Secretary of Education

Dr. Mark Holodick was confirmed as Delaware’s Secretary of Education in January 2022. Before joining the Delaware Department of Education, Dr. Holodick served for two years as senior leadership specialist for University of Delaware’s Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL). In this role, he coordinated the Governor’s Institute for School Leadership and served as lead faculty for DASL’s Principal Preparation Program. He also conducted research in collaboration with school districts and charter schools, and designed and facilitated research-informed professional development for school leaders. From 2009-2020, Dr. Holodick served as superintendent of the Brandywine School District following a long history with the district as a student, teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Prior to being named Brandywine School District’s superintendent, he was principal at Concord High School as well as at a blended middle and high school in the Delmar School District.

In his educational leadership roles, Dr. Holodick has been continually committed to a foundation of professionalism, customer service, equity, and meeting the needs of all students. He recognizes the importance of developing the whole child through unique and diverse programming, after-school enrichment opportunities, athletics, the arts, and a rigorous curriculum. Dr. Holodick was one of four Delaware superintendents to originally spearhead the BRINC Consortium, an organization made up of school districts that focuses on personalized and blended learning, access to technology, and collaboration. He has been recognized as the Delaware Association of Educational Office Professionals’ 2016 Administrator of the Year, the Delaware Association of School Librarians’ School Administrator of the Year, and by his peers as the Delaware Chief School Officers Association (DCSOA) 2017 Superintendent of the Year. Dr. Holodick is a member of the statewide Vision 2025 implementation committee and previously served as both president and vice president of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA). Additionally, Dr. Holodick has served as DCSOA president, on the College Board’s Superintendent Advisory Board Council, on Goldey-Beacom College’s Board of Trustees, and on the board of the Delaware College Scholars Program.