Dr. Joseph Bostic, currently a principal intern at Northwood High School and a former MCPS Teacher of the Year, has been appointed acting principal of Thomas S. Wootton High School effective December 10, 2024. This change follows the administrative leave of Principal Doug Nelson on December 9, after an incident where a racial slur was found written on a student’s desk.
Dr. Peter O. Moran, Chief of Schools for MCPS, shared the following message with the Wootton community:
“Dear Thomas S. Wootton High School Staff, Students and Community, I am writing to inform you of an interim staffing change for Wootton High School that will take effect today, Tuesday, December 10, 2024. Currently, Mr. Doug Nelson, principal of Wootton High School, is on leave from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Joseph Bostic, currently the principal intern at Northwood High School, will serve as the acting principal during Mr. Nelson’s absence. Dr. Bostic, a former Teacher of the Year in MCPS, comes to Wootton after having served as an assistant principal and principal intern at Northwood High School, where he demonstrated a strong commitment to high-quality instruction and meeting the academic and social-emotional needs of all students. Prior to Northwood, Dr. Bostic worked at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School as a math specialist and team leader. Dr. Bostic has also served as a Building Our Network of Diversity (BOND) teacher and a football coach at Springbrook and Blake High Schools.
During this leadership transition, Dr. Bostic will work closely with the staff and students at Wootton High School and will receive coordinated support from the Office of School Support and Improvement and other central office partners. Dr. Bostic will be attending the PTSA meeting on Monday, December 16, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.
We will soon be sharing other opportunities for the staff, students and caregivers to meet with and welcome Dr. Bostic to the Wootton community. Please join me in officially welcoming Dr. Bostic!”