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       Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Monifa B. McKnight was hospitalized with a medical condition last week, according to a note sent to school district staff members Friday. In her absence, the school system named Brian Hull as acting superintendent of Maryland’s largest school district.

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       It is unclear how long Hull — who normally serves as the district’s chief operating officer — will remain in the position. A Montgomery County spokesperson confirmed Hull was still serving as acting superintendent Wednesday but did not say when McKnight is expected to return. Hull’s serving as acting superintendent was first reported by MoCo360.

       In McKnight’s note to staff Friday, she said she was back at home and “getting better every day.” She added that she was looking forward to being back in the office, although the naming of an acting superintendent indicates she could be out for a while.

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       Hull stepped in as acting superintendent shortly after a raft of personnel changes. Earlier this month, McKnight said the deputy superintendent, Patrick K. Murphy, was no longer employed with the school district. At least three other central office employees were placed on administrative leave, as previously reported by The Washington Post. Several of the employees probably had ties to the promotion of a middle school principal, Joel Beidleman, who was under investigation for alleged sexual misconduct, workplace bullying and retaliation at the time of his hiring.

       Betty J. Collins is serving as acting deputy superintendent, according to an email reviewed by The Post. Collins spent 49 years in the district as a teacher, principal and director of instructional leadership before she retired in 2018.

       Hull was appointed to his position as chief operating officer about a year ago — around the same time Murphy was appointed, according to a board report from 2022. He had no previous experience in Montgomery County schools at the time of his hiring. Before becoming the chief operating officer, he served as executive director of finance for Minneapolis Public Schools and director of resource strategy for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.

       Hull is overseeing the school district as it grapples with a spate of unfounded bomb threats and the fallout from a report that found an employee tampered with an investigation into Beidleman. On Sunday, Hull attended a bake sale hosted by teens from eight different Montgomery County high schools who were raising money for relief efforts in Israel.

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