Here’s one more look at our terrific school-level Teachers of the Year 2024-2025, holding citations celebrating their honor! Also, we can’t say enough ‘congratulations!’ to Katelyn Robinson (Maple Elementary), the teacher selected to go on to the state level contest, shown here with First Class Teachers of the Year Haley Wright (Maple Elementary) and Jordan Lewis (Choptank Elementary). #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
A BIG ‘thank you!’ to the almost 50 community-minded businesses and other organizations who generously supported our Teacher of the Year 2024-2025 programs with contributions and donations, allowing us to celebrate our Teacher of the Year, First Class Teachers of the Year, and all the finalists. You’re the best!
Aero Energy
Amick Farms, LLC
Ava’s Hospitality Group
Bay Country Bakery
Bay Country Communications
Cambridge Chick-fil-a
Cambridge Lions Club
Cambridge Marketplace, LLC
Carmela’s Cucina
Carpenter Street Saloon
Canters for Specialized Dentistry – Dr. John Lewis
Chesapeake Family YMCA
Chesapeake Seed & Feed
Chipotle
Choptank Electric Cooperative
Craig’s Drug Store
Data Network
Delmarva Document Solutions
Dorchester Center for the Arts
Dorchester Educators
Dr. Lois Narr
Emily’s Produce
ES Hubbert & Son
Haddaway’s Service, Inc.
Hair Couture – Courtney Slacum
Heirloom Athletics
Hertrich Automotive Group
Hooper’s Island Volunteer Fire Company
Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay
Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore
Karen Davis – State Farm Insurance
Kool Ice and Seafood
McDonalds of Cambridge
Megan Holotik – State Farm Insurance
Mid-Shore Meals til Monday
Nathan of Dorchester
National Outdoor Foundation
Ocean Odyssey Restaurant
Simmons Center Market
Starbucks
The Rose Group – Applebee’s Restaurant
Thomas Fine Jewelry
Thomas Funeral Home, P.A.
Tri-Gas and Oil Company, Inc.
Twins & Company
VCA Choptank Animal Hospital
Victoria Nails & Spa
Whitten Financial Group, LLC
#AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
The Board of Education of Dorchester County has launched its search for a new Superintendent of Schools, guided by executive search firm Hazard Young Attea Associates (HYA), and your input is needed. Starting today (Wednesday, March 27), all parents, teachers, administrators, staff, students, and community residents are invited to complete a survey regarding your thoughts about where Dorchester County Public Schools is now, and what leadership qualities you consider most important in a Superintendent. The survey will be open until April 9 and can be accessed here: https://hyasurvey.com/dorchester. More information about this search process can be found on our website at https://www.dcps.k12.md.us/article/1525091. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
Announcing Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year 2024-2025: Maple Elementary School PreK-4 teacher Katelyn Robinson! First Class Teacher of the Year 2024-2025 honors are shared by Jordan Lewis, PreK-4 teacher at Choptank Elementary School and Haley Wright, 4th grade teacher at Maple Elementary – the result of the first time there has been a tie in the judging of First Class Teacher of the Year! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
Announcing Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year 2024-2025: Maple Elementary School PreK-4 teacher Katelyn Robinson! First Class Teacher of the Year 2024-2025 honors are shared by Jordan Lewis, PreK-4 teacher at Choptank Elementary School and Haley Wright, 4th grade teacher at Maple Elementary – the result of the first time there has been a tie in the judging of First Class Teacher of the Year! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
Tonight’s the night! The Dorchester County Teacher of the Year for 2024-2025 will be announced from this list of more-than-worthy finalists. Congratulations to all for representing your schools and thank you for sharing your talent, knowledge, and expertise with the children of Dorchester County!
Emma Brant, 3rd grade, Choptank Elementary School
Christie Carels, 4th grade, South Dorchester School
Colleen Carney, Social Studies, C-SD
Crystal Carpenter, Math and Spanish, North Dorchester Middle School
Kierra Farrare, 7th grade, Math, Mace’s Lane Middle School
Jennifer Filipovic, Kindergarten, Hurlock Elementary School
Heather Rhinehart, 2nd grade, Warwick Elementary School
Katelyn Robinson, PreK-4, Maple Elementary School
Christy Starling, PreK-3, Sandy Hill Elementary School
Tony Thomas, Homeland Security, Emergency Preparedness/Criminal Justice, DCTC
Kay Trice, Chemistry, Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, North Dorchester High School
#AllHandsOnDeck
These are our Dorchester County Public Schools 1st Class Teacher of the Year finalists for 2024-2025! They are all first year certificated teachers who are rising to the challenge of what is probably one of the most demanding years of their lives – their rookie year of teaching – and who are showing exceptional promise and grace in the process.
