After 30 excellent years in the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS), Ms. Marcy Leonard has ended the HCPSS chapter of her life as a Wildecat.

Ms. Leonard’s time in Howard County began as a student at Atholton High School in 1985. At Atholton, Ms. Leonard played soccer and served as the first Howard County Student Member of the Board (SMOB). After earning her bachelor’s in history from Haverford College, Ms. Leonard returned to HCPSS. In 1994, she began teaching Social Studies classes at Wilde Lake.

Since then, Ms. Leonard has served as a coach, vice principal, and community superintendent, but ultimately, she decided to return to the Lake in 2019 to spend her last five years in HCPSS as Wilde Lake’s principal.

Ms. Leonard was told Wilde Lake students were “falling through the cracks,” so she wanted to ensure Wilde Lake became a community where all students had equal opportunities to succeed. She came up with the idea of “Ohana,” intended to be used as the indigenous concept of extended family. Her main goal was that no student got left behind or forgotten, meaning every student walked the stage at graduation each year.

Ms. Leonard says Wilde Lake’s graduation rate rising by 6% during her tenure as principal is proof that making sure no one was left behind became a priority.

During Ms. Leonard’s first year of making Wilde Lake an Ohana, schools across the United States began to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Leonard says she was in her new position for six months before HCPSS closed all schools.

During virtual learning, Ms. Leonard says her main goal was to ensure everyone’s safety and health. Ms. Leonard left no student behind during the pandemic. Each student was given the resources needed to succeed. Wilde Lake held diaper and wipe drives for teen parents. The Corner Cafe distributed food. Former Wilde Lake teacher Ms. Erika Strauss Charvarria started Columbia Community Care.

Ms. Leonard says these initiatives helped maintain health and safety throughout the community, contributing to the growth of Wilde Lake’s Ohana in her first years at the Lake. Ms. Leonard’s determination to provide students with every possible resource highlights her initiative to make Wilde Lake an Ohana.

“Our primary responsibility was to keep everybody healthy and safe, and I feel like we were able to meet that goal successfully,” said Ms. Leonard.

Ms. Leonard says during virtual learning, she told teachers they did not have to complete everything in the curriculum. Instead, she told them to focus on taking care of themselves and the needs of their students. She wanted Wilde Lake staff to lead with “compassion, grace, flexibility, and love.”

Social Studies teacher Ms. Kate Volpe says Ms. Leonard handled the pandemic with compassion, ensuring every staff member and student had what they needed to succeed.

“I am so incredibly grateful that we had Ms. Leonard’s leadership through COVID. I can’t imagine anybody else who would have handled it with the determination and compassion she showed during one of the most trying times in education,” she said.

Despite the struggles of navigating her new position through a national pandemic, Ms. Leonard says her job was a privilege.

“It was an incredible privilege and responsibility to be the principal during COVID and during the shutdown,” she said.

When students and staff returned to the Wilde Lake building, Ms. Leonard ensured the Lake had spaces for students to take a step back from learning, like the Peace Room and Gold Room. She also saw the importance of closing opportunity gaps for students, which is why the Rise-Up mentorship program was created to give all students the chance to take and succeed in rigorous courses.

Beyond coursework, Ms. Leonard says creating community during her time as principal was a priority. Ms. Leonard says Advisory, pep rallies, spirit weeks, senior walk-ins, and sporting events were opportunities to put relationships and well-being before grades.

“Grades are an important reflection of learning, but they’re not the be-all, end-all,” she said. “The be-all, end-all is making sure that we’re creating warm and welcoming spaces for people, so that way students feel comfortable to engage with the learning.”

Ms. Leonard says it was important that she created a community, which is why she was often seen outside of her office during the school day and at Wilde Lake sports games, club events, and concerts after school.

Students like senior James Shidle say her involvement did not go unnoticed.

“I loved how involved she was. I would always see her at the games, at [orchestra and band] concerts, and every musical,” said James. “She made you feel like she knew you.”

Sophomore Beatrice Meeks says Ms. Leonard took the time to connect with and to build a relationship with students.

“She remembers your name and what club you’re in. She’s willing to have those personal connections with the students as well as being your principal,” said Beatrice.

After forming connections with many students over the past five years, Ms. Leonard says her choice to retire from Wilde Lake was an incredibly difficult decision. She says it was important that she ended her career in education where it began, as a Wildecat. So, after 30 years, Ms. Leonard decided it was time to close this chapter of her life and begin her next chapter as the Chief Operating Officer of the Howard County Library System.

Ms. Leonard says what she misses most about Wilde Lake are the people who break societal barriers and care for one another.

“We live in a world that is seeking to divide people, and Wilde Lake is a beautiful example of what happens when we break down barriers and bring people together,” said Ms. Leonard. “Wilde Lake is a really special place. We go past diversity and inclusion, to equity and justice.”

This story was originally published on The Paw Print on November 19, 2024.