Montgomery County Public Schools has named Rhoshanda M. Pyles, principal of Rockville High School, as the 2026 recipient of the Dr. Edward Shirley Award for Excellence in Educational Administration and Supervision. Pyles began as principal at Rockville during the 2021-2022 school year.
According to the Rockville Rampage, Pyles taught math and business at Clarksburg High School for two years while working towards her master’s degree in administration and supervision. She then began working as a part of the administrative team at Clarksburg HS for the next decade followed by four years as an assistant principal at Watkins Mill High School before completing her principal internship at Farquhar Middle School.
MCPS shared on Wednesday that the award recognizes an outstanding MCPS administrator or supervisor who reflects the commitment to service, leadership and professional excellence demonstrated by Dr. Edward Shirley, the first full-time president of the Maryland Council of Administrators of Secondary Schools.
According to MCPS, Pyles was selected for her purposeful leadership, strong instructional focus and exceptional interpersonal skills. She is credited with consistently fostering the growth of others, managing resources strategically to support student success, and engaging families and community partners in meaningful and impactful ways.
The Dr. Edward Shirley Award will be formally presented at the MCAAP Summer Leadership Conference.
