On Dec. 1, Assistant Principal Gregory Miller began his term as Principal Intern as part of the MCPS Leadership Development Program (LDP). Miller’s term will last until Jan. 26.
The LDP intends to empower educational leaders to support the social-emotional and academic success of students, according to MCPS. The program is broken into four phases, with additional workshops leaders must complete to become a principal.
Miller is starting the principal internship phase of the program’s pipeline, in which leaders complete workshops and different stages of leadership development to qualify as a principal in three years. Within each phase, there are typically two individual stages leaders must complete. During Miller’s practicum, Principal Robert Dodd will transfer to Sherwood High School, while Poolesville High School Principal Mark Carothers will serve as visiting principal at Whitman.
Miller became Assistant Principal and Supervisor of the Leadership and Social Justice Program in 2020. Since Miller’s term was announced on February 23, both Miller and Dodd have prepared community members for the change by meeting with parents, staff and students to explain the transition in more depth. Miller and Dodd also met with Whitman PTSA President Katie Blot and discussed ways to continue engaging with the Whitman community to foster a sense of community and agency for students during the practicum.
It’s atypical for educators to complete their Assistant Principal stages at their original schools. After applying for the principal internship, most accepted educational leaders are relocated to a different MCPS school, Dodd said.
As Principal Intern, Miller hopes to ensure students feel welcome at school and collaborate with staff and parents to elevate student voices, he said. Miller believes it will be challenging to no longer have guidance and help from Dodd.
“Dodd is a phenomenal resource, and he has a wealth of knowledge you can get comfortable relying on,” Miller said. “He is someone that a lot of people in our school system look up to, one of the few leaders in our space that has been at the elementary, middle and high school level.”
After completing the LDP workshop, education leaders decide between immediately starting their first year as an assistant principal (AP1) or beginning an 11-month term as an assistant school administrator, finishing an AP1 term afterward. After AP1, educators complete a future principals workshop and start their second year of the LDP as assistant principals (AP2). Miller was an assistant principal at Churchill High School and completed his AP1 and AP2 at Whitman. Then, leaders apply for the principal internship or principal vacancies to become a principal.
As part of the LDP, assistant principals apply to be interns while principals apply to be intern developers. This is the first time Dodd has been an intern developer with a principal intern. Dodd completed the LDP earlier in his career and is thrilled for his opportunity to work alongside Sherwood High School’s Principal Intern, Jennifer Herman.
“I’m excited to be a part of the school and help Ms. Herman and also get to know people, get to know the students,” Dodd said. “My most important responsibility will be like Mr. Carothers will be for Mr. Miller: a behind the scenes person that can close the door and reflect with the intern to make sure they have the support that they need.”
As an intern developer, Dodd will serve as a resource to Hernan, offering guidance and support during his time at Sherwood High School. Conversely, Carothers will serve as the intern developer for Miller at Whitman.
Junior Sophia Miller is hopeful for the change in administration and the opportunities it will bring for the Whitman community but is also concerned with how students will adjust to a new administration during the school year.
“I am excited for Mr. Miller to become the new principal intern because I’m curious as to what new ideas he will bring to the table,” Miller said. “It will be a fresh perspective that will hopefully improve the school and its atmosphere.”
The LDP can be extensive and rigorous, Dodd said. As part of Miller’s AP2 year, he attends monthly professional development meetings to learn from leadership coaches. Miller also has a professional development team (PDT), which includes Dodd as a member and the primary developer, to receive feedback on his leadership.
“I think by the time you do those three years in the Leadership Development Program, any person that successfully completes those three years should be ready for the principalship,” Dodd said. “I have no doubt in my mind that Mr. Miller will successfully complete the internship and will be ready for a principalship come this spring.”
