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CELEBRATING THE 2022-2023 BCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES AND FINALISTS

Congratulations to these outstanding educators!

By Team BCPS

April 21^st, 2022

Honoring all teachers

Through the Teacher of the Year program, Baltimore County Public Schools hopes to elevate the teaching profession, recognize excellence in teaching, and thank all teachers for their skill, knowledge, creativity, and dedication.

The process begins with an invitation for each principal to nominate one teacher. This year, 159 educators were nominated, and from their applications, the BCPS Teacher of the Year committee selected BCPS Teacher of the Year finalists and the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year -- who will be named during an invitation-only ceremony on Thursday, April 28, at 4 p.m. at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology. The ceremony will be live-streamed on the BCPS website.

The committee is composed of BCPS administrators, staff, students, TABCO (Teachers Association of Baltimore County) representation, and current BCPS Teacher of the Year and Maryland Teacher of the Year Brianna Ross, of Deer Park Middle Magnet School.

The BCPS Teacher of the Year will then go on to represent the school system and its more than 9,000 professional educators in the Maryland state Teacher of the Year program.

Alicia Amaral Freeman, Franklin Elementary School

Brent Driessen, Deep Creek Elementary School

Muriel Olowokakoko, Powhatan Elementary School

Heather Young, Charlesmont Elementary School

This year’s finalists are:

Zack Davis, Grade 5 teacher, Logan Elementary School

Tracey Dowling, mathematics department chair, Overlea High School

Brent Driessen, Grades 4 and 5 teacher, Deep Creek Elementary School

Alicia Amaral Freeman, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teacher, Franklin Elementary School

Muriel Olowokakoko, Grade 4 teacher, Powhatan Elementary School

Heather Young, reading specialist, Charlesmont Elementary School

Following is the complete list of 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year nominees (in alphabetical order by school):

