President’s Message

Hello fellow school leaders!

My name is Joshua Fine and I am the proud principal of Flower Hill Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Maryland. During the 2024-25 school year, I am so honored to serve as President of the Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals (MAESP).  As school leaders, we know our roles are where policy and practice meet.  We have the amazing opportunity and responsibility to create welcoming, rigorous school environments for each child and staff member under our care. The importance and weight of our responsibilities is why our organization exists; to support you. MAESP is here to provide you with rich professional development opportunities, a caring community of colleagues, and advocate on your behalf to our state & federal lawmakers.

During my tenure as president, I have three goals for our organization:

1. Elevate your voices among state policy makers as the Blueprint for Maryland becomes a reality.  We hope to engage state lawmakers, MSDE, and the state board of education to ensure your voice is heard. This includes advocating for a principal to serve on the state board of education. Again, our role is where policy and practice meet.
2. Engage our rural leaders on the shore and in our mountains to listen to their needs and provide opportunities for fellowship within these areas.  Our organization aims to provide quality support to all members and I look forward to meeting members in person both on our shore and in our western mountains.
3. Deepen our commitment to equity & inclusion.  Last year, our organization’s president. Tracy Hilliard, created a standing committee around diversity, equity, and inclusion. I look forward to supporting and elevating this work to ensure our MAESP leads for equity throughout our state.

I am fortunate to serve with a talented Board of Directors, Executive Director, and the MAESP membership. I also challenge all our members to become active during this 2024-2025 school year.  You can become active by attending MAESP meetings, serving on a committee, attending workshops and conferences, supporting the membership drive and lastly sharing how valuable the association is to current and aspiring school leaders.

Finally, please always feel free to reach out to me personally: Joshua_Fine@mcpsmd.org.  I look forward to supporting our state’s great leaders this school year.

Warmly,
Joshua Fine
President