Mr. Mark Carothers - Principal
Mark Carothers has been principal at Poolesville High School (PHS) since July, 2019. Mr. Carothers has also worked at Watkins Mill, Magruder, Damascus, and Clarksburg High Schools as an English teacher and administrator. Mr. Carothers graduated from Slippery Rock University in western Pennsylvania and earned his Masters Degree from McDaniel College. Outside of school, Mr. Carothers enjoys traveling with his family, supporting his son, Christian, at his baseball games, and following Pittsburgh sports. Mr. Carothers believes every student deserves quality first instruction and to know they are seen, heard, valued, and supported.
Mrs. Jennifer Benson - Assistant Principal
Mr. Daniel Mckenna - Assistant Principal
Mr. McKenna joined the ranks of MCPS educators in 2001 at Richard Montgomery School and then moved west to Poolesville High School in 2008. As a Falcon, he has served as an English teacher, elected faculty representative, Humanities Head of House, English department resource teacher, and Debate coach. He earned his Bachelors in English Literature and Composition from Penn State and then did the unthinkable – for a Nittany Lion – by going to the University of Michigan for graduate school. He also completed an educational leadership certificate at Hood College. When not working with students and teachers at Poolesville, he spends his time walking his dogs, reading novels big enough to stop a door, playing guitar, and enjoying the company of friends and family. He makes his home in Lovettsville, VA with his brilliant wife of 26 years and four children. Fun fact: Mr. McKenna inexplicably won a recent “Most likely to win a rap battle” staff award even though he lost the only rap battle that he ever entered (to Mr. Ward!). In addition, Mr. McKenna has been spotted leading pop music sing-alongs with students at pep rallies.
Ms. Allison Wilder - Magnet Coordinator
Ms. Wilder began her MCPS career at Poolesville High School in 1999. Her roles at PHS include English teacher, English department resource teacher, staff development teacher, elected faculty representative, coach, class sponsor, National Honor Society advisor, and Black Student Union sponsor. Prior to working for MCPS, Ms. Wilder worked in private schools in Ohio and Maryland. She graduated with a BA-English from The College of William and Mary and earned her Masters degree in Education & Human Development from the University of Maryland. Ms. Wilder enjoys competitive cooking, guerilla gardening, and raising money for her local library. She lives in Frederick County with her husband and four children, a poorly behaved dog, two cats, and many chickens. Fun Fact: Ms. Wilder, along with Mr. Leong and Ms. Clowe, participated in the original Staff Infection act at the 2005 Talent Show.
Ms. Daphne Williams - Assistant Principal
Ms. Williams is excited to begin her third year as a PHS administrator. Prior to joining PHS, she led the special education department at Rocky Hill Middle School for nine years, following 17 years as a special education teacher. Her experience also includes working with students at RICA-Rockville and in schools in Philadelphia and Dallas, as well as nine years teaching undergraduate education majors at the University of Maryland. Throughout her teaching career, she has taught all four core subject areas, but math will always be her favorite! Ms. Williams is incredibly proud of her four daughters, who have excelled in academics and athletics but, most importantly, have grown into genuinely kind people. As an educator and school leader, Ms. Williams is passionate about creating an environment where every student feels supported and empowered to grow. She is committed to meeting the needs of the whole child and helping students maximize their potential, both in school and beyond.
Ms. Libby Hillard - School Business Administrator
Ms. Hillard grew up in Poolesville and graduated from Poolesville High School in the Class of 1984. Before joining MCPS in 2006, she worked in fundraising and international development. She holds a BS in Business and a MS in Leadership. Ms. Hillard has one daughter, a proud Poolesville graduate from the Class of 2017, who now working in accounting and lives in Bethesda, MD. Fun Fact: Ms. Hillard first worked at Poolesville from 2006 to 2015 before serving as the School Business Administrator at Walt Whitman High School and later as Operations Manager for the Division of Maintenance and Operations. She is happy to be returning home to Poolesville, where she resumed her role as School Business Administrator in January 2025.
Ms. Regina Grubb - Athletic Director
Ms. Grubb began her career with MCPS in 1998 as a teacher at Westland Middle School. After spending one year at John Poole Middle School, she joined the Poolesville High School community in the fall of 2000. Throughout her years at PHS, Ms. Grubb has served in many roles, including PE/Health Teacher, Varsity Field Hockey Coach, JV Girls Basketball and Softball Coach, Class Sponsor, Graduation Coordinator, Testing Coordinator, and Assistant Athletic Director. In 2018, she became the school’s Athletic Director, continuing her commitment to supporting PHS students, coaches, and the athletic community. A third-generation PHS alumna, Ms. Grubb has deep roots in the Poolesville community. She graduated from Towson University and earned her master's degree in educational leadership from Hood College. Outside of school, Ms. Grubb enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, traveling out west, and watching just about any sporting event.
Main Office Staff
Mary Fourcade
Administrative Secretary
240.740.2410
Adrienne Brooks
Magnet Office Secretary
240.740.2400
Rhona Bortnick
Main Office Secretary
240.740.2400
Lara Fisher
Main Office Secretary
240.740.2400
Champika Pallik Kondage Don
Attendance Secretary
240.740.2400
Financial Office
Nathaniel Gordon
Financial Specialist
240.740.2411
Security
Bryant Covington
Security Team Leader
240.740.2432
Ashley Herbert
Security Officer
James Rice
Security Officer
Rivelino Pierre
Security Officer
Health
Teresa Fanflik
Health Technician
240.740.2402
Janet Lee, SCHN
School Nurse
Building Services
Parbatie Ragunath
Building Service Manager
TBD
Building Services Assistant Manager
Nuong Rivera
Plant Manager
Maria Blanco Mendez
Building Service Worker
Kelly Calix
Building Service Worker
Janice Carter
Building Service Worker
Doug Clark
Building Service Worker
John Gray
Building Service Worker
Erick Herrera Morales
Building Service Worker
Angel Melendez
Building Service Worker
Trevor Riggs
Building Service Worker
Walter Rodriguez Herrera
Building Service Worker
Paola Tecun Morales
Building Service Worker
Staff Development
Rainer Kulenkampff
Staff Development Teacher
240.740.2445
User Support
Kathryn Hackey
ITSS
240.740.2414
Foday Conteh
Media Services Technician
240.740.2418
Cafeteria
Julia Cho
Cafeteria Manager
240.740.2404
Paula Brooks
Cafeteria Worker
240.740.2404