Arbutus Elementary School - Monica Macander
Arbutus Middle School - Samantha Wilson
Baltimore Highlands Elementary School - Emily Elder
Battle Grove Elementary School - Rebekah Zimmerman
Battle Monument School - Morgan McCaskill
Bear Creek Elementary School - Laura Allison
Bedford Elementary School - Amanda Schmidt
Campfield Early Learning Center - Antonia Spencer
Carney Elementary School - Haley Pettit
Carroll Manor Elementary School - Sydney Lippa
Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies - Patricia Wit
Catonsville Elementary School - Julia Thomasson
Catonsville High School - Angela Williams
Catonsville Middle School - Stephanie Bohn
Cedarmere Elementary School - Keith Peters
Chadwick Elementary School - Nicole Watson
Chapel Hill Elementary School - Jawann Whatley
Charlesmont Elementary School - Heather Young (nee Meushaw)
Chase Elementary School - Natasha Smith
Chatsworth School - Randie Friedman
Chesapeake High School - Justin Patterson
Chesapeake Terrace Elementary School - Kristina Knoerlein
Church Lane Elementary Technology School - Laura Wurzbacher
Cockeysville Middle School - Kristen Denton
Colgate Elementary School - Diane Blackwood
Cromwell Valley Elementary Regional Magnet School - Linda Gaylor
Crossroads Center - Stephanie Kerns
Deep Creek Elementary School - Brent Driessen
Deep Creek Middle School - Casey Lane
Deer Park Elementary School - Marta Biddinger
Deer Park Middle Magnet School - Jocelyn Hodge
Dogwood Elementary School - Glenda Cumbo
Dulaney High School - Deborah Hamilton
Dumbarton Middle School - Ryan Zuckerman
Dundalk Elementary School - Stephany Lawhon
Dundalk High School - Caroline McDowell
Dundalk Middle School - Amy Bugarin
Eastern Technical High School - Daniel J. Murphy
Edgemere Elementary School - Melissa Baldwin
Edmondson Heights Elementary School - Stephanie Mosby
Elmwood Elementary School - Kaitlynn Welly
Essex Elementary School - Renee Johannes
Featherbed Lane Elementary School - Laura McCaskill
Fifth District Elementary School - Mark DiPaula
Fort Garrison Elementary School - Tara Wingrat
Franklin Elementary School - Alicia Amaral Freeman
Franklin Elementary School - Whitney Alperstein
Franklin High School - Kayla Scannell
Franklin Middle School - Debra Lucado
Fullerton Elementary School - Danielle Thackston
General John Stricker Middle School - Eric Yeager
George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology - Debra Glassman
Glenmar Elementary School - Maria Polikandriotis
Grange Elementary School - Holly Donaldson
Gunpowder Elementary School - Sheree Southgate
Halstead Academy School - Michelle Kremer
Halthorpe Elementary School - Kaitlin Skirven
Hampton Elementary School - Joshua Willmore
Harford Hills Elementary School - Alexandra Lugenbeel
Hawthorne Elementary School - Veronica Rider
Hebbville Elementary School - Kelly A. Kalb
Hereford High School - Robert Greenwood
Hereford Middle School - Kate Stegmayer
Hernwood Elementary School - Tyler Behnke
Hillcrest Elementary School - Jacqueline Schoen
Holabird Middle School - Tamika Mobley
Honeygo Elementary School - Abigail Ryan
Jacksonville Elementary School - Amelia Beever
Johnnycake Elementary School - Crystal Rhodes
Joppa View Elementary School - Brandice Cunnington
Kenwood High School - Morgan Pecora
Kingsville Elementary School - Elizabeth Yeagy
Lansdowne High School - Sarah Kirby
Lansdowne Middle School - Catherine Willett
Loch Raven High School - Emily Hall
Loch Raven Technical Academy - Tatanisha Love
Logan Elementary School - Zachary Davis
Lutherville Laboratory School - Jamie Nicholson
Lyons Mill Elementary School - Alicia Cagnolatti
Mars Estates Elementary School - Katie Streett
Martin Boulevard Elementary School - Jennifer Becker
Mays Chapel Elementary School - Nicole Quimby
McCormick Elementary School -Eva George
Meadowood Education Center - Stephanie Little
Middle River Middle School - Alicia Kollmorgen
Middleborough Elementary School - Sandy Emmerich
Middlesex Elementary School - Carrie Hardesty
Milbrook Elementary School - Clare Dougherty Jasper
Milford Mill Academy - Lashawn Brown
New Town Elementary School - Karen Desir
New Town High School - Joseph Willard
Northwest Academy of Health Sciences - Margaret A. Madgar
Norwood Elementary School - Katharine O'Hare
Oakleigh Elementary School - Donna Goetz
Oliver Beach Elementary School - Trena Kregel
Orems Elementary School - Emily Tucker
Overlea High School - Tracey Dowling
Owings Mills Elementary School - Ashley Wolf
Padonia International Elementary School - MaryBeth Dembeck
Parkville High School - Aaron Chotikul
Parkville Middle School - Corri L. Brown
Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts - Ronald Poole
Perry Hall Elementary School - Rosemary Lathrop
Perry Hall High School - Sarah Spence
Perry Hall Middle School - Julie Perzan
Pikeville Middle School - Atoya Hill
Pine Grove Elementary School - Paula Cockey
Pine Grove Middle School - Ellen Mangels
Pleasant Plains Elementary School - Jamie Johnson
Pot Spring Elementary School - Katherine LeeAnne Barnett
Powhatan Elementary School - Muriel Olowokakoko
Randallstown Elementary School - Rachel Frieman
Randallstown High School - Albert Howard
Red House Run Elementary School - Kaitlyn McGayhey
Relay Elementary School - Laura Donhauser-Wymer
Ridge Ruxton School - Megan Cooper
Ridgely Middle School - Kelly Middlebrook
Riverview Elementary School - Emily Salmon
Rodgers Forge Elementary School - Marianne Lohr
Rosedale Center Middle/High School - Monica Willson
Sandalwood Elementary School - Lindsay Schulz
Sandy Plains Elementary School - Jennifer Taylor
Seneca Elementary School - Erika Young
Seven Oaks Elementary School - Amy Shuss
Seventh District Elementary School - Kathryn J Furano
Shady Spring Elementary School - Jenna Hildebrandt
Sollers Point Technical High School - Jeffrey Smith
Southwest Academy - Anastasia Cote-Rumsey
Sparks Elementary School - Brittany Yeager
Sparrows Point High School - Melissa Hummel
Sparrows Point Middle School - Laura Johnson
Stemmers Run Middle School - Jenifer Nezworski
Stoneleigh Elementary School - Lois Edwards
Sudbrook Magnet Middle School - Miche Cheung
Summit Park Elementary School - Susan Shaffer
Timber Grove Elementary School - Courtney Long
Timonium Elementary School - Carol Frigo
Victory Villa Elementary School - Karley Arsenault
Villa Cresta Elementary School - Jennifer Ischia
Vincent Farm Elementary School - Joseph Pulvino
Virtual Learning Program, Elementary - Bridgett Palmer
Virtual Learning Program, High - Ronald Saul
Virtual Learning Program, Middle - Shantel Breen
Warren Elementary School - Joel Dager
Watershed Public Charter School - Caroline O'Brien
Wellwood International School - Caitlyn Goff
West Towson Elementary School - Amy Conklin
Westchester Elementary School - Samantha Hopkins
Western School of Technology - Jean Owens
Westowne Elementary School - Rachelle Horn
White Oak School - Annie Fulton
Windsor Mill Middle School - Kelsea George
Windsor Mill Middle School - Monica Dailey
Winfield Elementary School - Janette Matthews
Woodbridge Elementary School - Erica Kensinger
Woodholme Elementary School - Paula Gillon
Woodlawn High School - Andrew Lutz
Woodlawn Middle School - Dolores Balbedina
Woodmoor Elementary School - Rachel Hardesty

A photo gallery of the TOY nominees

In alphabetical order by last name.