Jordan Lewis, Pre-K4, Choptank Elementary School;
Brianna Sann, 1st grade, Sandy Hill Elementary School;
Devyn Thompson, 6th grade RELA, Mace’s Lane Middle School;
Haley Wright, 4th grade, Maple Elementary School
Stand by for the announcement of who is the 1st Class Teacher of the Year, which will be made tomorrow, Tuesday, March 26, during the evening Teacher of the Year reception! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
This is a big “thank you!” to the folks who graciously performed the very tough job of selecting the Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year and First Class Teacher of the Year:
Ms. Briana Beulah, Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year 2023-2024;
Ms. Wendi Bleyer, Dorchester County Public Schools First Class Teacher of the Year 2023-2024;
Mr. Bill Christopher, President, Dorchester Chamber of Commerce;
Ms. Debbie Johnson, retired Administrator, Dorchester County Public Schools;
Ms. Alice Mitchell, retired Administrator, Dorchester County Public Schools.
Those chosen for the 2024-2025 titles will be announced tomorrow evening, Tuesday, March 26. Stay tuned!
#AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
Spring Break alert! Spring Break starts later this week and, thanks to Mother Nature, is a little different than the DCPS Calendar/Handbook.
Thursday, March 28: Schools are closed, but offices are open and 12-month employees are working.
Friday, March 29: Schools and offices are closed.
Sunday, March 31: Happy Easter!
Monday, April 1: Schools and offices are closed. No foolin’!
Tuesday, April 2: Schools and offices are open as normal. This was originally to be a holiday and is listed in the 2023-24 DCPS Calendar Handbook as such, but has now been made a regular school day due to the number of inclement weather days taken so far this year.
#AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
This Spring students in grades 5-11 will have an opportunity to provide feedback about their school environment, safety, relationships and community through the Maryland School Survey. Learn more at https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/about/Pages/DCAA/DataCollections/MarylandSchoolSurvey.aspx
Meet Haley Wright, a first-year teacher at Maple Elementary School and a finalist for Dorchester County Public Schools First Class Teacher of the Year! The 4th grade teacher is from Cambridge, and graduated from Cambridge-South Dorchester High School before heading to Salisbury University where she earned a B.S. in Elementary Education.
Ms. Wright has wanted to be a teacher since she was a little girl, saying that she was inspired by the “wonderful teachers” that she was fortunate enough to have. What has been her biggest takeaway from her rookie year of teaching? “The best way to learn something is from others. Often, we view asking for help as a sign of weakness, but working together and collaborating with my teammates and other colleagues has helped make my first year smoother.” Welcome (back) to Dorchester County Public Schools, Ms. Wright! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
Former Baltimore Oriole B.J. Surhoff and his wife are the parents of four children, one of whom has autism. Twenty-four years ago, the couple joined with a few other families to start Pathfinders for Autism. This organization helps other families who have a child with autism find the support they need, from basic information to special training. DCPS Family Support Services will host B.J. Surhoff at a virtual event on Tuesday, March 26, at 6 pm at which he will talk about his experiences in raising a child with autism as well as services and opportunities offered by Pathfinders for Autism. The interactive session will be held at https://shorturl.at/aevDH. Questions? Contact Kelly Flack at flackk@dcpsmd.org. #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
“I chose to become a teacher because I have a deep-seated desire to affect positive change in my community,” says Teacher of the Year finalist Crystal Carpenter. The 21-year teaching veteran has been with Dorchester County Public Schools for 17 years, and all of that at North Dorchester Middle School where this year she teaches 8th grade mathematics, algebra I, and Spanish I. Having grown up in Rhodesdale, Ms. Carpenter graduated from North Dorchester High School and then earned a Bachelor’s degree in PK-12 Health and Physical Education from Frostburg State University and a Master’s degree from Walden University in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment.
Ms. Carpenter says her teaching experience has taught her that “educators play a crucial role in fostering resilience and a positive attitude towards setbacks in students . . . Encouraging a mindset that views failure as a steppingstone to growth and innovation can lead to a culture of perseverance and ultimate success.” Thank you for using your experience to encourage DCPS students, Ms. Carpenter! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
Due to lack of a quorum, the Thursday, March 21 meeting of the Board of Education of Dorchester County has been postponed until Monday, March 25, 2024. The open meeting will be held on that date at 3:00 pm at the Central Office of the Board of Education, 700 Glasgow St., Cambridge MD.
