CCPS Honors Teacher of the Year Nominees, Announces Finalists

Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) held a unique recognition ceremony on Jan. 22 to honor its nominees for the 2019 Washington Post Teacher of the Year and Charles County Teacher of the Year award programs. This is the first year in which a teacher was nominated from each Charles County public school and center. From among the nominees, CCPS chose five finalists to be eligible for either the Washington Post or Charles County Teacher of the Year designation. The Washington Post finalist from CCPS represents the school system in the overall awards program in which one teacher from the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area is named the Washington Post Teacher of the Year. The Charles County Teacher of the Year represents CCPS in the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Maryland Teacher of the Year program in which one teacher receives the overall state honor. The five finalists for both programs are, from left, Melinda Wright, second-grade teacher, Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School; Brooke Shnipes, English teacher, La Plata High School; Erin Amore, first-grade teacher, Dr. James Craik Elementary School; Steven Baldo, special education teacher, William B. Wade Elementary School; and John Lush, English teacher, Henry E. Lackey High School.