(Dear Nominees -- If you submitted a photo and it does not appear on this page, we might have had problems uploading it to the blog. Please submit a new photo to communications@bcps.org. Thank you!)

Laura Allison, Bear Creek Elementary School

Whitney Alperstein, Franklin Elementary School

Karley Arsenault, Victory Villa Elementary School

Dolores Balbedina, Woodlawn Middle School

Melissa Baldwin, Edgemere Elementary School

Katherine Barnett, Pot Spring Elementary School

Jennifer Becker, Martin Boulevard Elementary School

Amelia Beever, Jacksonville Elementary School

Marta Biddinger, Deer Park Elementary School

Diane Blackwood, Colgate Elementary School

Stephanie Bohn, Catonsville Middle School

Shantel Breen, Virtual Learning Program - Middle

Alicia Cagnolatti, Lyons Mill Elementary School

Miche Cheung, Sudbrook Magnet Middle School

Paula Cockey, Pine Grove Elementary School

Emily Cole, Baltimore Highlands Elementary School

Amy Conklin, West Towson Elementary School

Brandice Cunnington, Joppa View Elementary School

Kristen Denton, Cockeysville Middle School

Mark DiPaula, Fifth District Elementary School

Holly Donaldson, Grange Elementary School

Laura Donhauser-Wymer, Relay Elementary School

Lois Edwards, Stoneleigh Elementary School

Sandra Emmerich, Middleborough Elementary School

Rachel Frieman, Randallstown Elementary School

Linda Gaylor, Cromwell Valley Elementary School

Paula Gillon, Woodholme Elementary School

Debra Glassman, George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology

Carrie Hardesty, Middlesex Elementary School

Rachel Hardesty, Woodmoor Elementary School

Samantha Hopkins, Westchester Elementary School

Rachelle Horn, Westowne Elementary School

Melissa Hummel, Sparrows Point High School

Jennifer Ischia, Villa Cresta Elementary School

Clare Dougherty Jasper, Milbrook Elementary School

Jamie Johnson, Pleasant Plains Elementary School

Laura Johnson, Sparrows Point Middle School

Kristina Knoerlein, Chesapeake Terrace Elementary School

Alicia Kollmorgen, Middle River Middle School

Trena Kregel, Oliver Beach Elementary School

Rosemary Lathrop, Perry Hall Elementary School

Stephany Lawhon, Dundalk Elementary School

Jocelyn Lay, Deer Park Middle Magnet School

Tatanisha Love, Loch Raven Technical Academy

Monica Macander, Arbutus Elementary School

Margaret Madgar, Northwest Academy of Health Sciences

Morgan McCaskill, Battle Monument School

Kaitlyn McGayhey, Red House Run Elementary School

Kelly Middlebrook, Ridgely Middle School

Stephanie Mosby, Edmondson Heights Elementary School

Daniel Murphy, Eastern Technical High School

Caroline O'Brien, Watershed Public Charter School

Katharine O'Hare, Norwood Elementary School

Jean Owens, Western School of Technology

Bridgett Palmer, Virtual Learning Program - Elementary

Justin Patterson, Chesapeake High School

Ronald Poole, Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts

Joseph Pulvino, Vincent Farm Elementary School

Nicole Quimby, Mays Chapel Elementary School

Crystal Rhodes, Johnnycake Elementary School

Veronica Rider, Hawthorne Elementary School

Emily Salmon, Riverview Elementary School

Amanda Schmidt, Bedford Elementary School

Courtney Schmidt, Timber Grove Elementary School

Jacqueline Schoen, Hillcrest Elementary School

Lindsay Schulz, Sandalwood Elementary School

Susan Shaffer, Summit Park Elementary School

Kaitlin Skirven, Halethorpe Elementary School

Jeffrey Smith, Sollers Point Technical High School

Sheree Southgate, Gunpowder Elementary School

Kathryn Stegmayer, Hereford Middle School

Danielle Thackston, Fullerton Elementary School

Julia Thomasson, Catonsville Elementary School

Jawann Whatley, Chapel Hill Elementary School

Catherine Willett, Lansdowne Middle School

Angela Williams, Catonsville High School

Joshua Willmore, Hampton Elementary School

Tara Wingrat, Fort Garrison Elementary School

Ashley Wolf, Owings Mills Elementary School

Brittany Yeager, Sparks Elementary School

Eric Yeager, General John Stricker Middle School

Elizabeth Yeagy, Kingsville Elementary School

Rebekah Zimmerman, Battle Grove Elementary School

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