The Charles County Board of Education narrowed its superintendent search this week to three finalists.
The three candidates are Jeffrey O. Holmes, Ed.D., chief of elementary schools for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS); Mr. Marvin L. Jones, executive director of schools for Charles County Public Schools (CCPS); and Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., an education consultant working to support school systems to improve learning opportunities.
The school system is looking to replace the current superintendent, Dr. Kimberly A. Hill, who announced earlier this year that she would retire in June.
The three finalists will participate in individual question-and-answer sessions via Zoom. CCPS is recording the sessions and will post them Thursday, May 20, on the school system’s website, ccboe.com, along with a three-question survey for the public to weigh in on the candidates’ strengths and concerns. The Board selected five questions from the more than 2,500 submitted by the CCPS community for the session.
According to the Board’s timetable for the superintendent search, June 8 is the estimated date to announce the new superintendent.
Jeffrey O. Holmes, Ed.D., is chief of elementary schools for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), a position he has held since 2019. As chief of schools, Dr. Holmes provides direct and indirect supervision to members of divisions that report to the Office of Elementary Schools. Dr. Holmes leads and provides direct and indirect supervision to 5,000 executive, administrative, instructional and support staff. He also oversees and offers indirect supervision for 80 prekindergarten to Grade 8 schools.
Before 2019, Dr. Holmes served in many teaching and leadership roles in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS). He started his career with PGCPS in 1995 as an elementary school teacher, and from 1998 to 2002 he taught middle school math and reading. Dr. Holmes later became a vice principal, principal and instructional director/regional administrator. As an instructional director, he supervised 22 kindergarten through Grade 12 schools and all personnel assigned to that area. He helped build instructional leadership of elementary and secondary principals, emphasizing staff supervision, budget management, instruction, data analysis, and conducting gap analysis/needs assessments against the school system and school-based targets.
Dr. Holmes has numerous awards, including the Bowie State University National Alumni Association Leadership Award in 2019 and the 2014 Educator of the Year award from the Alpha Phi Alpha Upsilon Lambda Chapter. He also led an elementary school named an Exemplary School for five consecutive years and a Turn-Around Middle School.
Dr. Holmes has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bowie State University and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an administration certification from McDaniel College. In 2016, he earned his doctorate in educational leadership and school policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Holmes lives in Bowie.
Mr. Marvin L. Jones began his tenure as a Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) executive director of schools in 2013. He arrived at this role with extensive classroom and leadership experience, serving as a teacher, vice principal and principal in Charles and Prince George’s counties since starting his career as a special education teacher in 1992.
Mr. Jones has served the students of Charles County Public Schools since 2000, when he joined the school system as a vice principal. Mr. Jones served as an elementary vice principal at multiple schools before accepting the principalship at Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School and later at Berry Elementary School. During his time as executive director, Mr. Jones has also filled in as interim principal at St. Charles High School in 2015 and Benjamin Stoddert Middle School during school year 2017-18.
As executive director of schools, Mr. Jones leverages sound knowledge of the educational experience, oversees principals’ daily operation and supervision, manages the county athletic programs, extracurricular activities and the disciplinary hearing process.
Mr. Jones is active in the community, having served as team captain for Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, an active contributor to the United Way Campaign, chief organizer of the Help for Haiti Collection Campaign and is an active supporter of charitable efforts led by his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. He was featured in a 2019 edition of the African American Pride Magazine and was the 2018 recipient of the James E. Richmond Excellence in Leadership Award.
Mr. Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, and a master’s degree in school administration and supervision from Bowie State University. He expects to receive his doctoral degree in educational leadership this summer from Delaware State University. He is a resident of Waldorf.
Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., is a veteran educator who has served in various teaching and leadership roles in Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C. Dr. Navarro is currently an education consultant working to support school systems and government agencies to improve learning opportunities for young people. Prior to her consultancy work, Dr. Navarro was the chief academic officer for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland for six years, where she oversaw the expansion of prekindergarten and dual language programs. Under her leadership, the school system adopted new district curriculum and interventions to support student learning. It expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways and early college opportunities for high school students. Notably, during Dr. Navarro’s tenure, the school system experienced steady increases in student course enrollment and test participation in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate courses.
Dr. Navarro also worked in Baltimore City Public Schools for five years as the acting Chief Academic Officer. During her tenure in Baltimore City, Dr. Navarro led several high-profile strategic initiatives, including implementing the Common Core Standards, the development of a new framework for the evaluation of teachers and school administrators, and principal leadership development. Prior to joining Baltimore schools, Dr. Navarro worked as a senior-level administrator for the Christina School District in Delaware and as a teacher and administrator for the Cesar Chavez Public Charter High School in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Navarro holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware, a master’s degree in science education from Temple University and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from The George Washington University. Dr. Navarro is bilingual and speaks Spanish and English and has intermediate proficiency in French and Portuguese. She lives in Gaithersburg with her husband and her twin daughters.
