Mark Bedell became superintendent of the Anne Arundel Public Schools in Maryland in 2022.
Mark T. Bedell was named Superintendent of Schools in 2022 after spending six years turning around Kansas City Public Schools, where his leadership helped return the district to full accreditation status for the first time in 20 years.
Anne Arundel has made headlines recently for enacting much more restrictive cell phone policies as part of efforts to "maximize the focus on instruction, remove distractions, and improve mental health," with Bedell also adding in the announcement, "I will not hesitate to have further conversations with the school board and the community about a total ban should that become necessary."
The new strategic plan, titled "Belong. Grow. Succeed." focuses on five main areas:
- Achieving Academic Excellence
- Future Readiness and Transitional Preparedness
- Investing in Our Staff
- Supporting the Whole Child
- Building and Sustaining Our Future
The plan also defines the district's core beliefs as Belonging, Equity, Innovation, Integrity, and Safety.
"For any school system to fully deliver the promise of education to its students and community, its work must be built on a foundation of trust, transparency, and shared purpose. This Strategic Plan reflects those values," Bedell said in a statement. "Though it is our Board of Education that is charged with adoption of this plan and it is our staff that is charged with implementation, this is not our plan. This is a community plan centered on fostering an environment where every student feels a sense of belonging, empowered to grow academically and socially, and ultimately equipped to succeed in whatever path they choose."
