The Board of Education of Charles County today elected Michael Lukas as its chairperson and Latina L. Wilson as its vice chairperson at the start of the Jan. 11 meeting. The Board votes annually in January to elect a chairman and vice chairman. Both the chairperson and vice chairperson serve a one-year term.
The current Board was elected to office in November 2018. Lukas was first elected to the Board in 2010 and has served three terms. He has held the positions as its chairperson and vice chairperson in the past. Wilson has served one term as chairperson, and two as vice chair.
“It is indeed an honor to serve in any public office,” Lukas said. “No one has been a stronger supporter of public schools than myself.” Lukas pointed out that he has served on several committees, including the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) legislative committee and another focused on the Blueprint, a statewide education plan to expand opportunities with new resources, programs and staff. What Lukas gleaned from those positions will serve the Board as it continues its work. “It is vital during this time as we are facing changes in public education,” he said.
Wilson was the Board chairperson during 2021 and served as its vice chair for two terms in 2019 and 2020, respectively. A Charles County native, Wilson said the education she received as a Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) student served her as she went on to college and then as a member of the U.S. Army. The Gulf War veteran said it was never her intention to run for public office but realized how much she valued education. “Regardless of how you serve, or what degree of commitment you give to being a Board member, we are a Board,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t matter who is chair or vice chair but how we work together in promoting and sustaining an excellent school system.”
Lukas retired as an engineer and branch manager for the U.S. Department of the Navy where he has worked for more than 35 years. Lukas attended Prince George’s Community College and the University of Maryland, College Park where he earned a degree in electrical engineering. He completed graduate studies in systems engineering at George Mason University and the Naval Post Graduate School. Lukas has volunteered with the Greater Waldorf Jaycees where he served as the community vice president. He has lived in Charles County for more than 25 years with his wife, Kim, who is a teacher at the College of Southern Maryland, and their son who is a 2016 CCPS graduate.
Wilson retired from the Army after serving for 20 years. She is active in the community and serves as president of the Port Tobacco River Conservancy, vice president of the Southern Maryland Alumni Chapter for the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, a member of the McConchie One-room School House committee and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She also served many years as the education liaison for the Charles County Branch of the NAACP. Ms. Wilson earned a Bachelor of Science in business from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 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).
The current Board was elected to office in November 2018. Lukas was first elected to the Board in 2010 and has served three terms. He has held the positions as its chairperson and vice chairperson in the past. Wilson has served one term as chairperson, and two as vice chair.
“It is indeed an honor to serve in any public office,” Lukas said. “No one has been a stronger supporter of public schools than myself.” Lukas pointed out that he has served on several committees, including the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) legislative committee and another focused on the Blueprint, a statewide education plan to expand opportunities with new resources, programs and staff. What Lukas gleaned from those positions will serve the Board as it continues its work. “It is vital during this time as we are facing changes in public education,” he said.
Wilson was the Board chairperson during 2021 and served as its vice chair for two terms in 2019 and 2020, respectively. A Charles County native, Wilson said the education she received as a Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) student served her as she went on to college and then as a member of the U.S. Army. The Gulf War veteran said it was never her intention to run for public office but realized how much she valued education. “Regardless of how you serve, or what degree of commitment you give to being a Board member, we are a Board,” Wilson said. “It doesn’t matter who is chair or vice chair but how we work together in promoting and sustaining an excellent school system.”
Lukas retired as an engineer and branch manager for the U.S. Department of the Navy where he has worked for more than 35 years. Lukas attended Prince George’s Community College and the University of Maryland, College Park where he earned a degree in electrical engineering. He completed graduate studies in systems engineering at George Mason University and the Naval Post Graduate School. Lukas has volunteered with the Greater Waldorf Jaycees where he served as the community vice president. He has lived in Charles County for more than 25 years with his wife, Kim, who is a teacher at the College of Southern Maryland, and their son who is a 2016 CCPS graduate.
Wilson retired from the Army after serving for 20 years. She is active in the community and serves as president of the Port Tobacco River Conservancy, vice president of the Southern Maryland Alumni Chapter for the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, a member of the McConchie One-room School House committee and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She also served many years as the education liaison for the Charles County Branch of the NAACP. Ms. Wilson earned a Bachelor of Science in business from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 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).