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 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 three candidates are Jeffrey O. Holmes, Ed.D., chief of elementary schools for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS); Mr. Marvin L. Jones, executive director of schools for Charles County Public Schools (CCPS); and Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., an education consultant working to support school systems to improve learning opportunities.
The school system is looking to replace the current superintendent, Dr. Kimberly A. Hill, who announced earlier this year that she would retire in June.
The three finalists will participate in individual question-and-answer sessions via Zoom. CCPS is recording the sessions and will post them Thursday, May 20, on the school system’s website, ccboe.com, along with a three-question survey for the public to weigh in on the candidates’ strengths and concerns. The Board selected five questions from the more than 2,500 submitted by the CCPS community for the session.
According to the Board’s timetable for the superintendent search, June 8 is the estimated date to announce the new superintendent.
Meet the finalists
Jeffrey O. Holmes, Ed.D.
Jeffrey O. Holmes, Ed.D.
Jeffrey O. Holmes, Ed.D., is chief of elementary schools for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), a position he has held since 2019. As chief of schools, Dr. Holmes provides direct and indirect supervision to members of divisions that report to the Office of Elementary Schools. Dr. Holmes leads and provides direct and indirect supervision to 5,000 executive, administrative, instructional and support staff. He also oversees and offers indirect supervision for 80 prekindergarten to Grade 8 schools.
Before 2019, Dr. Holmes served in many teaching and leadership roles in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS). He started his career with PGCPS in 1995 as an elementary school teacher, and from 1998 to 2002 he taught middle school math and reading. Dr. Holmes later became a vice principal, principal and instructional director/regional administrator. As an instructional director, he supervised 22 kindergarten through Grade 12 schools and all personnel assigned to that area. He helped build instructional leadership of elementary and secondary principals, emphasizing staff supervision, budget management, instruction, data analysis, and conducting gap analysis/needs assessments against the school system and school-based targets.
Dr. Holmes has numerous awards, including the Bowie State University National Alumni Association Leadership Award in 2019 and the 2014 Educator of the Year award from the Alpha Phi Alpha Upsilon Lambda Chapter. He also led an elementary school named an Exemplary School for five consecutive years and a Turn-Around Middle School.
Dr. Holmes has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Bowie State University and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an administration certification from McDaniel College. In 2016, he earned his doctorate in educational leadership and school policy from the University of Maryland, College Park. Dr. Holmes lives in Bowie.
Mr. Marvin L. Jones
Mr. Marvin L. Jones began his tenure as a Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) executive director of schools in 2013. He arrived at this role with extensive classroom and leadership experience, serving as a teacher, vice principal and principal in Charles and Prince George’s counties since starting his career as a special education teacher in 1992.
Mr. Jones has served the students of Charles County Public Schools since 2000, when he joined the school system as a vice principal. Mr. Jones served as an elementary vice principal at multiple schools before accepting the principalship at Dr. Gustavus Brown Elementary School and later at Berry Elementary School. During his time as executive director, Mr. Jones has also filled in as interim principal at St. Charles High School in 2015 and Benjamin Stoddert Middle School during school year 2017-18.
As executive director of schools, Mr. Jones leverages sound knowledge of the educational experience, oversees principals’ daily operation and supervision, manages the county athletic programs, extracurricular activities and the disciplinary hearing process.
Mr. Jones is active in the community, having served as team captain for Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society, an active contributor to the United Way Campaign, chief organizer of the Help for Haiti Collection Campaign and is an active supporter of charitable efforts led by his fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. He was featured in a 2019 edition of the African American Pride Magazine and was the 2018 recipient of the James E. Richmond Excellence in Leadership Award.
Mr. Jones holds a bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, and a master’s degree in school administration and supervision from Bowie State University. He expects to receive his doctoral degree in educational leadership this summer from Delaware State University. He is a resident of Waldorf.
Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D.
Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., is a veteran educator who has served in various teaching and leadership roles in Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C. Dr. Navarro is currently an education consultant working to support school systems and government agencies to improve learning opportunities for young people. Prior to her consultancy work, Dr. Navarro was the chief academic officer for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland for six years, where she oversaw the expansion of prekindergarten and dual language programs. Under her leadership, the school system adopted new district curriculum and interventions to support student learning. It expanded Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways and early college opportunities for high school students. Notably, during Dr. Navarro’s tenure, the school system experienced steady increases in student course enrollment and test participation in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate courses.
Dr. Navarro also worked in Baltimore City Public Schools for five years as the acting Chief Academic Officer. During her tenure in Baltimore City, Dr. Navarro led several high-profile strategic initiatives, including implementing the Common Core Standards, the development of a new framework for the evaluation of teachers and school administrators, and principal leadership development. Prior to joining Baltimore schools, Dr. Navarro worked as a senior-level administrator for the Christina School District in Delaware and as a teacher and administrator for the Cesar Chavez Public Charter High School in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Navarro holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware, a master’s degree in science education from Temple University and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from The George Washington University. Dr. Navarro is bilingual and speaks Spanish and English and has intermediate proficiency in French and Portuguese. She lives in Gaithersburg with her husband and her twin daughters.
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 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).