Barbara McQuinn was born in Orlando, Florida, and graduated from Deland High School. She has resided in Palm Beach County since 1968.

 

Barbara has over 30 years of experience as an educator with the Palm Beach County School District. She began her educational career as an instructional aide at Riviera Beach Elementary School, where she discovered her love for working with kids. She earned a B.A. in elementary education and was a classroom teacher at Palm Beach Gardens and Allamanda elementary schools. She continued her education to earn a Master’s degree in mathematics education, and taught mathematics at Palm Beach Gardens High School. After teaching for 12 years, she accepted a position as a mathematics specialist to work with teachers on mathematics instruction.

 

Her first position as a school administrator was at Suncoast High School where she recruited the first class into Suncoast as a magnet school in 1989. She later served as principal of Palm Beach Gardens High School. During her tenure at Palm Beach Gardens High School, she was awarded the Florida Education Commissioner’s Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership. She completed her career with the school district as an area superintendent.

 

Barbara has remained involved with education since her retirement. She has served as a Student Intern Supervisor with Palm Beach Atlantic University and as a School Advisory Council member at Jupiter Middle School. She also earned trainer certification in Applied Ethics at Palm Beach State College.

 

She was elected to the Palm Beach County School Board in 2016.