The Board of Education of Charles County has announced the appointment of four new principals for the 2023-2024 school year, as well as several administrative moves. The appointments were approved at the April 24 work session and will take effect on July 1, 2023.
Two new Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) elementary principals were appointed, and two current CCPS acting principals were approved to become principals. Additionally, the Board was briefed on several administrative moves and the selection of the coordinator for the new Early Childhood Education Center.
Ethel Hosendorf was appointed as the principal of T.C. Martin Elementary School, beginning her tenure on July 1. She is currently an assistant principal at Theodore G. Davis Middle School and has been an employee with CCPS since 2008. Prior to beginning a career in administration, Hosendorf was a financial literacy and business education teacher at North Point High School.
Portia Parker will begin her principalship at Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School on July 1. She is currently an assistant principal at Mattawoman Middle School and has been a CCPS administrator since 2017. Parker was appointed as an assistant principal at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School in 2018 and transitioned to her current role at Mattawoman in 2019.
Nicole Hawkins was named as acting principal at Arthur Middleton Elementary School last year and was approved to move to the principal role. She previously served as an assistant principal and teacher with CCPS for several years.
Diedra Barnett was named as acting principal at J.P. Ryon Elementary School last year and was approved to become the principal of Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School. Prior to her appointment at Ryon, Barnett was an assistant principal at the school for four years and taught at several CCPS schools before pursuing a role in administration.
Candice Vallandingham-Adam was appointed as the coordinator of the CCPS Early Childhood Education Center. The center is located on the La Plata campus of the College of Southern Maryland, and CCPS is leasing the facility to expand its current prekindergarten program enrollment. Vallandingham-Adam is currently an assistant principal at Mary B. Neal Elementary School and has been a CCPS teacher and administrator since 2001.
Nicholas Adam, the current principal at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, was approved to become the principal at J.P. Ryon Elementary School. He has been a CCPS principal since 2019 and was previously an assistant principal and teacher with CCPS.
Orlena Whatley, the current principal at Dr. Samuel A. Mudd Elementary School, was approved to become the principal at General Smallwood Middle School. She has been a CCPS principal since 2014 and was named the 2020 CCPS Principal of the Year. Before joining CCPS, Whatley was a principal, assistant principal, and teacher in Texas.
Todd Wonderling, the current principal at T.C. Martin Elementary School, was approved to become the principal at the F.B. Gwynn Educational Center. Prior to his career serving as an elementary school principal, Wonderling taught at the Gwynn Center and served as its coordinator of programs for several years.
Parents and staff at the affected schools were notified of the upcoming administrative changes today. Outgoing principals will work with incoming administrators to help them transition before the end of the school year.
In summary, the Board of Education of Charles County has approved four administrative appointments, including two new Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) elementary principals and the approval of two current CCPS acting principals to principals. The appointments will take effect on July 1, 2023,