From Harford County Public Schools:
The top five finalists for the 2015 Harford County Teacher of the Year award have been released and are listed in alphabetical order below. The judging panel had a difficult and unenviable task again this year with many outstanding teachers nominated for the award. Just to have been deemed worthy by a student, parent, administrator or community member to be Harford County’s Teacher of the Year from among the more than 3,200 teachers in the system is remarkable.
Lisamarie Bermudez, Edgewood Middle School Mathematics Teacher
Lisamarie Bermudez earned her Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies Pre-K – 8 in 2008 and Master of Arts in Mathematics Education in 2011 and received an Endorsement in Educational Leadership from Western Governors University in 2014. Ms. Bermudez teaches mathematics at Edgewood Middle School and is a member of the School Improvement Team and is the coordinator of the Annual Family Bazaar where she fosters community relationships through her contact with business partners. She is also the coordinator for the EMS University afterschool intervention program. She serves her community as a Sunday school teacher, church secretary, and pastor’s assistant.
Tonya Chandler, Youth’s Benefit Elementary Second Grade Teacher
Tonya Chandler teaches second grade at Youth’s Benefit Elementary School. Over her nine years at YBES, she has served in multiple roles that have enhanced teacher professional growth and student achievement. In addition, Ms. Chandler worked for 10 years as a Center Director/Team Leader with early child care centers achieving National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation. Ms. Chandler holds a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern College, a Master of Arts from Cabrini College, and an Educational Leadership Certificate from Loyola University. She is a member of Fallston United Methodist Church, serving on the Worship Team and actively working with mission programs.
Laura Potter, C. Milton Wright High School Mathematics Teacher
Laura Potter received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from University of Notre Dame of Maryland in 2001 and her Master of Arts in teaching from Towson University in 2005. Ms. Potter has been teaching for 11 years, serving
the last three years as a mathematics teacher at C. Milton Wright High School. Ms. Potter serves as Acting Mathematics Department Chairperson and member of the School Improvement Team. At the county level, Ms. Potter has facilitated professional development to strengthen mathematics instruction. In the fall of 2014, she was nominated for the William J. Sacco Mathematics Teacher Award.
Katie Scharpf, Forest Hill Elementary School Third Grade Teacher
Katie Scharpf has been a teacher for HCPS since December of 2005. She attended Towson University, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and the ‘Towson’s Elite’ title due to her exemplary performance as a student, intern and educational leader. Ms. Scharpf attended the College of Notre Dame of Maryland, where she received her master’s in Administration and Supervision. Upon graduation, she was inducted into the National Honor Society. Over the last ten years, Ms. Scharpf has taught kindergarten through third grade. Her consistent professional goal has focused on supporting the success of all students.
Sarah Scholl, Havre de Grace Middle School Media Specialist
Sarah Scholl is in her 10th year teaching at Havre de Grace Middle School, where she serves as the Media Specialist. She is a 2005 graduate of Elizabethtown College with a degree in English Education and earned her master’s degree in Instructional Technology from Towson University in 2011. She is the Ben Carson Reading Room Coordinator, a School Improvement Team and Professional Development Committee member, and instructor for the after school intervention program, Warriors Working Well. Ms. Scholl has presented sessions on technology integration for HCPS and state conferences, writes library curriculum and manages the after school student book club.
This year’s Teacher of the Year Judging Committee reviewed and scored all nomination packets to determine a pool of candidates that participated in an interview with a panel of seven judges. The judges narrowed the pool to the top five finalists, one of which will be crowned the 2015 Harford County Teacher of the Year.
A surprise announcement of the winner will take place at the annual Harford County Teacher of the Year banquet to be held on Wednesday, March 25, at the Bayou Restaurant in Havre de Grace. Again this year, the banquet is being provided by the Bayou Restaurant and HARCO Credit Union, with many outstanding gifts for our finalists donated by local Harford County businesses!
If I was a teacher, and was (hypothetically) selected for teacher of the year, I would do something inappropriate that they wouldnt have a backup plan for.
What’s that? Simple, not show up for the banquet.
Thumb me down, haters. Its nice local business supports and continues this event but if all the canidates “no showed,” what message that would send.
Unfortunately, and ultimately it would be the private supporters of this event that would suffer. You think the school system would care? Everyone is replaceable, just another log at the mill.
Best of luck to all the finalists! But, I must say, “Go Tonya Chandler!”
It’s Obama’s fault.
Sickouts next year I heard. Time for teachers to take charge. Enough is enough.
That’s not going to happen. In the end, its always “my family vs. your family” mentality. They will all do enough work never to fear termination over beliefs or making a point.
I am inclined to think that none of these candidates deserve teacher of the year recognition. To get nominated, a teacher has to spend countless hours preparing their nomination packet and going through a lengthy interview process. Since a nominee has to be a very active participant in the process who seeks out the recognition, what you end up with are those that are seeking the recognition (rather than it being bestowed upon a modest soul) due to ego and self aggrandizement, often in the hopes of parlaying it into a better job (such as Scharpf who wants to be a principal just like her old man). The most worthy are those teachers that are selfless in improving the minds of their students, who do so without any thought of recognition and who would shudder at the thought of being in the limelight. What HCPS ends up with are selfish, ego-driven nominees who have to fuel their sense of self-worth via an award that they chase after like a dog to a bone.
