New Blair principal

[Anonymous]

Monteleone - currently in central office. Previously principal at Richard Montgomery. Does anyone have any insight? How was he at RM?

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/05/22/school-board-appoints-montgomery-blair-quince-orchard/

[Anonymous]

Blair staff NOT happy. He has a reputation of arrogant and hardcore womanizer. Inflated ego. Be on the lookout, Blair. Dont' allow him to get away with anything!

[Anonymous]

He was in the running to win Principal of the year at RM - this seems very different from what you’re saying PP?

Also- is this a demotion for him, coming from CO?

[Anonymous]

Demotion for sure. I guess time will tell and his actions will show who he really is!

[Anonymous]

Having engaged with Damon in his current CO role, Blair is in big trouble. He has a massive ego and he's an MCPS spinner. He'll lie, twist, manipulate parents and teachers to make himself and MCPS look good.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Blair community.

[Anonymous]

How did he get in at Richard Montgomery? What did parents and staff say of his time there?

[Anonymous]

Pp above - hope did he get ON, not in

[Anonymous]

Pissed about this. We already went through this at TPMS when an excellent principal well liked by staff, with a very well run school, was replaced by one who is doing her best to destroy the place and has overseen many staff departures and initiated a major rupture in the school community.

Now it sounds like we’re in for more of the same at Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did he get in at Richard Montgomery? What did parents and staff say of his time there?

His time at RM was pre-pandemic. Pre-pandemic experience has not translated well over to post-pandemic MCPS. So I would not weight that time and experience too heavily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did he get in at Richard Montgomery? What did parents and staff say of his time there?

His time at RM was pre-pandemic. Pre-pandemic experience has not translated well over to post-pandemic MCPS. So I would not weight that time and experience too heavily.

That makes no sense. That’s the period of time where he had responsibility for a large high school. It’s directly relevant. If it wasn’t he shouldn’t have got the job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did he get in at Richard Montgomery? What did parents and staff say of his time there?

His time at RM was pre-pandemic. Pre-pandemic experience has not translated well over to post-pandemic MCPS. So I would not weight that time and experience too heavily.

That makes no sense. That’s the period of time where he had responsibility for a large high school. It’s directly relevant. If it wasn’t he shouldn’t have got the job.

Did you read the words that I wrote? Schools, and children, are fundamentally different and changed post-pandemic. This is not something most people knowledgable about the state of public education are debating.

I didn't say it didn't count at all, I merely said I wouldn't weight it "too heavily," since we have seen over the last few years how pre-pandemic experience has NOT translated well in managing and running the post-pandemic MCPS environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did he get in at Richard Montgomery? What did parents and staff say of his time there?

His time at RM was pre-pandemic. Pre-pandemic experience has not translated well over to post-pandemic MCPS. So I would not weight that time and experience too heavily.

That makes no sense. That’s the period of time where he had responsibility for a large high school. It’s directly relevant. If it wasn’t he shouldn’t have got the job.

Did you read the words that I wrote? Schools, and children, are fundamentally different and changed post-pandemic. This is not something most people knowledgable about the state of public education are debating.

I didn't say it didn't count at all, I merely said I wouldn't weight it "too heavily," since we have seen over the last few years how pre-pandemic experience has NOT translated well in managing and running the post-pandemic MCPS environment.

Useless comment. Go ahead and delete it.


He was involved in multiple lawsuits before the pandemic and accused of bullying and covering up test scores. Then he was in charge during the pandemic and bungled the MCPS response leaving students without instruction for weeks. Poor performance and poor management will show no matter what is going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Monteleone - currently in central office. Previously principal at Richard Montgomery. Does anyone have any insight? How was he at RM?

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/05/22/school-board-appoints-montgomery-blair-quince-orchard/

Big ego, likes to hear himself talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did he get in at Richard Montgomery? What did parents and staff say of his time there?

His time at RM was pre-pandemic. Pre-pandemic experience has not translated well over to post-pandemic MCPS. So I would not weight that time and experience too heavily.

That makes no sense. That’s the period of time where he had responsibility for a large high school. It’s directly relevant. If it wasn’t he shouldn’t have got the job.

Did you read the words that I wrote? Schools, and children, are fundamentally different and changed post-pandemic. This is not something most people knowledgable about the state of public education are debating.

I didn't say it didn't count at all, I merely said I wouldn't weight it "too heavily," since we have seen over the last few years how pre-pandemic experience has NOT translated well in managing and running the post-pandemic MCPS environment.

Useless comment. Go ahead and delete it.


He was involved in multiple lawsuits before the pandemic and accused of bullying and covering up test scores. Then he was in charge during the pandemic and bungled the MCPS response leaving students without instruction for weeks. Poor performance and poor management will show no matter what is going on.

And yet, despite all of that, Chief of Schools Peter Moran and Superintendent Thomas Taylor handpicked him for this position. And the BOE rubber-stamped their choice.

So what does that say about the system?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monteleone - currently in central office. Previously principal at Richard Montgomery. Does anyone have any insight? How was he at RM?

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/05/22/school-board-appoints-montgomery-blair-quince-orchard/

Big ego, likes to hear himself talk.

Yup. Damon is very self-absorbed and arrogant.