Six outstanding educators from all levels of the school district were named today as finalists for the 2025 Anne Arundel County Public Schools Teacher of the Year award. Those finalists and the areas in which they teach are:
Khalifah J. Carter, AVID, Meade Middle School
Sarah DelSignore, Music, Northeast High School
Cecilia Miga, World Language, Annapolis High School
Laura Palermo, Kindergarten, Benfield Elementary School
Catie Russo, Art, Broadneck High School
Jacqueline Sanderson, English Language Development, Belle Grove Elementary School
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell was joined by members of the Board of Education and the Education Foundation of AACPS as well as other school system leaders in surprising the finalists in their schools today to announce the news.
The Education Foundation of AACPS will honor all of this year's nominees at the 39th Annual Excellence in Education Awards on Friday, April 25, 2025. The event will include the announcements of the 2025 Anne Arundel County Public Schools Teacher of the Year and celebration of the 2024-2025 Principal of the Year.
The AACPS Teacher of the Year will go on to represent the county in the Maryland State Teacher of the Year competition. Elizabeth Heist, a music teacher at Lake Shore Elementary School, currently holds the title of 2024 AACPS Teacher of the Year.
The following Teacher of the Year nominees and semifinalists (indicated with an asterisk) will also be recognized at the event:
Lauren M. S. Arditti, Brooklyn Park Middle School*
Cielo Bacarisas, Glen Burnie High School
Barry Booth Jr., Arundel Middle School
Alicia Bourassa, Eastport Elementary School
Allison Brewer, Mayo Elementary School
Bill Bulmahn, Overlook Elementary School
Leslie M. Curtin, Tracey's Elementary School
Samantha Cygan, Old Mill High School*
Sunny Deitrick, South River High School
Brittni Derkacz, Marley Middle School
Jodi Distad, Crofton Meadows Elementary School
Kimberly Dougherty, Southern Middle School*
Maria Dunford, North Glen Elementary School
Stephanie Earley, Broadneck Elementary School
Tambria Eaton, Lindale Middle School
Tracy Edwards, Crofton High School
Melissa Fisher, Edgewater Elementary School
Katherine Gennantonio, Northeast Middle School*
Lauren Glover, Tyler Heights Elementary School
Steven Gorrick, Severna Park High School
Courtney Gruss, Pershing Hill Elementary School
Lucy Harris, Windsor Farm Elementary School
Katrina Hatfield, South Shore Elementary School
Buckley W. Hayes, CAT-South
Jessica Henderson, Park Elementary School
JoAnne Henry, Corkran Middle School
Catherine Hughes, Hillsmere Elementary School
Pamela Karr-Dawson, Shipley's Choice Elementary School
Melinda Keenan, Shady Side Elementary School
Caprice Kennedy, Annapolis Middle School*
Donn Kerr, CAT-North
Kelli Knode, West Meade Early Education Center
Marlene Kramer, Southern High School
Stacy Langhirt, Severna Park Elementary School
Melissa Leccese, Davidsonville Elementary School
Lauren Lemaster, Marley Elementary School
Candace Ludwig, Riviera Beach Elementary School
Jenna Lydon, Four Seasons Elementary School
Jonathan Martin, Arnold Elementary School*
Carla McConnaughhay, Mills-Parole Elementary School*
Katie McElree, Monarch Academy Annapolis
Emily Minnigerode, Millersville Elementary School*
Cameron Moltz, Point Pleasant Elementary School
Jennifer Mullins, Woodside Elementary School
Jessica Nowak, Rolling Knolls Elementary School
Keyonna Ogunnubi, Hilltop Elementary School
Jessica Overstreet, Severn Elementary School
Christan Palopoli, Arundel High School*
Rebecca Peters, Central Elementary School
Sarah Ramirez Cross, North County High School
Jennifer Ross, Southgate Elementary School
Kristi Rupard, Crofton Middle School
Chelsea Sedghi, Severn River Middle School
Justina Sherman, George T. Cromwell Elementary School
Amelia Smith, Deale Elementary School
Erika Smith, Jones Elementary School
Gina Sullivan, Manor View Elementary School
Kathy Swartz, Oak Hill Elementary School
Anne K. G. Taylor, Old Mill Middle School North
Marcia Taylor, Jacobsville Elementary School*
Josh Thompson, Magothy River Middle School
Molly Volk, Fort Smallwood Elementary School
Jessica Warrington, Old Mill Middle School South
Nichole Washington, Georgetown East Elementary School
Allison Webb, Solley Elementary School*
Kendyl Whiteley, Folger McKinsey Elementary School
Laura H. Williams, Chesapeake High School
Jennifer Zak, Ridgeway Elementary School
Bethany Zimmerman, High Point Elementary School*
Information about tickets to the event will be available soon.