Harford County Board of Education Announces Finalists for Superintendent Search

From Harford County Public Schools:

The Board of Education of Harford County (Board) conducted the second round of interviews on May 5, 2018, with four candidates for Superintendent of Schools. Based on those interviews, the Board selected two candidates to move forward as finalists.

The finalists, whose pictures and bios are available below, will each spend a day touring Harford County, visiting schools, and meeting with stakeholders. David C. Ring, Jr. Ed.D. will visit Harford County on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, and Sean Bulson, Ed.D. will visit Harford County on Thursday, May 17, 2018. Please see the schedule for those days below:

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. – County tour and school visits

Sessions held in the Board Room of the A.A. Roberty Building, 102 S. Hickory Avenue, Bel Air:

4:00 – 4:30 p.m. – Meet with student representatives
4:40 – 5:30 p.m. – Meet with bargaining units and employees
5:35 – 5:50 p.m. – Meet with press
6:00 – 6:45 p.m. – Meet with community groups and community members

During each employee session, a representative from each bargaining unit will have the opportunity to ask one question of the finalist first, then names of those in attendance will be drawn randomly for additional questions from employees.

For each community session, previously submitted questions will be asked of the finalists first. In order to ensure that each finalist receives the same broad range of questions, the Board requests that community groups and community members continue to submit questions online through the end of business on May 11, 2018.

Questions for the community sessions may be submitted to Dr. Terry Greenwood, search consultant for the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), via an email link on the school system’s website, found by visiting www.hcps.org and clicking on the Superintendent Search button on the homepage, or by clicking here, tag@greenwoodmd.com.

Following the pre-submitted questions at the community sessions, finalists will then entertain questions from audience members by random drawing. The community meetings will be broadcast live and archived on the school system’s website via www.hcps.org/boe/livestream. In addition, comment cards will be available at the end of each session, collected by MABE consultants, and reviewed by the Board.

Sean Bulson, Ed.D.

Sean Bulson is an education leader with 23 years experience serving public school students.

He is currently Interim Vice President for the Division of University and P-12 Partnerships at the University of North Carolina System (UNC). In that role, he focuses on educator preparation and directs a portfolio of statewide programs that support schools and school districts. He joined UNC in 2016 to lead an initiative aimed at opening laboratory schools at UNC institutions to serve students from low-performing schools.

In 2011, Dr. Bulson became superintendent of Wilson County Schools (WCS) in North Carolina supervising 12,000 students and 25 schools. He led the development of a district-wide strategic plan to improve both accountability and transparency, and co-led the establishment of a community wide youth plan which yielded benefits in health, safety, and workforce development. To better prepare students seeking employment after high school, he engaged both the business community and the Community College to envision, plan, and open the Wilson Academy of Applied Technology, an early college high school which prepares students for careers in advanced manufacturing. During his tenure, Dr. Bulson served on the North Carolina House Education Innovation Committee, and presented at national and state conferences on topics such as Developing a Youth Master Plan, Creating a Welcoming School District Environment, and Teacher Leadership.

Dr. Bulson spent the first 16 years of his career in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland. He served as Community Superintendent supervising 36 schools with approximately 24,000 students. While in that role, he co-led the district-wide team responsible for improving student participation and performance in honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate courses. Prior to that, he served as Director of School Performance working with 28 Montgomery County elementary, middle, and high schools. He also served as principal of Bethesda–Chevy Chase High School, an International Baccalaureate World School that consistently ranked in the U.S. News and World Report top 100 high schools in the nation during his tenure. Dr. Bulson began his career in education as a teacher of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL). In 2008, he was honored as the MCPS ESOL Principal of the Year.

Dr. Bulson holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from American University, a master’s degree in ESOL instruction from Marymount University, and a doctoral degree in educational leadership from George Washington University.

David C. Ring, Jr. Ed.D

An accomplished administrator and educator, Dr. Ring brings more than 35 years of experience and expertise to the world of education. His career includes more than 15 years spent in leadership, as a superintendent, principal and assistant principal, as well as 16 years in the classroom, as a teacher, a chairperson and a curriculum specialist.

Dr. Ring is highly regarded for his consensus-building, communication, and human relations skills. He believes strongly in the potential of every student and that through collaboration with all stakeholder’s students of all backgrounds, young or an adult learner will achieve at the highest levels.

He completed his Bachelor of Science degree at St. Francis University (PA) in Education and English. After several years of classroom teaching he completed a Master’s degree in Education from St. Joseph’s University (PA). He continued his studies at Towson University (MD) and completed the required coursework to be certified as a School Administrator. On April 30, 2003, he received a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. His research and dissertation focused on the “The Behavioral Effects of High School Students in relation to Academic Performance”.

On July 1, 2015 Dr. Ring was appointed the President and served a two-year term as the fifth President for the Institute of Notre Dame located in Baltimore, Maryland. Previous to 2015 Dr. Ring was employed with Baltimore County Public Schools as a school-based administrator and a classroom teacher.

Dr. Ring was named superintendent for the Delmar School District in July 2005. Delmar is one of the few bi-state school systems in the country – the school district serves students from Delaware and Maryland. He understood the differences between the Maryland and Delaware educational systems and fostered the Delmar community spirit and the district’s shared vision.

Dr. Ring worked diligently with stakeholder groups from Delaware and Maryland (Departments of Education, School Boards, Administrators, Attorneys, Support and Professional Staff) to ensure the integrity and longevity of the Bi-State Agreement. During his tenure as superintendent four successful referendums were passed.

Besides his service to the Delmar School District, he served at the discretion of Delaware’s Governor Jack Markell as an Executive Board member for Jobs for Delaware Graduates (JDG). He served on the Executive Board for Delaware Association of School Administrators (DASA) and the Delaware School Board Association (DSBA). He also served as Delaware’s Local Education Agency (LEA) representative for the United States Forum on Education Statistics.

In June 2012 Dr. Ring completed his term as president for Delaware’s Chief School Officers Association (CSOA). As president, he worked for greater collaboration among Delaware’s 19 superintendents, Delaware’s Department of Education and the Governor’s office. He resurrected the Education Consortium, a group of influential stakeholders throughout the state that works with legislators in evaluating, supporting and promoting legislation directly associated with Early Childhood and K -12 education.

Dr. Ring was named 2014 Delaware’s Superintendent of the Year and under his leadership The Delmar High School was named the number one high school in Delaware. The Delmar School District also received College Board’s AP® Honor Roll Status.

Dr. Ring believes that his leadership role extended beyond the school house and for this reason he was committed to serving the Delmar community.

In 2010 he founded the Foundation for Delmar Education (FDE) which exists to increase community awareness and develop resources that will sustain current programs, give financial headway for future projects, and ultimately, benefit students, staff, facilities and community in the Delmar, Maryland Elementary school and the Delmar Delaware Middle and High schools.

The FDE is a non-stock 501 (3) (c) corporation organized under the General Corporation Laws of the State of Delaware. Dr. Ring worked closely with the Delmar community to ensure the district’s needs were met. He served as a Commissioner for the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission and was an active member with the local VFW, Lion’s and Kiwanis Clubs, the Delmar Revitalization Committee, the Historical Society and a member of the Catholic Community of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.

Dr. Ring and his wife Stephanie currently live in the northeast section of Baltimore County. They have two grown children and two grandsons. Both he and his wife are actively involved with their family and community.