Activist Takes Her Seat on Board of Education

Retired St. Mary's Teacher Vows Change

For 25 years, Marilyn Crosby tried to change the educational system in St. Mary's County through her work as a social studies and special education teacher and by writing dozens of letters to the editors of local newspapers.

Now retired, Crosby will be lobbying for change from a different perch: the county Board of Education.

On Monday, Crosby was sworn into office during a ceremony attended by her son and several school officials. Reelected longtime incumbents Cathy Allen and Mary M. Washington were also sworn in.

"So, Marilyn, you're really the new kid on the block," Chairman William M. Mattingly said.

Crosby was elected to an at-large seat in November, defeating incumbent Gary Kessler of Lexington Park. Since then, she has attended training sessions on parliamentary procedure, how the board works and how it interacts with the superintendent.

Crosby has lived in St. Mary's for nearly 40 years, and her three children attended public schools in the county. Crosby and her husband, Tom, live in Esperanza Farms and enjoy fishing and gardening.

Crosby said at the ceremony Monday that her goal is to take the school system from "very good to very great."

"I'm a very inquisitive person," she said. "I am looking forward to a lot of discussions with the other board members."

During her campaign, Crosby cited several goals. They included providing pre-kindergarten classes to all interested students, enhancing after-school programs, addressing the shortage of special education teachers, expanding intensive science and math programs, and increasing the starting salary for teachers and staff members.

The St. Mary's school system has made strides in the past three years. Superintendent Michael J. Martirano 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.

But the system faces challenges.

Starting teacher salaries in St. Mary's lag behind those of Charles and Calvert counties. The high school graduation rate is 86.2 percent, according to state data. One middle school remains on the state's watch list because of low test scores. And, like most districts in Maryland, St. Mary's faces budget constraints because of the downturn in the economy.