St. Mary's County
Public Schools
Award Nominations
2023-2024 Award Winning Staff
Carmen Santos
Kindergarten Paraeducator
Lexington Park Elementary School
SMCPS Educational Support Professional of the Year
Jessica Young
Coordinating Administrative Assistant
Division of Supporting Services
SMCPS Educational Support Professional of the Year
Kathy Sheehan
English/Language Arts
Leonardtown Middle School
SMCPS Washington Post Teacher of the Year
Lauren Runkles
ESOL
Great Mills High School/ESOL Program
SMCPS Maryland Teacher of the Year
Jeff DiRenzo
Principal
Park Hall Elementary School
SMCPS Washington Post Principal of the Year
Denise Coyne
Assistant Principal
Chopticon High School
Leader of Excellence
2024 Staff Recognitions
St. Mary's County Public Schools recognizes and celebrates the great work done by staff each and every day. Each year, we recognize several employees that have been recognized for their service and dedication to St. Mary’s County Public Schools.
Below is the list of nominees for each school and office for the 2023-2024 school year.
2023-2024 EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Elementary Schools
Benjamin Banneker Elementary School
Heather White
Grade 4
Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary School
Mary Owen
Media Specialist
Chesapeake Public Charter School
Erin Gray
Grade 3
Dynard Elementary School
Cynthia Baumgarten
Kindergarten
Evergreen Elementary School
Jennifer Meyer
Grade 2
George Washington Carver Elementary School
Leila Hudson
Special Education, Grade 5
Green Holly Elementary School
Wendy Much
Instructional Resource Teacher
Greenview Knolls Elementary School
Bobbi Sue Scrivener
Grade 4
Hollywood Elementary School
Stacey Hazuda
Media Specialist
Leonardtown Elementary School
Chrissy Guy
Special Education
Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School
Julia Warder
Grade 5
Lexington Park Elementary School
Megan Brotherton
Grade 5
Mechanicsville Elementary School
Nicole Shotwell
Special Education
Oakville Elementary School
Tori Alison Furr
Grade 1
Park Hall Elementary School
Rachael Riviere
Kindergarten
Piney Point Elementary School
Donna Cheng
Grade 4
Ridge Elementary School
Stacey Fisher
Instructional Resource Teacher
Town Creek Elementary School
Sarah Ellsworth
Special Education
White Marsh Elementary School
Harry Arnold
Grade 2
Secondary Schools
Esperanza Middle School
Josephine Cazares-Adams
English/Language Arts
Leonardtown Middle School
Kathy Sheehan
English/Language Arts
Margaret Brent Middle School
Amy Howard
English/Language Arts
Spring Ridge Middle School
Sara Livengood
English/Language Arts, Special Education
Chopticon High School
Patricia Tillotson
Physical Education
Great Mills High School
Timothy McGowan
Social Studies/History
Leonardtown High School
Graham Coombs
Mathematics
Dr. J A Forrest Career and Technology Center
Dorothy Birch
Natural Resources Management
Virtual Academy
Rosie Lewis
Science
Curriculum and Instruction
Lauren Runkles
ESOL
2023-2024 EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Elementary Schools
Benjamin Banneker Elementary School
Tammy Murphy
Special Education Paraeducator
Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary School
Kelly Buchanan
COMPASS Paraeducator
Chesapeake Public Charter School
Elizabeth Ward
Special Education Paraeducator
Dynard Elementary School
Gary Beeman
Building Service Worker
Evergreen Elementary School
Margaret Hicks-Holton
Building Service Manager
George Washington Carver Elementary School
Katrina Mills
Building Service Manager
Green Holly Elementary School
Christina Chase
PSSE Paraeducator
Greenview Knolls Elementary School
Delora Bowden
Records Secretary
Hollywood Elementary School
Christina Wengard
Special Education Paraeducator
Leonardtown Elementary School
Andrea Ziemba
Kindergarten Paraeducator
Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School
Paula Raley
Pre-Kindergarten Paraeducator
Lexington Park Elementary School
Carmen Santos
Kindergarten Paraeductor
Mechanicsville Elementary School
Dana Gregory
School Nurse
Oakville Elementary School
Layne Thompson
Special Education Paraeducator
Park Hall Elementary School
Stephanie Schmelzer
Instructional Paraeducator
Piney Point Elementary School
Jessica Sievers
Kindergarten Paraeducator
Ridge Elementary School
Mobley Queen
Dedicated Substitute
Town Creek Elementary School
Jodie Standish
Instructional Paraeducator
White Marsh Elementary School
Geraldine Curtis
Safety Assistant
Secondary Schools & Central Office
Esperanza Middle School
David Bowling
Special Education Paraeducator
Leonardtown Middle School
Frederica Rhodes
Special Education Paraeducator
Margaret Brent Middle School
James Daryl Douglas
Building Service Manager
Spring Ridge Middle School
Lekika Gray
Safety Assistant
Chopticon High School
Paul Herbert
Paraeducator
Great Mills High School
David Guynn
Special Education Paraeducator
Leonardtown High School
Brian Smith
Secretary
Dr. J A Forrest Career and Technology Center
Colin McDaniel
Paraeducator
Virtual Academy
LaTasha Nelson
Assistant Building Service Manager
CENTRAL OFFICE
Division of Supporting Services
Jessica Young
Coordinating Administrative Assistant
Moakley/Central Administration
Andrea Young
Team Lead
2023-2024 LEADER OF EXCELLENCE NOMINEES
ELEMENTARY
Park Hall Elementary School
Jeff DiRenzo
Principal
Piney Point Elementary School
Andrea Smith
Assistant Principal
SECONDARY
Leonardtown Middle School
Kaci Marschall
Assistant Principal
Chopticon High School
Denise Coyne
Assistant Principal
Great Mills High School
Marissa Frye
Assistant Principal
Leonardtown High School
Shannon Morris
Assistant Principal
CENTRAL OFFICE
Central Administration - Moakley Street
Sherry O'Dell
Supervisor of Special Education
Congratulations to all of our exceptional nominees!
