Dear Cedar Lane students, staff, parents, and community,

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Cheronda Farrish, current assistant principal at James Madison High School, is the new principal of Cedar Lane School. 

Dr. Farrish’s committed work as a special education teacher, her experiences leading special needs programs, her accomplishments as the Assistant Principal of the Comprehensive Services Site at Madison High School, combined with her warmth and caring nature, make her an ideal candidate to lead Cedar Lane School.  Dr. Farrish’s career spans over 18 years, during which she has accumulated a wealth of valuable experiences and demonstrated tremendous success. 

Dr. Farrish began her teaching and leadership journey at The Foundation Schools High School, in Largo, MD.  During her time with The Foundation Schools, she served as an instructional assistant in a highly specialized educational and therapeutic program for children and adolescents with emotional and learning challenges.  

Dr. Farrish came to FCPS in 2009 as an instructional assistant and later became a special education teacher at Olde Creek Elementary School.   Dr. Farrish also taught special education students at Columbia Elementary and Marshall Road Elementary School where she supported special needs students in non-categorical and comprehensive service programs.

During her years teaching at the elementary level, Dr. Farrish served as a Cooperating Teacher at George Washington University.  In this role, Dr. Farrish partnered with the University Supervisor in providing support to interns seeking their master’s degree in special education. 

In 2016, Dr. Farrish accepted the position as Special Education Department Chair at Madison High School.  She served as the principal designee for special education programming and supports, supported the special education staff, and served as the Local Screening Committee Chairperson.  

After one year at Madison High School, Dr. Farrish was promoted to Assistant Principal where she currently provides oversight for Comprehensive Services and all special education services, oversight to the Clinical Team, and provides supervision of Fine Arts and Performing Arts.  During her tenure at Madison, Dr. Farrish greatly expanded the support and services provided to students in the Comprehensive Services program from 18 students to up to 65 students, and  maintained a high-level of student engagement and attendance.  Dr. Farrish also championed the Positive Behavioral and Intervention Support program at the Madison Comprehensive Services Site.  Through her positive leadership, Dr. Farrish increased positive student behavior and decreased Hearing Office referrals.  Dr. Farrish is an advocate for enhanced inclusion for students with special needs.  With Dr. Farrish’s guidance and leadership, special education students at James Madison have increasingly accessed honors and AP coursework, resulting in more than 64 percent of special education students graduating with an advanced studies diploma.  

In addition to Dr. Farrish’s outstanding work as Assistant Principal, she also served as a Summer School Principal for credit accrual, recovery, and remediation.  With Dr. Farrish’s leadership and support, students who required summer school for graduation achieved an impressive 100 percent pass rate in their coursework and a 100 percent graduation rate.  

Dr. Farrish currently serves as the Co-chair to the Minority Student Achievement Oversight Committee.  In this School Board appointed committee, Dr. Farrish works with the Chief Equity and Academic Offices to identify, review, and assess challenges affecting under-represented students and works to promote policies, curriculum, practices, and procedures that will enhance minority student achievement and close achievement disparities in FCPS.  

Dr. Farrish holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater Arts from Frostburg University and a master’s degree in Special Education K-12 from George Washington University.  In 2017, Dr. Farrish obtained her Doctorate in Education and Leadership at Drexel University.  

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Cheronda Farrish as the new principal of Cedar Lane School.