Baltimore County’s next school superintendent is promising a plan of action as he takes over the system July 1st. Darryl Williams was introduced to the public at a special school board meeting Tuesday night. 

It was also revealed what the next year will hold for outgoing interim superintendent Verletta White.

It is in White’s contract that she could stay on another year if she did not get the job of permanent school superintendent.

So, she’ll serve as a consultant to Williams until she leaves next June.

Williams said White will work on retaining and recruiting teachers. 

Williams got the job White wanted, but he said they will be able to work together.

“I’m not concerned about the working relationship,” Williams said. “I do acknowledge she led the system for the last two years. That’s just who I am. I’m able to work with people.”

In a statement, White said she will look at how the school system is trying to find and keep teachers, and propose changes.

“Teachers are the lifeblood of any school system,” White said.

White has been part of the county school system for more than 20 years and rose to chief academic officer before being appointed the interim school superintendent.

But she was politically damaged by the resignation two years ago of superintendent Dallas Dance. He was convicted of perjury for lying about money he made as an outside consultant while serving as superintendent. White also did not report money made as a consultant. But she called that an honest mistake and was never charged.

So now Williams is the permanent successor to Dance. 

Williams has spent nearly a quarter of a century in the Montgomery County Public Schools. He started as a teacher and worked his way up to associate superintendent. He indicated he likely will bring others from Montgomery County to join his team in Baltimore County.

School board chairwoman Kathleen Causey said Williams already has been meeting with principals, administrators and the teachers’ union. 

“So he’s going to continue to do that work,” Causey said. “To come into the system. To see where we are. To get the picture as is as he calls it.”

Williams said he wants to meet with students as well. 

“And so I will be working with the staff to see if students are around and how we will orchestrate that just to understand their point of view,” Williams said. “What we’re doing well and from their lens what might we do differently.”

Williams said the county school system is strong but that you don’t have to be sick in order to get better. 

He will be paid a base salary of $290,000 a year.