Charles County Public Schools has promoted a longtime insider to lead its transportation operations, tapping veteran educator and supervisor John Kraft as the new director effective immediately.
Superintendent Maria V. Navarro, Ed.D., made the announcement during the Board of Education meeting on Feb. 10, 2026. Kraft, who has spent more than a decade in the department, steps into the role to oversee daily logistics for moving 23,000 students across the county each school day.
A La Plata High School graduate and product of Charles County Public Schools (CCPS), Kraft earned a bachelor of science in health and physical education K-12 from Frostburg State University. He launched his career in Prince George’s County Public Schools as an elementary physical education teacher and high school baseball coach before returning home to CCPS in 2000.
For 13 years, he served as a PE teacher at Gale-Bailey Elementary School in Prince Frederick before transitioning to the transportation office as a supervisor. In that capacity, he managed daily operations, streamlined workflows, boosted team efficiency, and guided new staff members. Kraft also previously handled transportation supervision tied to programs like Career and Technology Education at North Point High School.
He holds a master’s degree from McDaniel College. Kraft emphasized key leadership qualities in his vision for the position: “And being able to apply what you hear to support the school system,” he said, highlighting truthfulness and active listening. As director, he aims to advance CCPS goals by prioritizing safe, reliable student transport amid ongoing demands on the fleet of bus drivers and attendants.
The promotion reflects internal continuity for a critical support function that ensures students reach classrooms on time and return home safely. With bus driver shortages and route complexities common across Maryland districts, Kraft’s hands-on experience positions him to maintain high standards for the department’s roughly 23,000 daily riders.
Kraft and his wife have three daughters, all CCPS graduates, tying his personal stake to the system’s success.
