Joe Bigsby, a STEM teacher at Magothy River Middle School, tonight was named the 2026 Anne Arundel County Public Schools Teacher of the Year. The announcement came before a crowd of more than 700 people at the culmination of the 40th annual Excellence in Education Awards held at the Live! Event Center at Arundel Mills.
Bigsby has taught Anne Arundel County Public Schools students since 2018 and has spent the entirety of that time at Magothy River Middle School. During that time, he has built a reputation as a dynamic educator with a passion for student connection and innovation.
“This is not about one person,” Bigsby told the crowd moments after his name was announced. “It’s about all of Anne Arundel County and what we bring, the excellence that we bring. I am reminded of that every single day as I talk to other teachers and I realize that it’s not a solo thing. I did not win tonight. We won tonight. The kids won tonight. Anne Arundel County won tonight because that’s what we do. We do things excellent.”
In his classrooms and beyond, Bigsby works to build inclusive communities where students feel safe and inspired to grow. He also serves in district leadership roles, including as a lead educator in computer science initiatives.
Bigsby is the second Magothy River Middle School educator to win the award in its 40-year history. Penny Vahsen earned the honor in 1988.
Bigsby will now represent AACPS in the Maryland Teacher of the Year competition. AACPS has had a finalist for Maryland Teacher of the Year in 11 of the last 13 years.
Also at the event, Monarch Academy Glen Burnie Principal Kim Jakovics was honored with the George Arlotto Leadership Award as the 2026 AACPS Principal of the Year. In all, 88 teachers and five principals were recognized during this year’s Excellence in Education program.
The following Teacher of the Year nominees, semifinalists (indicated with an asterisk) and finalists (indicated with two asterisks) were recognized at the event:
Nelson X. Alvarez Morales, Woodside Elementary School
Theresa Bange, Severn Run High School*
Jennifer Basinger, AACPS Virtual Academy
Demetri Bedel, Old Mill High 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
Judith Diaz, Meade High School*
Bethann Michelle Dixon, Lindale Middle School
Nicole Drennan, Shady Side Elementary School
Daniel Ells, Central Middle School
Samantha Emge, Marley Glen 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 Shipley Spence, Jessup Elementary School
Kelly M. Spadaro, Nantucket Elementary School*
Katherine Stanton-Pawlikowski, Monarch Academy Glen Burnie*
Magdalena Stanulescu, Severn River Middle School
Sandra Thomas, Chesapeake Science Point Middle/High
Brian Vandegrift, Marley Middle School
Angela L. Vogt, Wiley H. Bates Middle School
Chris Wallace, Rippling Woods Elementary School
Michelle Watts, Belle Grove Elementary School
Liz Welsh, Broadneck Elementary School*
Meghan Welsh, Broadneck High School**
Cassidy Wilson, Chesapeake Science Point Elementary
Alicia Winarski, Windsor Farm Elementary School
Kellsie Wolcott-Guy, Hilltop Elementary School
The following Principal of the Year finalists were also recognized:
Jessica Alvear, Ridgeway Elementary School
Cheryl Ann Cox, Walter S. Mills-Parole Elementary School
Ryan Durr, Meade High School
Jed Kling, Windsor Farm Elementary School