Fourteen teachers from all levels of the school system were named today as semi-finalists for the 2020 Anne Arundel County Public Schools Teacher of the Year:

• Matthew Bem, a biology teacher at Broadneck High School
• Lindsay Breach, a fourth-grade teacher at Glendale Elementary School
• Jaclyn Cockcroft, an art teacher at Bodkin Elementary School
• Diana Curtis, a strings teacher at Crofton Woods an Odenton elementary schools
• Emily Davis, a language arts teacher at Brooklyn Park Middle School
• Mollie Dwyer, a special education teacher at Waugh Chapel Elementary School
• Tema Encarnacion, an ESOL teacher at Annapolis High School
• David Fawley, a marine service technology teacher at the Center of Applied Technology – South
• Briana Gresko, a music teacher at Southern High School
• Stacy Kearns, an AVID teacher at Severn River Middle School
• Angela Miller, a second-grade teacher at Shipley’s Choice Elementary School
• Robert Tompkins, a technology education teacher at South River High School
• Hope Turner, a language arts teacher at Marley Middle School
• Lauren Walker, a chorus teacher at Central Middle School

The following teachers were named semifinalists for Independent Schools Teacher of the Year:

• Camille Baumann, a science teacher at St. Mary’s High School
• Christopher Deterding, a math teacher at Annapolis Area Christian School
• Laraine Olechowski, an art teacher at St. Mary’s Elementary School

Be there when we announce the winner! 

The Teacher of the Year semifinalists will be among 50 public schools teachers and five independent school teachers to be honored at the 34^th Annual Excellence in Education Awards Dinner at the BWI Marriott in Linthicum on Thursday, April 16, 2020. Be a part of the celebration! Click here to learn more about this exciting event.

South Shore Elementary School third grade teacher Teresa Beilstein was named the 2019-2020 Maryland Teacher of the Year by the Maryland State Department of Education.  Beilstein beat out six other finalists to become Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ second Maryland Teacher of the Year in three years. Josh Carroll of South River High School won the award in 2017-2018.

“This profession is truly an honor,” Beilstein said moments after the announcement was made. “It is the intersection of my passion and purpose. I am so lucky to have a career that fulfills me as a person. It’s more than I could ever ask for and I’m honored to represent my colleagues across the state.” Read the full press release.