SNOW HILL -- A number of Worcester County schools are about to see a widespread changing of the guard in administration.

Besides losing Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jon Andes and Assistant Superintendent for Administration Ed Barber to retirement at the end of the current fiscal year, the Board of Education also had to replace several principals, which sparked a large shuffle among employees, since nearly all promotions were made from within the school system.

“As a result of some retirements, we had to find four principals,” said Andes.
Andes added that he was “excited and delighted” by the new wave of administration.

“The success of a school system is determined by the quality of people leading each school,” said Andes.

At the high school level, former Berlin Intermediate School Principal Tom Zimmer was transferred to serve as principal for Stephen Decatur High School (SHDA) where he will replace long-time Principal Louis Taylor, who was promoted last month to fill Barber’s seat on the school board. Ryan Cowder, a SDHS chemistry teacher, was promoted to serve as one of Zimmer’s vice-principals.

At Pocomoke High School (PHS), Annette Wallace, formerly an Extended School Administrator, was promoted to principal with Matt Record, previously a Snow Hill Elementary School (SHES) resource teacher, being promoted to take her former position. The only new administrative hire this year was also at PHS with new Vice Principal Stephen Boyd.

Snow Hill High School (SHHS) retained current Principal Tom Davis but gained a new vice principal in Kim Purvis, formerly a vice principal at PHS.

Worcester Technical High School gained Caroline Bloxom, previously principal at Pocomoke Middle School (PMS), as its new head. Replacing Bloxom will be Todd Hall, who is moving up from the same position at Pocomoke Elementary School (PES).

At Stephen Decatur Middle School (SDMS), former Vice Principal Lynne Barton received the bump to principal with Buckingham Elementary School (BES) Testing Coordinator/Curriculum Planner Marc Shipley moving in to take up Barton’s former role at SDMS.

Finally, at Pocomoke Elementary School, former vice principal Michael Browne was promoted to principal at the school and Paula Brown, previously a vice principal at SHHS, transferred into the same position to serve under Browne.