Harford County Superintendent Jacqueline Haas, who has held the position since 1998, died of a severe asthma attack yesterday at age 59. She was Maryland's superintendent of the year for 2007-2008. The Sun's article is here. Her biography is on the bottom of this page on the school district's Web site.

I just talked to Nancy Grasmick, who is in shock over Haas's death. She and Talbot County Superintendent Karen Salmon have spent the morning calling all the superintendents in the state to deliver the news. She said Haas -- who took over in Harford during a turbulent time -- "provided huge credibility and stability to the system." (Haas was first named interim superintendent following the ouster of Jeff Grotsky, later chief of staff to Bonnie Copeland in the city.) Grasmick credited Haas with starting the state's first STEM school at Aberdeen High and building partnerships with several businesses and the military base there.

Grasmick said Haas is the first sitting superintendent in Maryland to die in at least two decades.