share this via MCPS Montgomery County Public Schools Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight says she plans to apply for the permanent position. McKnight took over in the interim role when Jack Smith retired in June and will stay in that position through June 2022 as the school board conducts a nationwide search for the next leader of the state’s largest school district. In an interview with Bethesda Beat on Wednesday afternoon, McKnight said she plans to apply when applications open, in the hopes she can continue to lead the school system long-term. “I grew up in the system, I’ve benefited from the system, I believe in the system and I love the school system,” McKnight said. “… So now there’s an opportunity in which the system is requiring leadership, and it is requiring familiarity for things that have worked very well for us in our system, and then familiarity well enough to know where the areas are that we can continue to build on to be even better.”