Six Baltimore County Art Teachers to be Honored at Statewide Awards Ceremony

From BCPS Department of Communication and Community Outreach:

Six Baltimore County art teachers will be honored at the Maryland Art Education Association (MAEA) Awards Ceremony in November – and that number might grow.

Each year, Baltimore County Public Schools selects teachers to be honored at the statewide event. Beyond that, BCPS nominates educators for state level awards, and, this year, four BCPS educators have been nominated by BCPS and MAEA for regional and national awards. The MAEA ceremony, where both local and state awards will be presented, will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore.

“All of these recognitions underscore the quality of art education here in Baltimore County,” says visual arts coordinator Sherri Fisher.“Our strong visual arts curriculum is made even stronger by the visual artists/educators working with our students to inspire and challenge them.”

The following BCPS teachers will be honored:

Outstanding art educators with five years or less with BCPS

• Antoinette Hawkins, Hernwood Elementary School – BCPS New Elementary Art Teacher of the Year
• Caitlin Kambic, Ridgely Middle School – BCPS New Middle School Art Teacher of the Year
• Hannah Butcher, Dundalk High School – BCPS New High School Art Teacher of the Year

Outstanding art educators with six years or more with BCPS

• Kaytee Lurz, Pine Grove Elementary School – BCPS Master Elementary Art Teacher of the Year
• Denise Matuk-Kroupa, Loch Raven Technical Academy – BCPS Master Middle School Art Teacher of the Year
• Brandon Nicklas, Lansdowne High School – BCPS Master High School Art Teacher of the Year

State Level Nominees

Some of the following teachers also might be recognized at the MAEA awards ceremony; they have been nominated for state level awards:

• Sheldon Lebowitz, Pinewood Elementary School – Nominee for Maryland Elementary Art Teacher of the Year
• Rebecca Pagani, Hereford Middle School – Nominee for Maryland Middle School Art Teacher of the Year
• Bethany Dentes, Lansdowne High School – Nominee for Maryland High School Art Teacher of the Year

Regional and National Nominees

The following teachers have been nominated by BCPS and MAEA for regional and national awards. Winners will be announced later this fall and honored during the National Art Education Association’s convention to be held March 2–4, 2017, in New York, NY.

• Rachel Valsing, Towson High School – Nominee for Eastern Region High School Art Teacher of the Year
• Vernon Faines, Pinegrove Middle School – Nominee for Eastern Region Middle School Art Teacher of the Year
• Patricia Lane Forster, Ridge Ruxton School – Nominee for The Council for Exceptional Children’s Very Special Arts Peter J. Geisser Special Needs Art Educator of the Year Award
• Linda Popp, retired BCPS visual arts coordinator – Nominee for the NAEA Distinguished Service within the Profession Award

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock