Glen P. Messier

Mechanicsville Elementary School
Carroll County Public Schools
Sykesville, Maryland
gpmessi@carrollk12.org

Glen Messier has served as principal of Mechanicsville Elementary School since 2016. Described by his colleagues as a compassionate and resourceful leader who empowers teachers to practice creativity and take risks in service of student learning, Messier is driven by his passion for equity and developing culturally responsive practitioners. Prior to the pandemic, Messier led Mechanicsville teachers in exploring the impact of implicit bias in their teaching through a series of “courageous conversations” that have led to curricular revisions and new cultural programming that celebrates and honors diversity. For example, the school overhauled the selection process for its Gifted and Talented Program to root out predetermined biases, eventually doubling the number of students admitted. While professional learning plans were initially interrupted by mandated school closures, the COVID-19 pandemic only reinforced Messier’s commitment to creating conditions of success for all students in partnership with teachers and community. While navigating multiple pivots from in-person to virtual to hybrid learning models, Messier continued to lead with his unshakable commitment to opportunity for all students by addressing technological gaps and working creatively to ensure engagement with virtual learning. Under Messiers’ leadership, Mechanicsville became the first school in the district to become a Sustainable Green School. Messier became the new principal at Linton Springs Elementary School in July 2021. He holds Equity and Excellence In Education and Administrator I Certificates from McDaniel College, as well as an M.Ed. in Special Education and a B.Ed. in Elementary Education from Towson University.