Virginia McGraw, a former member of the Board of Education of Charles County, was recently named the recipient of the Distinguished School Board Service Award from the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE).
The award is given out every two years to a school board member who has made outstanding contributions to public education through service on a Maryland school board.
“I am truly grateful to the members of the Board of Education of Charles County who nominated me and am incredibly humbled by this honor,” McGraw said.
McGraw, a retired elementary school principal with Charles County Public Schools (CCPS), was first elected to the Board in 2014, and retired from it in December 2022. During her time on the Board, McGraw served as a member, vice chairperson and chairperson.
“Ginny McGraw has committed her life to public education,” Michael K. Lukas, chairperson of the Board of Education, said. “Admired and recognized for her selfless devotion to helping students and staff, she is unmatched in her dedication.”
McGraw began her career in education as a teacher with the District of Columbia Public Schools before coming to CCPS in 1990 as a special education teacher at Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School. After serving as a teacher for six years, McGraw moved into administration as an assistant principal — first at Mt. Hope before transferring to William B. Wade Elementary School. From there, she was named principal of Gale-Bailey Elementary School. She served as principal at J.P. Ryon Elementary School for nine years before returning to Wade where she retired as principal.
McGraw was preparing to retire when she was approached about running for the Board of Education. “At the time, I was not ready to totally remove myself from being involved in education. I felt that I still had something to offer so I made the decision to run for a seat on the Board of Education,” McGraw said. “Once elected, I quickly realized that, although I had a background in education, there was a lot to learn about being a Board of Education member.”
She said she is proud of the trust voters put in her and of the relationships she built with her fellow Board members. “We learned to collaborate and compromise for the good of the system,” she said. Among the accomplishments McGraw was a part while a Board member was helping to create an equity policy, revising the eligibility policy and establishing town halls for students, staff and community members.
McGraw is no stranger to accolades for her work in education. She was named a 2008-2009 Distinguished Educational Leadership Award winner by The Washington Post and the 2009 CCPS Principal of the Year.
In 2021, McGraw was named president of MABE, and before retiring as a Board member, she was named the recipient of the James E. Richmond Leadership in Excellence Award. Unique to CCPS, the award is given to a staff member who exhibits high standards of excellence and leadership. Along with the Richmond award, the MABE Distinguished School Board Service Award is one McGraw appreciates “beyond measure,” she said. “The privilege of being a Charles County Board of Education member is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” McGraw said.
After 45 years as an educator then eight spent as a Board member, McGraw is learning to slow down a bit — but only a bit. “I am a quick learner and have easily filled my days. I have done some traveling, tackled projects around the house, spent extended time with family and friends, and have worked on crafts that I enjoy,” she said.
She stays involved in education as secretary to the McConchie One Room School Committee which is in the process of restoring the one-room school at the Charles County Fairgrounds. She is the secretary of the Charles County Scholarship Committee and treasurer of the Charles County Retired School Personnel Association.
“Ginny epitomizes the word ‘educator’ and her work leaves a lasting impression on students, staff and public education,” Lukas said.
McGraw is expected to accept the Distinguished School Board Service Award in October during MABE’s annual conference.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,598 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).