Last week Hurlock Elementary School and Dorchester Educators welcomed a special guest in celebration of Read Across America Month! Cheryl Bost, Maryland State Education Association president, visited the school, bringing with her a collection of new books with a grant from the National Education Association as a gift for the schools Media Center. On hand to say hello were representatives of Dorchester Educators, Hurlock Principal Dawn Corkran and reading coach Dr. Rebekah Donovan, DCPS Media Supervisor Theresa Connors and – most importantly – the 3rd grade class who got first look at the new books and were treated to a read-aloud by Ms. Bost. Hurlock’s Keeper of the Books, Meredith Thompson, a nominee for Maryland School Librarian of the Year, is shown with a couple of the new titles, as she prepares the books for children’s use. Thank you, MSEA, for more books for kiddos! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
It is said “like mother, like daughter”, and that is true for Dorchester County Public Schools Teacher of the Year finalist Katelyn Robinson. She says, “My mother is one of the greatest teachers I know, so I grew up watching someone with so much passion for her career. Watching her create relationships and become a local celebrity to these little kids was so heartwarming that I knew that is something I wanted too.” An outstanding model to emulate, Ms. Robinson’s mom is Ms. Cherie Robinson, a former DCPS Teacher of the Year and currently the instructor of the Teacher Academy of Maryland program at DCTC.
Ms. Robinson Jr. is a Pre-K4 teacher at Maple Elementary, where she has been teaching for eight years. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Creative Arts, and is at present working on her masters degree in Differentiated Instruction with LaSalle University. Her goal as a teacher? “To create students who love to learn!”, which is just the strong basis on which other great DCPS teachers can build. Thank you, Ms. Robinson! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
Once an Eagle, always an Eagle! North Dorchester Teacher of the Year finalist Kay Trice was an Eagle at her alma mater, Colonial Forge High School in Stafford, Virginia, before she became a North Dorchester Eagle, and wouldn’t have it any other way. Having taught at NDHS her entire 15-year career, this year she teaches biology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology to students in 9th to 12th grades.
Why did Ms. Trice choose teaching as a career? “I love helping others, and teaching is the best way I know to meet that niche every day,” she says. With degrees from Washington College in biology and LaSalle University in education, Ms. Trice’s philosophy of teaching is simple: “I try to help students to see better versions of themselves through tough love, accountability, and science.” We’re glad you found a home in The Nest, Ms. Trice! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
The Preston Automotive Group might be best known for four wheeled vehicles, but yesterday the focus was on two wheels as Lisa Schmitt, Preston’s Business Development Manager, stopped by Warwick Elementary to award bicycles, donated by Preston, to their new owners! Students who were on reading step 400 or above were randomly selected to win one of the bikes. Congratulations go to these lucky readers: Gabe Shenton, Kindergarten; Barrett Smith, Kindergarten; Lily Abey, 2nd grade; Kinsley Brake, 1st grade; Maren McGinnes, 2nd grade, Rowan Cox, 4th grade; and Amir Haskins, 4th grade.
Students read at least four steps per day, with 15 minutes equaling one step. Two steps (30 minutes) are done at school and two steps (30 minutes) are done at home. Thank you, Preston, for encouraging Huskies to read, read, read! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
First Class Teacher of the Year finalist Devyn Thompson is a genuine believer in the power of teachers. She says, “I became a teacher in order to help improve the American public school education system from the inside.” A 6th grade Reading Language Arts teacher at Mace’s Lane Middle School, Ms. Thompson credits her own middle school English teacher for inspiring her: “(She) inspired me as a student because of her flawless ability to be firm but compassionate with us. She helped me discover my self-confidence.”
Originally from Waldorf, Maryland, Ms. Thompson earned a Bachelor’s degree in English with Secondary Education Certifications from Northern Vermont University. What is her biggest lesson so far this first year of teaching? “Dysregulated behavior is often a way to communicate a need is not being met, which is why I don’t take any undesired behavior personally. Responding with firm but compassionate accountability has saved me many headaches.” Thank you for joining us in Dorchester County Public Schools, Ms. Thompson! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
Oh no! St. Patrick’s Day may be today but those naughty leprechauns knew Vienna Elementary would be closed, so they made their mischief on Friday instead! Ms. Dechert’s kindergarten classroom was invaded at lunchtime when those sneaky leprechauns knew no one was there, and they created havoc! What a mess! However, there was gold at the end of the rainbow – quite literally – when the children discovered that the leprechauns had left behind gold coins and had fun hunting the coins down. It should be noted that Ms. Kenney’s pre-kindergarten class made leprechaun traps so those wily leprechauns knew which classroom to avoid! #AllHandsOnDeckDCPS
