Hard work means no free time.
After a meeting was cancelled, Dr. Starr visited the school to get what he likes to call his “kid fix,” a brief visit to a single school to identify strengths as well as problems.
These visits are part of Dr. Starr’s plan to improve education in all county schools. Individualized trips to specific schools allow Dr. Starr to discern weaknesses in a school system and then use the information to contemplate solutions.
New Superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr visits RHS students Nov. 10. -- Photo by Leah Tarrer
“I want to tap into what teachers know,” said Dr. Starr. “I have ideas for leveraging the intellectual capacity of students as well as teachers throughout the district.”
He says that he misses teaching, but can hardly remember it. He was motivated to become an administrator after noticing that he had little power to solve problems as a teacher. “I remember noticing problems that I wanted to fix but not being able to, and that I really wanted to,” said Dr. Starr.
Dr. Starr began his career in education in a special education program in the New York City Public Schools. He eventually became a county administrator before becoming the superintendent of Stamford County, Conn. schools. However, as Dr. Starr noted, MCPS is a much larger county than Stamford.
Dr. Starr made the move to Montgomery County with his family specifically for the job as superintendent. He is a high supporter of education, noting “education is the cornerstone of our democracy.”
As Dr. Starr continues his new job as superintendent, he hopes to continue interacting with the students. “I enjoy coming here and seeing what you guys are doing,” said Dr. Starr. “It brightens up my day.”
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Nice article! I hope Dr. Starr gets a chance to visit again soon.