Public Schools has received awards from the Association of School Business Officials and the Government
Finance Officers Association for excellent financial reporting. Among other key responsibilities, Dr. Stauffer also serves on the School Building Commission and was appointed by the Wicomico County
Board of Education and the Wicomico County Council to oversee the implementation of the Blueprint for
Maryland’s Future in Wicomico County. This landmark legislation provides for the expansion of early
childhood education, college and career readiness, resources to ensure student success, the development
of teachers and leaders, and governance and accountability.
Dr. Stauffer is a 1991 graduate of Wicomico High School. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the
University of Maryland Baltimore County, his Master’s degree from Salisbury University, and his
Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership–District Administration from Wilmington University. A
lifelong resident of Wicomico County, he and his wife, Dana reside in Salisbury with their daughter who
attends James M. Bennett. Their son, a graduate of James M. Bennett, received an appointment to the
United States Military Academy, West Point, where he currently attends. As a member of the Wicomico
Tourism and Civic Center Commission, and through his active involvement at Emmanuel Church
Fruitland and the Fruitland Adopt-A-Block program, Dr. Stauffer demonstrates a strong belief in the
importance of community and servant leadership.
