LEONARDTOWN, MD – Dr. Deborah Dennie is the Maryland Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) Middle School Principal of the Year. Mr. Chris Truffer, Executive Director of MASSP, traveled to Leonardtown Middle School on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, to recognize Dr. Dennie as the recipient of the award.

Dr. J. Scott Smith said, “Dr. Deborah Dennie’s two-and-a-half decades of leadership in St. Mary’s County Public Schools epitomize service, centered on compassion and competence. She is a mentor to rising leaders, an advocate for teachers, and a champion of students. This recognition is a testament to her work.”

Dr. Dennie is eligible for the national award and will join her fellow state nominees in Washington, DC, in April, where NASSP will announce their National Middle Level and High School Principals of the Year during its National Education Leadership Awards Gala.