Carney Elementary Principal On Medical Leave, Won't Return

UPDATED (9:24 a.m.) The principal of a local elementary school has is on medical leave for the remainder of the school year and won't return in September.

A letter sent to parents of Carney Elementary School students by assistant Baltimore County Schools superintendent Karen Blannard on May 10 announced that principal Dr. Stacey L. Durkovic was leave and would not return for the 2013-2014 school year.

The change in school leadership was made effective May 6, according to the letter. For the remainder of the year assistant principal Barbie Roemer will fill Durkovic's shoes and a search is underway for a new principal.

In an email to Patch, Durkovic wrote that she is out on medical leave.

"Ms. Barbie Roemer possesses many skills and talents that will enable her to assume this role and maintain high-quality instructional programming," Blannard wrote in the letter.

A search is underway for a new principal for Carney Elementary School and Blannard invited school staff, community members and parents to give their input.

Carney community members are invited to speak to Blannard about the qualities they'd like to see in a new principal at 6 p.m. May 20 in the library at Carney Elementary School.

"This information will provide insight on the development of a principal profile and a list of questions related to Carney that will be used during the applicant screening and selection process. This profile is a very important part of selecting the new principal," Blannard wrote.

Schools superintendent Dr. S. Dallas Dance will make recommendations to the Board of Education once the screening process ends.

"If for some reason you are unable to attend the session on May 20, I invite you to provide input to me via e-mail: kblannard@bcps.org. I look forward to working with you on this very important process."

Editor's Note: This article originally stated that principal Stacey L. Durkovic was "placed" on leave. It has since been updated to remove that term, which has a negative connotation. Durkovic left Carney Elementary School on medical leave and will not return in the fall.