At the July monthly Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, Dr. Brenda McCartney, Interim Superintendent, gave an update about the Northern Complex, Central Office, and Swan Meadow School.
Dr. McCartney announced the realignment of Northern Garrett Middle and High Schools and the Hickory Environmental Educational Center to become the “Northern Complex” housing grades 6-12 for northern area communities. This realignment will result in one complex principal with an office at the middle and high school buildings and an assistant principal at each facility. She indicated that this structure would make aligning programming and staffing easier and offer extended programs more effectively. Hickory will continue operating in its current capacity, serving students from all GCPS schools.
Furthermore, Dr. McCartney announced the relocation of the Garrett County Public Schools (GCPS) Central Office. Offices will be moved to the Dennett Road Educational Complex and the Northern Complex in the middle school. The Elementary, Secondary, and Special Education Departments will move to Northern Middle by the end of August, while the Office of the Superintendent, Finance, Human Resources, and Student Services Departments will move to Dennett Road by the end of November. The move of offices to the Northern Complex is temporary, as those offices are expected to move to the Dennett Road Complex after the completion of the new Southern Elementary School. The office building on South Second Street will be vacated and returned to the County Commissioners by the end of 2023. Dr. McCartney thanked the Garrett County Commissioners for providing the building for use, noting that it has served us well. All phone numbers are expected to remain the same. Any updates will be reflected in the GCPS Directory on our website, www.gcps.net/directories.
Lastly, she announced that Swan Meadow School will have adjusted school hours for the 2023-24 school year, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily. This change aims to better serve the Swan Meadow community and comes with the support of the GCPS Transportation and Food & Nutrition Services Departments.
If you have any questions about these changes, please email the Public Relations Office at public.info@gcps.net.
