Greetings, Coal Miners!

I am Debbie McGonigle, your principal at J.B. Watkins Elementary School. I’m excited to kick off year 33 in CCPS! Here is a little information to help you get to know me. I look forward to building wonderful relationships with all of you this year!

I began my teaching career in Chesterfield County at Bensley Elementary. During my eighteen years in the classroom, I taught Junior Kindergarten, First and Third Grade at Bensley and Evergreen Elementary. From there, I spent three years as Assistant Principal at Watkins Elementary. My first principal job was at C.C. Wells Elementary where I served for three years. Then, I had the opportunity to return to Watkins nine years ago as Principal. It was so exciting to come back home to Coal Miner country!

I attended Chesterfield County Public Schools and graduated from Midlothian High School. Then, I received my Bachelor’s degree from Longwood College and my Master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

In my free time, I enjoy being a mom to my wonderful children Casey and Hunter, Mimi to my granddaughter Eleanor and grandson Dawson, spending time at the beach in Duck N.C., reading and shopping. My husband Tad and I are avid runners and enjoy participating in half marathons. My family and I enjoy watching football and cheering for the New York Yankees.

I am so excited to meet the parents and students of this wonderful community and look forward to a great school year. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with questions, comments and concerns. Through our collaborative relationship, I know that exciting things are ahead this year for our students!

Hello Coal Miners!

I love being part of the J.B. Watkins Admin Team! Our students, staff and community are simply the best. I joined the team in the 2018-19 school year and here is a little more about me. I grew up about 40 minutes north of Boston in southern New Hampshire. There I earned a dual degree in Elementary Education and Special Education at Notre Dame College. From there, I taught students with Learning Disabilities and then third grade while completing my Master’s Degree program from the University of Virginia.

I have been fortunate to serve as Assistant Principal at WW Gordon Elementary School and Clover Hill Elementary School before J.B. Watkins Elementary School! . My passions are building positive classroom communities and student leadership.

Personally, I remarried in Sept 2023 and have awesome twin boys who are young adults. We have a rescue dog named Jack and a Boston Terrier named Minnie!

I love being a Coal Miner and I know you will too!

Hello Coal Miners!

I am honored to serve this community as an assistant principal at J.B. Watkins Elementary School. I have been in education for more than 20 years and have served in a variety of roles. After graduating from Elon University in North Carolina, I began my career teaching second and third grades. I moved to Virginia after getting married and taught 3rd grade in Hanover County. After eight years of teaching, I had a wonderful opportunity to be the Gifted Resource teacher for two schools in Ashland. My journey continued after we built a home in Chesterfield. I worked at Swift Creek Elementary for eight years as a 5th grade teacher, STEAM resource teacher, and Instructional Designer. This is my second year as an assistant principal at J.B. Watkins. I am a National Board Certified Teacher and mother to two children.

I am committed to continuing the excellent work at Watkins as we encourage each student to be lifelong learners and productive citizens in a constantly changing world. I look forward to getting to know each student, teacher, staff member, and the families that make Watkins such a special place. I am dedicated to making sure our students are provided with a safe and encouraging environment conducive for learning.

Go Coal Miners!