“I believe that Dr. Monica Goldson is the right person at the right time to lead our school system,” said Baker. “She believes that every child has seeds of greatness in them and that it is her job to lead and help those seeds grow. And I am confident that she will move us in the right direction. It is time for us to turn the page and start anew. With rising enrollment, growing specialty programs, expansion of Pre-K and reduction in truancy rates, we must continue our march forward and work to provide our children with a good education.”
Goldson has steadily climbed the PGCPS leadership ranks, most recently serving as Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. In this role, she oversaw initiatives in curriculum and instruction, special education, testing, college and career readiness, and student services. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer.
“I am humbled to have this opportunity. It is truly an honor to lead a school system that made me who I am today,” said Goldson. “Throughout my career, I have been privileged to oversee every department in the school system and I know what the work should look like. I am focused on doing what’s best for children, returning resources to our schools and making sure that over the next 30 days, we prepare to receive students when the new school year begins on September 4th.”
Goldson was unanimously selected July 12 by the Board of Education to serve as Acting CEO, succeeding Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell. Last week, she announced a reorganization of central office executive-level and managerial positions with the goal of redirecting at least $1 million to schools.
A Potomac High School graduate, Goldson has spent her entire career with PGCPS. She began as a mathematics teacher at Suitland High School. She later served as assistant principal of Forestville and Frederick Douglass high schools and as principal of Frederick Douglass and Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. high schools.
Goldson will oversee preparations for the 2018-19 school year and collaborate with the Board of Education on the school system’s five focus areas: academic excellence, high-performing workforce, safe and supportive environments, family and community engagement, and organizational effectiveness.
Goldson earned her bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Florida A&M University, a master’s degree in Elementary and Secondary School Administration from Bowie State University, and her doctorate in Educational Administration and Policy from Howard University. She is the mother of two sons; a student at Savannah College of Arts and Design, and another who attends Oxon Hill High School.
Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS), one of the nation's 25 largest school districts, has 208 schools and centers, more than 130,000 students and nearly 19,000 employees. The school system serves a diverse student population from urban, suburban and rural communities located in the Washington, DC suburbs. PGCPS is nationally recognized for innovative programs and initiatives that provide students with unique learning opportunities, including arts integration, environmental and financial literacy, and language immersion.