TOWSON, MD—Nine outstanding school educators from across Baltimore County have been selected as this year’s finalists for the BCPS Teacher of the Year, Principal of the Year, and Assistant Principal of the Year.

The honorees will be recognized at a special Champions for Children Celebration Gala at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology in Towson. At that event, Baltimore County’s Teacher, Principal, and Assistant Principal of the Year will be chosen from among the respective groups.

“Our students and schools in Baltimore County are fortunate to have such talented, dedicated, and professional educators working for them,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers. “These gifted educational leaders represent the very best of public education. Their desire to serve, teach, and lead our future generations is an inspiration. They deserve our congratulations, admiration, and gratitude, and we are proud to celebrate them as vital and exceptional members of Team BCPS.”

The BCPS Teacher of the Year finalists were chosen from among 171 nominees by a committee composed of BCPS administrators, staff, students, TABCO representation, and current BCPS Teacher of the Year Beverly Folkoff of Relay Elementary School.

The three finalists will be interviewed by the selection panel next week to determine who among them will be named 2024-2025 BCPS Teacher of the Year during the livestreamed April 18 ceremony. The BCPS Teacher of the Year will then go on to represent the school system and its more than 9,500 professional educators in the Maryland Teacher of the Year program.

This year’s finalists are:

• Kim Brackeen, a social-emotional learning teacher at Padonia International Elementary School and the BCPS Elementary School Teacher of the Year.
• Stephanie Gerhold, an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teacher at Woodlawn Middle School and the BCPS Middle School Teacher of the Year.
• Kate Clemmens, an English language arts teacher at Woodlawn High School and the BCPS High School Teacher of the Year.

Principal of the Year finalists this year were selected after a rigorous process that garnered 1,068 nominations from BCPS staff, students, families, and the community. Following reviews and interviews with adjudicators from both staff and The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., the three finalists were selected.

This year’s finalists for Principal of the Year are:

• Melissa Lingenfelder of Sandalwood Elementary School, the BCPS Elementary School Principal of the Year.
• Adam Carney of Cockeysville Middle School, the BCPS Middle School Principal of the Year.
• Dr. Scott Rodriguez-Hobbs of Patapsco High School & Center for the Arts, the BCPS High School Principal of the Year.

Like the principal candidates, Assistant Principal of the Year finalists were nominated by BCPS staff, students, families, and the community and vetted by the same panel that adjudicated the principal finalist selection. There were 847 nominations for Assistant Principal of the Year.

This year’s finalists for Assistant Principal of the Year are:

• Erica Lundy of Lyons Mill Elementary School, the BCPS Elementary School Assistant Principal of the Year.
• Dorian Barnes of Deer Park Middle Magnet School, the BCPS Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year.
• Kevin Whatley of George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology, the BCPS High School Assistant Principal of the Year.

In addition to these schoolhouse champions for BCPS students, the April 18 gala will also celebrate a variety of other all-star school supporters, including a “Rising Star” Teacher of the Year, Supervisory Leader of the Year, Supporting Services Employee of the Year, Community School Facilitator of the Year, Transportation Champion, AFSCME Employee of the Year, Volunteer Champion, and Business Partner Champion.