From saving on school supplies to the impact of federal cuts, the WTOP team is studying up on hot-button topics in education across the D.C. region. Follow on air and online in our series, “WTOP Goes Back to School” this August and September.

Allegany County Schools Superintendent Michael Martirano’s first day on the job was July 1.

For any superintendent, that’s a tight turnaround before the first day of school on Aug. 27, but Martirano had a particularly big job ahead in his western Maryland school district.

Martirano took on his new job months after catastrophic flooding struck Allegany County in May.

On the day the flooding hit, Westernport Elementary School’s first floor was inundated, and 150 students and 50 staff members had to retreat to the second floor. They were eventuall

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