Although he may not describe himself this way, principal and union leader Brian Galbraith of Prince George’s County, Maryland, is a social justice champion. Diversity, equity and belonging have been hallmarks of his career, from his early days as a schoolteacher in Nevada to his current role as a principal in Maryland.
Born and raised in Curtisville, Pennsylvania, a mining town north of Pittsburgh, Brian grew up with family members who worked in the coal mines and steel mills. He lived in an extended family household with several relatives, including his great-grandmother.
“They gave me a great sense of family and responsibility, which holds true today,” he says. His parents were firm believers in always being there for family.
His many teachers also helped shape him into an educator and an advocate for those less privileged than himself.
“To this day, I can name every teacher I ever had,” he says.
He especially remembers Mr. Favero, his English teacher and a Notre Dame graduate who understood his students and watched football games with them. His physics teacher, Mr. Stropkaj, was also influential. And Ms. Miller, who led the musical theater program, won his heart.
“As the class clown, I would get football buddies to do musical theater with me,” he says.
Although football was his main sport, Brian also played basketball and participated in track and field. He says, “I would show up at school at 7 in the morning and leave at 9 or 10 at night.”
At Slippery Rock University, Brian had an adviser, Dr. Gary Quast, who organized an opportunity for student teachers to travel to Las Vegas. Brian went along. As a student teacher, he reported to a young woman named Miecha. Unbeknownst to either of them at the time, they would eventually marry and have four children.
Brian went on to earn certification in gifted and talented education and a master’s degree in educational leadership. In Nevada, he began his career as an elementary school teacher and eventually became a gifted and talented teacher. He worked at Jydstrup Elementary School, Swainston Middle School, Parson Elementary School and, finally, Smith Elementary School.
His students came from all over the world, including American, Mexican, Syrian, Chinese, Japanese, Croatian and Filipino backgrounds.
Brian also began his administrative career in Las Vegas as a dean of students at Bob Miller Middle School. There, he quickly learned the importance of being part of a strong administrative team.
He loved connecting with students, starting chess clubs and science fairs, and sharing as much knowledge as possible.
“I still keep in contact with many of those kids,” he says.
By then, Brian and Miecha were married and had welcomed their first child, Amelia. They...
