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Eighty-six school educators have been nominated for the 2025-26 Anne Arundel County Public Schools Teacher of the Year Award. These outstanding teachers, representing schools across the district, were selected for their commitment to student achievement, their ability to build welcoming and inclusive classrooms, and their dedication to going above and beyond in service of children and families.

This year’s nominees are:

  • Nelson X. Alvarez Morales, Woodside Elementary School

  • Theresa Bange, Severn Run High School

  • Jennifer Basinger, AACPS Virtual Academy

  • Demetri Bedel, Old Mill High School

  • Joe Bigsby, Magothy River Middle School

  • Kimberly Lawton Bloomfield, Severna Park Middle School

  • Tabatha Brooks, Chesapeake High School

  • Serena Brown, Glendale Elementary School

  • Aimee Castaing, Tyler Heights Elementary School

  • Erin Chester, Crofton Middle School

  • Laura Christopher, Ferndale Early Education Center

  • Emily Clark, Benfield Elementary School

  • Joanne Clarke, Walter S. Mills-Parole Elementary School

  • Jessica Coyne, Northeast High School

  • Heather Cummins, Old Mill Middle School South

  • Matthew D'Agostino, Riviera Beach Elementary School

  • Jenilee Denney, Mayo Elementary School

  • Bethann Michelle Dixon, Lindale Middle School

  • Nicole Drennan, Shady Side Elementary School

  • Daniel Ells, Central Middle School

  • Samantha Emge, Marley Glen Elementary School

  • Michelle Emond, Southern High School

  • Jamie Erickson, Lake Shore Elementary School

  • Kathleen Fagan, Arundel Middle School

  • Inma Fernandez-Pacheco, Crofton High School

  • Nicole Fornadel, Severna Park High School

  • Lindsay Fuller, Germantown Elementary School

  • Melissa Gardner, Edgewater Elementary School

  • Andie Graziano, MacArthur Middle School

  • Scott Gurien, Crofton Elementary School

  • Starlyn Hacker, Brooklyn Park Middle School

  • Matt Hall, Arundel High School

  • Brenda Heim, Mary Moss at J. Albert Adams Academy

  • Vicki Hill, Deale Elementary School

  • Niki Hromanik, Marley Elementary School

  • Jamie Hudgins, Jacobsville Elementary School

  • Shawn Hurman, High Point Elementary School

  • Nik M. Jones, Belvedere Elementary School

  • Karen Jones-Lantzy, Tracey's Elementary School

  • Beth Joy, South Shore Elementary School

  • Jason C. Kahler, South River High School

  • Noah Kiehle, Ridgeway Elementary School

  • Erika Klick, Odenton Elementary School

  • Heather Kurdziel, West Meade Early Education Center

  • Erika Ladd, Brock Bridge Elementary School

  • Casey Lafferty, Park Elementary School

  • Jen Lee, Folger McKinsey Elementary School

  • Jenna Lerro, Annapolis Middle School

  • Walt Lindberg, Pershing Hill Elementary School

  • Kimberley Looper, Corkran Middle School

  • Michelle Magee, Overlook Elementary School

  • Stephanie Marrone, George T. Cromwell Elementary School

  • Hannah Martin, Old Mill Middle School North

  • Lacy McDaniel, Center of Applied Technology, South

  • Marissa Miller-Vasquez, Ruth Parker Eason School

  • Jessica Moran, West Annapolis Elementary School

  • Lindsay O'Keefe, Annapolis Elementary School

  • Kara O'Rourke, Four Seasons Elementary School

  • Robert Palmer, Center of Applied Technology, North

  • Heather Pickens, Glen Burnie Park Elementary School

  • Rachel Place, Southern Middle School

  • Mandi Quinn, Chesapeake Bay Middle School

  • Clarelisa Rivera, Glen Burnie High School

  • James Robison, Point Pleasant Elementary School

  • Sheri Rosenberg, Waugh Chapel Elementary School

  • Veronica Rutkauskas, Pasadena Elementary School

  • Somia Sharafeldin, North County High School

  • Amy Sheasley, Piney Orchard Elementary School

  • Mary Smilek, Severn Elementary School

  • Katelyn Smith, Manor View Elementary School

  • Krystle Smith, Northeast Middle School

  • Robin Smith, Maryland City Elementary School

  • Lauren Snyder, Hillsmere Elementary School

  • Kelly M. Spadaro, Nantucket Elementary School

  • Kelly Shipley Spence, Jessup Elementary School

  • Katherine Stanton-Pawlikowski, Monarch Academy Glen Burnie

  • Magdalena Stanulescu, Severn River Middle School

  • Sandra Thomas, Chesapeake Science Point

  • Brian Vandegrift, Marley Middle School

  • Angela L. Vogt, Wiley H. Bates Middle School

  • Chris Wallace, Rippling Woods Elementary School

  • Liz Welsh, Broadneck Elementary School

  • Meghan Welsh, Broadneck High School

  • Cassidy Wilson, Chesapeake Science Point

  • Alicia Winarski, Windsor Farm Elementary School

  • Kellsie Wolcott-Guy, Hilltop Elementary School

These nominees will be recognized by the Education Foundation of AACPS at the 40th Annual Excellence in Education Awards Ceremony on Friday, April 24, 2026. The evening will include the announcement of the 2026 AACPS Teacher of the Year, as well as a celebration of the 2025-26 George Arlotto Leadership Award (Principal of the Year). The Teacher of the Year honoree will advance to represent Anne Arundel County in the Maryland State Teacher of the Year competition.

Jacqueline Sanderson, an English Language Development teacher at Belle Grove Elementary School, currently holds the title of 2024-25 AACPS Teacher of the Year, and was a finalist for the Maryland Teacher of the Year award. Three AACPS educators have earned the state’s top honor in the last eight years: Mary Kay Connerton of Annapolis High School (2022-23), Teresa Beilstein of South Shore Elementary School (2018-29), and Josh Carroll of South River High School (2016-17).

Questions about the Teacher of the Year program should be directed to Jenn Lombardi at jlombardi@aacps.org and Meghan O’Brien at mwobrien@aacps.org. Questions about the Excellence in Education event should be directed to Joe Callahan at jfcallahan@aacps.org.

Information about tickets to the event will be available in the coming months.