Organizational Overview
As a ministry of Grace Baptist Church, Grace Christian School is under the final authority of the congregation, composed of members in good standing of Grace Baptist Church. For efficient functioning, Grace Baptist Church has authorized a committee, known as the Grace Christian School Committee, to oversee the school program and to bring recommendations to the church at the monthly business meetings concerning budget, staffing and other items determined to need church approval. Although the day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the Principal, the School Committee has oversight of the total school program. The School Committee is the final reconciliation body when differences cannot be resolved at lower levels between staff members, between staff and parents, between staff and Principal or parents and Principal.
School Committee Members
Toby Byrd - Acting Chairman
Mr. Byrd has served off and on as the chairman of the Grace Christian School Committee since the school's founding in 1975. He is an attorney who practices law with his wife, Jackie at Byrd and Byrd, LLC. He has been a member of Grace Baptist Church since 1968 and a church Deacon since 1975.
Jamie Miller - Pastoral Representative
Pastor Miller serves as the Pastor of Children and Administration at Grace Baptist Church. He has a Master of Divinity degree from Liberty University, a Master of Arts in Religion degree in Church Ministries from Liberty University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Math Education from the University of Maryland. His professional experience, prior to coming on staff with GBC, includes being a middle school math teacher at Grace Christian School and an algebra and math 8 teacher at Bates Middle School. He has four children currently attending Grace Christian School, in the elementary and middle school programs.
Tom Berg - Member-At-Large
Mr. Berg is a former GCS parent and has been a member of the Grace Christian School Committee for many years. He is actively involved in the media and other technology needs of the church and school.
Kevin McClellan - Member-At-Large
Mr. McClellan has been a member of the Grace Christian School committee for many years and is a former GCS parent. He recently retired from U.S. Department of Justice where he served as the head of the Telecommunications Branch. He is actively involved in church ministries.
Bill Wolf - Member-At-Large
Mr. Wolf has been a member of the Grace Christian School committee for many years and is a former GCS parent. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Bob Jones University. His professional experience is as a photographer with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). He also ministers as an ABC teacher at Grace Baptist Church.
Melba Wills - Teacher Representative
Mrs. Wills has been teaching at Grace Christian School for three years. She has more than 20
years’ experience teaching in her native country, Nicaragua, where she taught students from
kindergarten through adults. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in English and a Master of
Arts degree in Bilingual Education. She is an active member of Grace Baptist Church where she
serves in various capacities, including Small Group Ministry and Sunday School.
Eunice Abutan - Parent Representative
Mrs. Abutan serves as the Children's Ministry Assistant at Grace Baptist Church. She has a
Graduate of Theology Diploma from Bethany Bible College in the Philippines, and will be
completing her Associate Degree in Applied Business in July 2023. She has over 25 years of
experience in church ministry, working primarily with young children. She has been a school
parent since 2016. All three of her children currently attend Grace Christian School. They are in
the elementary and middle school programs. She is a substitute teacher and has served as a
Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) Officer.
Renita Gabriel - Parent Representative
Mrs. Gabriel is a licensed psychologist in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia. Dr.
Gabriel received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the Chicago School of Professional
Psychology and her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Washington and Lee
University in Lexington, VA. She is a member of the American Association of Christian
Counselors and serves in the Music Ministry at Grace Baptist Church. She has two children that
attend Grace Christian School.
Don Jillson - Principal of Grace Christian School (Non-Voting)
Before returning to GCS as Principal in 2019, Mr. Jillson served as GCS Principal from 2002 to 2006 and Grace Baptist Church Business Administrator prior to that from 1999 to 2002. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics and Masters of Business Administration. In 2015, Mr. Jillson retired from the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves after 13 years on Active Duty and 14 years in the Reserves. For the previous 10 years, he worked for the Department of Homeland Security as a senior financial manager.