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Stoddert students to get new principal
Babiak nominated for job after years in Charles system
Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by EMILY BARNES
Robert Babiak, new principal at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School, walks down the hall of the school in Waldorf.
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When students at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School return to school at the end of the month, a new face will greet them.
Robert Babiak has been assigned as acting principal of the Waldorf middle school as former Principal Sue DelaCruz accepted a position as a pupil personnel worker, according to Charles County Public Schools.
Babiak began acting as principal in July but won't be named principal officially until the Charles County Board of Education approves the position on Aug. 10.
Babiak comes to Stoddert from Matthew Henson Middle School, where he served as vice principal.
This is not Babiak's first time at Stoddert. He taught social studies at the school in 1987. Babiak was also a vice principal at Stoddert years ago.
When Babiak left Stoddert in the mid-1990s, he said the school was named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Blue Ribbon Schools get their statuses by being academically superior to other schools or by showing significant improvements in academic achievement.
As principal, Babiak said he would like to see Stoddert achieve the honor once again.
According to the Maryland State Department of Education website, in order to achieve the status, a school must meet criteria in one of two categories. Category one refers to high-achieving schools. A school must score in the top 10 percent of all Maryland schools in the year it is selected as a Blue Ribbon School. The school then must maintain that level of high achievement for five years. The school also must achieve in the top 40 percent in subgroup performance.
The second category according to MSDE involves the school making dramatic increases in achievements in the year selected for the Blue Ribbon. These increases must be maintained over a five-year period.
Babiak said from the staff he has met already, everyone seems very dedicated and hardworking. "I think we're capable," he said of earning Blue Ribbon status.
While some teachers remain from when Babiak first taught at the school, he said he has seen many new faces and plans to see even more new faces when school opens.
He said teachers can expect "a principal that's going to be visible in the hallways and classrooms."
Teachers also can expect Babiak to be supportive in any way that helps with student success.
Babiak said students can expect to see him in the classrooms and expect him to learn most of their names "very quickly." He plans to get to know all of his students not just academically, "but their personalities as well," he said.
Most importantly, students can expect that Babiak will "treat them fairly."
Ronald Stup, principal of Matthew Henson Middle School, where Babiak served as vice principal, said Babiak would be "very thorough, very dedicated and will try to make Benjamin Stoddert feel like family."
Babiak is from Virginia, enjoys watching sports and is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
While Babiak said he will miss the staff and students of Henson, he looks forward to the challenges of being principal at his new location.
When asked if, like other principals, he would arrive before teachers and work long after the afternoon bell, Babiak said, "I don't see any other way to do it."
He said he would arrive at school by 7:30 each morning and stay for "as long as it takes," in the afternoon.
New vice principals named
Several administrative changes have made been made for the upcoming school year.
Schools Superintendent James E. Richmond named three acting vice principals pending board approval. They are Troy Barnes as acting vice principal at C. Paul Barnhart Elementary School; Daphne Burns as acting vice principal at Mary B. Neal Elementary School; and Brenda Tillotson as acting vice principal at General Smallwood Middle School.
Richmond announced the following vice principal transfers:
J.T. Hanley from Mattawoman Middle School to Matthew Henson Middle School.
Desann Manzano-Lee from Neal to John Hanson Middle School.
Steven Miller from Smallwood to Mattawoman.
Diane Laveglia from Mount Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School to J.P. Ryon Elementary School.
Natalie Marston from Ryon to Mount Hope/Nanjemoy.
Cynthia Panizzi-Williams from Barnhart to Dr. James Craik Elementary School.
