When Dr. Joseph Bostic Jr. first joined Montgomery County Public Schools, he wasn’t someone with a life-long plan to be an educator. He was an engineer stepping into unfamiliar territory, guided by the support of Eastern Middle School Principal Lisa Shorts, who was the first person in the county to hire him.
Looking back, the decision to give him the opportunity was easy. “Dr. Bostic is a great leader because of his ability to connect with any student and make them feel important in the school environment. He also has an exceptional ability to manage multiple responsibilities, working hard and remaining so dedicated to participating in many activities that it often feels as though he is in multiple places at once,” Shorts said.
Those qualities have followed Bostic to this school, where he now serves as principal after a year as acting principal, following his appointment after former Principal Douglas Nelson was placed on administrative leave on Dec. 6, 2024. The transition wasn’t simple. “When I stepped into the role of acting principal, it was both the biggest challenge and the greatest preparation. It stretched me to balance the immediate needs of students, staff and families, while keeping sight of our long-term priorities,” Bostic said.
That balancing act has helped to shape his vision for the school. While he recognized college and career readiness as one of his top priorities, it was also clear that belonging is just as important as outcomes. “I hope our students will always look back and say that Wootton was a place where they were seen, heard and prepared for the future. As a leader, I want to be known for authenticity, collaboration and an unwavering belief in our students,” Bostic said.
He has also been described as reliable, caring and deeply invested in the school community. “Dr. Bostic built strong relationships with staff. He was consistently offering to help and support others. People trusted him for his reliability and because he genuinely cared about the success of his team,” Shorts said.
That trust also shows in small but meaningful gestures. French teacher Christine Maass recalled how he made boxed dinners available for staff during back-to-school night. “I think Dr. Bostic was aware that a lot of the teachers live very far away, so they basically had to not eat dinner until they went home or bring lunch and dinner with them. So he decided to make it a boxed dinner. We had dinner downstairs and I thought it was pretty nice and pretty logical, too,” Maass said.
For students, Bostic hopes to be more than an administrator. He wants to be a source of encouragement and a reminder of their potential. “If I could offer one guarantee to every graduate, it would be confidence in their potential to thrive beyond our walls,” Bostic said.
As the school year progresses, Bostic’s leadership is grounded by the idea that a school is about academics just as much as it is about community. With his mix of engineering precision and human connection, he’s setting out to make sure every Patriot feels seen, supported and prepared for the future.
