All In: Celebrating Staff and Students
Jack R. Smith, Superintendent of Schools
Posted On April 25, 2019
Last night, I had the privilege of attending our annual Champions for Children event, which celebrates excellence in education. I am always impressed with the exceptional staff who are nominated for the top awards in this county. They are tireless educators and supporting staff, passionate for and absolutely committed to ensuring that all of our students find success in school and in life.
The 2019–2020 Teacher of the Year, Madeline Hanington, was raised in a New York City housing project by Puerto Rican parents. An English language learner, she was the first in her family to attend college, and paid for it by working her way through. One parent noted that she is the type of educator you wish your child could have throughout their schooling. Her positive attitude, leadership skills and instructional practices inspire students to want to learn, and the achievement levels of her students bear that out.
Simply put, teaching is better because of her.
Madeline’s accomplishment is one of many we should recognize. Earlier this month, The Washington Post honored a host of terrific educators across the region, and two of them were from MCPS: Kim Redgrave, principal at Stephen Knolls School, and Daniel Werbeck, a seventh grade science teacher at North Bethesda Middle School. Read more about them here.
Here are many other staff and student accomplishments since the beginning of the school year, with more certainly to come:
151 MCPS Students Named National Merit Semifinalists
Bannockburn, Luxmanor Elementary Schools Named 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools
Helping 4th Graders Conquer Math Earns Brian Quinn a $25,000 Milken Educator Award
Maryland STEM Festival to Showcase Award-Winning Electric Car Built by MCPS Students
Eight Students Receive Full-Tuition Scholarships
Three MCPS Students Named Regeneron Science Competition Finalists
Choose Respect Montgomery Names Winners of PSA Video Contest
Winners Announced in United We Learn Contest
Fifteen MCPS Seniors Win Corporate-Sponsored National Merit Scholarships
Joey Jones Named Middle School Principal of the Year
Staff Members Honored by MAHPERD and Ashburton Teacher Wins National Fellowship
African American Students Honored for Academic Achievement
Oakland Terrace Teacher Wins Music Education Innovator Award
Watkins Mill Senior Wins Women of Tomorrow Award
Three MCPS Students Headed to Hollywood
Carderock Springs Teacher Wins Lowrie Award
Good Read/Good Listen
As we all know, learning doesn’t stop when you become an adult. I am constantly learning about new ideas and exploring new perspectives. I do this through books, articles and podcasts. Each blog, I will share a few of the most interesting ones with you. Some have made me ask questions, some have irritated me; others have made me smile or frown. I hope they make you think critically and open doors to new information and ideas.
Good Read:
What Education Reformers Believe, by Michael J. Petrilli, the Fordham Institute Flypaper
