#Excellence starts here HCPSS Teacher of the Year

The Teacher of the Year Award seeks to recognize excellence in teaching, to encourage creative and quality instruction, and to contribute in a substantive way to the improvement of education. HCPSS is very proud of its accomplished teachers and seeks to recognize the outstanding practitioners that make a difference in the lives of our students and their families. The Teacher of the Year program is implemented by the Office of Teacher and Paraprofessional Development, Juliann Dibble, Director. Juliann_Dibble@hcpss.org

Nominate a Teacher

Nominations may be submitted by teachers, students, former students, parents, administrators or the general public. Teachers may not nominate themselves.

Eligibility - Nominees must:

Be a current full-time teacher in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 in the Howard County Public School System(HCPSS).
Have at least five full years of teaching experience, including three or more years in HCPSS.
Maintain a teaching position throughout the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.
Not be a former recipient of this award. (Previous nominees who did not win may be re-nominated.) If selected as the Howard County Teacher of the Year recipient for 2025, the recipient agrees to accept the role and fulfill the obligations of the Howard County Teacher of the Year.

Nomination Criteria - Nominees must be teachers who:

Inspire Learning: Instill in students a desire to learn and achieve.
Encourage Individual Growth: Understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents, and foster their self-esteem.
Demonstrate Subject Matter Expertise: Showcase a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students.
Foster Collaboration: Proactively facilitate cooperative relationships with their colleagues, students, and the community.
Lead by Example: Demonstrate outstanding leadership.

2024-25 Process & Timeline

1. Complete the nomination packet. Be sure to assemble the packet in the required order. Guidelines for completing the nomination packet and the packet template are linked at the bottom of this page in the RESOURCES section.

2. Submit the packet components electronically in the correct format (nomination form in pdf, jpg photo, and other components in a Word and PDF file no later than midnight, Friday, January 3, 2025. Email the packet to Juliann Dibble, Juliann_Dibble@hcpss.org, subject line: Howard County Teacher of the Year Nomination.

3. Two finalists will be selected to represent Howard County, one each for the Washington Post Teacher of the Year Award and the Maryland State Teacher of the Year Award.

CLICK HERE FOR Directions and Tips for Preparing the Nomination Packet

Assemble a small workgroup. You will need the assistance of the nominee when creating/assembling the packet components, especially the resume.
Tips:
- Enlist the assistance of the PTA in the preparation of the nomination packet.
- Partner PTA leaders/members with school staff to coordinate the collection and composition of the materials. Consider pulling together a small workgroup to assemble the packet.
- Have a skilled proofreader review the entire packet and check that all materials meet the submission requirements.
Assist in compiling the components required as part of the nomination packet:
- A maximum of 5 statements of support at least 1 of which must be from a professional educator. Each letter of support should be at most 800 words. All letters of support must have an original signature; digital signatures will not be accepted.
  - Tips:
    - Each statement of support should include compelling information that showcases the teacher’s excellent qualities that distinguish them and must be signed with an original ink signature (no digital signature)
    - Include specific examples of the teacher's unique qualities, influence, characteristics, talents, and skills that make them an exemplary educator.
    - Offer support and feedback to the contributing statement of support authors.
- A resume that includes:
  - Educational background - including degrees earned, certificates earned, majors and universities/colleges attended, dates of attendance
  - Complete work history - including previous positions held and dates worked
  - Honors received and/or other significant achievements
  - Leadership experiences
  - Membership and involvement in professional organizations
  - Other experiences the candidate has that go above and beyond job expectations and responsibilities such as:
    - Leading professional learning for educators
    - Leading/presenting to community members/ families
    - Community projects, charity work and/or contributions to the education profession
    - Personal projects or initiatives that contribute positively to the staff, students and/or community

- 200-word biography highlighting professional accomplishments addressing the following:
  - How has the teacher shown leadership among peers and in the school community?
  - In what ways has the teacher positively impacted the lives of students?
  - What does the teacher do to engage and partner with families?
  - How does the teacher contribute to the teaching profession?
- Description of how the nominee meets each of the nomination criteria (see above) 400-word maximum for each criterion below.
  - Inspire Learning: Instill in students a desire to learn and achieve.
  - Encourage Individual Growth: Understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents, and foster their self-esteem.
  - Demonstrate Subject Matter Expertise: Showcase a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students.
  - Foster Collaboration: Proactively facilitate cooperative relationships with their colleagues, students, and the community.
  - Lead by Example: Demonstrate outstanding leadership.
    - Tips:
      - Incorporate specific and detailed examples of how the nominee meets each of the criteria. Each criteria explanation can be up to 400 words for a total of 2000 words for this section.
      - Organize the description by the nomination criteria using headings and sub-headings as needed.

- Vertical, color, head-shot photograph, at least 2MB, JPG file.
Organize the nomination packet according to the directions on the nomination form. See the nomination guidelines linked in the RESOURCES section below.
The packet components may be emailed to Juliann_Dibble@hcpss.org as one Word document along with the nomination pdf form and the photo should be a separate jpg file subject line: HCPSS Teacher of the Year Nomination no later than midnight, Friday, January 3, 2025.

Resources

Click here to download the Teacher of the Year Nomination Packet Guidelines
Click here to download the Teacher of the Year Nomination Packet Template(Due by midnight Jan. 3, 2025)
Program contact: Juliann Dibble, Director, Teacher & Paraprofessional Development, Juliann_Dibble@hcpss.org.

Recent HCPSS Teachers of the Ye


Jessica nichols 2024	Jeanette swank 2024

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Dr. laura Moore 2023	shannon rembert-gonzales 2023
jorden lim 2022	jessica palad 2022

Amy Woolf 2021	Niklas Berry 2021
suzanne young 2020	jerome pickens 2020

sylvia hennessie 2019

Greg Murach 2019

Elizabeth Waltman 2018

Maddy Halbach 2017

shalonda holt 2016

stephanie Geddie 2015