It sounds like they all very fine teachers. I am sure the choice will be difficult. I hear that the process does discourage many due to the time involved to complete the nomination.
Teacher of the Year as its current is a gimmick.
Sam – just for some clarification since I am an outsider for HCPS – the teachers nominate THEMSELVES for this award? ? ? It is not done via nomination by fellow staff, supervisors, even students?
As I understand, it is an application process with a pool of canidate’s that are reviewed.
A teacher has to physically do work on part of being chosen as a finalist, its not some random selection without the perspective finalist ever knowing.
Your understanding is a misunderstanding. Teachers have to be nominated by a student, parent, or supervisor. They don’t get to “apply” for it.
The “nomination,” big whoop. It takes someone the least amount of effort in the entire process to do that. LOL
They have to “chase that bone” if they want to continue with it. They are apply to win.
There is a big packet to fill out and interviews I’m told.
No I disagree, Lisamarie Bermudez, is my teacher at EMS, she puts lots of effort and work into what she does, extremely funny teacher and loves who she teaches, she’s not like other selfish teachers who just try to get the day over with, she’s also awesome because she likes to make the lessons fun! She likes to joke around and make everyone laugh, we also learn a lot from her this year and she takes her job serious
It would be a daunting task to investigate/discover an entire school system of teacher candidates and compare, of course it still wouldn’t be totally fair because there isn’t enough manpower or time, but it would be a much better service and recognition to all teachers if they did not have to apply/talk about themselves.
It makes you wonder how many dogs applied to chase that bone, as Samuel Ads says.
Sam Adams = DBag
As a person who knows the process well, I can say that a teacher is nominated by a member of the school community. Once nominated, then they must complete an extensive portfolio and go through an interview process. The winner gets a car for a year, represents the school system at a number of state and national events, and receives monetary donations. This honor is a great resume builder for teachers who want to apply in other counties that actually pay their teachers.
Its unlikely I would ever be a teacher of the year.
Disclosure: I took a teaching job just to gain a few years experience adding to my “portfolio” to get something else to the table when I move to FL and seek private sector employment with top tier companies in my field of education and experience. I’m going to be going from $45,000 a year to $175,000 a year in a state with no income tax and cheaper real estate (relative to Maryland).
Of course, I didn’t put all my eggs in one basket. Either way, I’ll be making a lot more money and that’s all that matters to me.
Its unlikely I would ever be a teacher of the year.
Disclosure: I took a teaching job just to gain a few years experience adding to my “portfolio” to get something else to the table when I move to FL and seek private sector employment with top tier companies in my field of education and experience. I’m going to be going from $45,000 a year to $175,000 a year in a state with no income tax and cheaper real estate (relative to Maryland).
I have really no interest in a career in teaching.
Of course, I didn’t put all my eggs in one basket. Either way, I’ll be making a lot more money and that’s all that matters to me.
Congratulations to the finalists. As a former Maryland and Harford Teacher of the Year I must say that the program, on all levels, is a nice and easy way for the business and political leaders to pat some teachers on the back for a job well done. Now let’s cut taxes for the wealthy and kiss off the teachers until next year.
Mr. Schatz, didn’t you say you weren’t ever coming back here again? You lied to yourself, or the readers?
Why is it you seem to constantly pat yourself on the back about your own accomplishments? You think anyone really cares but yourself?
You are pathetic. I earned the recognition I achieved and am damn proud of my part in the development of my students. What causes someone like you to have so much hate?
No one cares about your recognition.
Care to come back and do some more name calling? Hit reply and “tell me how it is.”
http://www.daggerpress.com/2014/04/29/baltimore-county-job-fair-aimed-at-luring-harford-county-teachers-gets-shut-down/
Time stamp: April 30th 2014.
You obviously aren’t too humble if you have to continuously remind people (on the internet) about your personal accomplishments, whenever they were awarded (or given?) to you.
Feels good to “one up” people?
Calling someome pathetic while you glorify yourself on the internet? No one “hates” you. Its obviously you can’t handle criticism, either.
So many people on the Dagger have no problem reminding teachers and schools of every possible failure. So why should you have an issue with a teacher or former teacher stating their successes?
Months old news article? Check.
Its not that anyone has issues of how someone pats themselves on the back, its just funny that no one (really) cares.
I mean, what about your day includes needing/caring about awards that teachers get?
…what in anyone’s day includes needing/caring about trashing teachers every chance they get?
Give them negative publicity and everyone is right there to bash them. Give them something positive…and everyone is right there to bash them for that too.
Good work, ladies!
Congratulations.
Where is Burbey?
What are the odds this dude mentions being teacher of the year to random people, thus awaiting to receive “atta boy’s” or to somehow validate an argument on the internet?
Yeah, I get it. I’m jealous of your achievements.
You can be proud all you want, quote frankly I don’t care. Oh my, someome has a different opinion than you? Gasp!
Resort to name calling? Shows your true colors.