UPDATE 10/01/2025: On Sept. 24, 2025, Another news source issued an article about the Board of Education of Charles County’s recent selection of a candidate to fill the District 4 Board member vacancy. Language in the published article, “Charles school board selects new member,” insinuates that the Board did not follow the Open Meetings Act law.
“The article states “The school board did not appear to give public notice of the Sept. 23 meeting in advance, as required by state’s open meetings law.”
The article is not accurate. Section 3-501 of the Maryland Education Article outlines the process the Board of Education of Charles County must follow when filling a seat vacated on the Board. While parts of the process must be open to the public, Section 3-501 (f) specifically states, “The board is not required to conduct discussions of the applicants or make the final selection of the member to fill a vacancy of the elected member at a meeting open to the public.”
The Board held several open meetings and discussions about the Board member vacancy. Per Section 3-501, details about the process were posted on the school system website, and the interviews were advertised in advance, open to the public and livestreamed.
The Board discussed the candidates as an administrative function of the Board, which is not subject to the public notice requirements of the Open Meetings Act.
On behalf of Charles County Public Schools (CCPS), I requested a correction to the article from both its author and the managing editor of Southern Maryland News. It is important for the public to understand there are laws in place to govern how the Board must fill a vacancy, as well as how the Board must function in a public space. The Board regularly follows the Open Meetings Act law and can participate in meetings to discuss administrative functions, such as the appointment of a person to a Board vacant seat, in a meeting not advertised to the public.
On behalf of CCPS and in support of the Board, I share this update because the reporting of accurate information is just as important as the sharing of accurate information.
Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
9/26/2025: The Board of Education of Charles County announced the selection of Bridgette Patterson to fill the District 4 Board Member vacancy.
Patterson will officially be sworn in by Clerk of the Circuit Court for Charles County Lisa E. Yates at the Board’s Oct. 27 work session. Patterson fills a vacant term that runs through December 2026.
Patterson was one of two qualified vacancy candidates that the Board interviewed last week. Board Chairperson Yonelle Moore Lee, Esq., said she and her colleagues look forward to officially welcoming and working with Patterson.
“The Board was fortunate to interview two highly qualified candidates, each bringing unique experiences, perspectives and a shared passion for education. After careful consideration, we selected Ms. Patterson for her extensive experience serving military families, her strong background in budget and finance, and her years of work in family and community engagement.
Her passion for advocacy and early childhood education is truly admirable, and we are eager to benefit from her perspective. My colleagues and I look forward to working with Ms. Patterson as we continue to prioritize the needs of Charles County’s children,” Moore Lee said.
Patterson is a business manager for Joint Base Andrews Fisher House. In this role, she oversees daily operations related to community resources that serve military families, including access to equitable housing and other support services. She partners with military leaders, clinicians and other community stakeholders to provide safe and supportive environments for families in crisis. Patterson also manages fiscal responsibility, vendor partnerships and oversees multi-million dollar budgets and facilities supporting military families and is currently engaged in the fiscal year 2026 budget approval cycle.
Patterson, a military spouse, is also an accredited financial counselor with the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education. Prior to her role with Fisher House, Patterson worked with Magellan Federal in Washington, D.C., as a financial counselor. Her professional career spans more than 20 years of experience related to business development, fiscal management, program operations and community advocacy.
Patterson said she looks forward to serving on the Board and working to support Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) students, staff, parents and families.
“I am honored to serve the families of District 4 and contribute to the ongoing success of the school system. I look forward to collaborating with the Board, Superintendent of Schools Maria Navarro and community stakeholders. I am committed to helping advance policies and practices that empower students, support staff and engage families across Charles County,” Patterson said.
Patterson also led community programs through Blue Star Families in which she recruited volunteers, expanded literacy initiatives for children and built partnerships with schools and local organizations to strengthen educational opportunities for children. She also served as a member of the CCPS School Naming Committee for the newly opened Margaret J. Thornton Elementary School. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a Women’s Entrepreneurship Certificate from Cornell University.
She also has certifications in Youth Mental Health First Aid USA, which she completed through CCPS, as well as Foundational Skills and Relational Skills of Emotional Intelligence through Dr. Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence program. Patterson lives in District 4 and has three children currently enrolled in CCPS with a fourth child on the waitlist for the prekindergarten program.
