In Address, Schools Chief Spotlights St. Mary's Feats

Standing before a crowd of Southern Maryland's top government and business leaders Wednesday, St. Mary's County School Superintendent Michael J. Martirano recalled a conversation he had with an older woman as he stood in line at a restaurant.

The woman recognized Martirano, never camera shy, from photos of him in local newspapers. She complimented the superintendent on his school system, but then became even more serious and grabbed his arm.

"She said, 'Sir, your job is very important to our community, and I just want you to know that we are praying for you every day,' " Martirano said. Jokingly, he said, he "rolled up into the fetal position" and crawled under the table to contemplate her words.

The crowd laughed. Cameras clicked. Reporters took notes. And Martirano beamed.

The luncheon was Martirano's third state of the school system address, an event that is common in large public school districts but rare in one as small as St. Mary's. During the speech, Martirano outlined the school system's accomplishments in the past year, gave shout-outs to award-winning teachers and staff members and pointed out challenges that remain.

Ticking off accomplishments took most of Martirano's time. Standardized test scores continued to increase, including some double-digit increases in seventh- and eighth-grade math scores. Nearly all high school seniors have passed state tests required for graduation. St. Mary's was one of six Maryland school districts this year that met all of the state's yearly standardized test score targets. And the county had the highest average SAT scores of the three Southern Maryland counties.

"Not that we are competitive," Martirano said with a smile.

The strides that Martirano has made in St. Mary's since becoming superintendent in July 2005 have caught the eye of state education leaders. Last month, he was named Maryland's superintendent of the year by the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland. Last year, the American Cancer Society gave him a similar award.

In the past three years, Martirano has reorganized the school system and established a plan that created more rigorous math and science programs at several schools. He has also set up programs that teach career skills to students who do not plan to attend college and a ninth-grade academy for students at risk of dropping out.

Those who work with him describe his leadership style as aggressive and energetic.

During a recent visit to the county, Nancy S. Grasmick, state superintendent of schools, said his and other educators' initiatives were "truly stunning."

"It was evident in all of the information shared that critical decision-making and strategic planning is taking place at every important moment in the St. Mary's County public school system," she said.

But the system also faces challenges: Starting teacher salaries lag behind those of Charles and Calvert counties. The high school graduation rate is 86.2 percent, according to state data . There is an achievement gap for students who are racial minorities or come from low-income homes. One middle school remains on the state's watch list because of low test scores. Five percent of high school seniors haven't passed state exams needed to graduate. And the school system, like most nationwide, faces a tight budget year with the downturn in the economy.

Still, at the luncheon Wednesday, Martirano remained, as usual, positive.

"The state of the St. Mary's County public school system is strong," he said. "We are a high-performing school system, but we must keep it that way and work even harder to make it even better."