Nominate the next Wicomico Teacher of the Year
SALISBURY — Celebrate a great teacher with a nomination for Wicomico Teacher of the Year. Nominations are now open and will be taken through Dec. 2 for the next Wicomico Teacher of the Year. Anyone in the community may seek recognition for an educator quickly and easily using the online nomination form. Access the nomination form through the school system's website (www.wicomicoschools.org) or by using the link or QR code. Teacher of the Year nomination link ( Teacher of the Year nomination form in Spanish ( Teacher of the Year nomination form in Haitian Creole ( The Wicomico Teacher of the Year Program provides students, families, colleagues, and others in the community the opportunity to nominate, celebrate and honor top educators from around the school system. Outstanding teachers may be nominated in each Wicomico school as well as in Wicomico's special programs (Birth to Five program, English Language Support Center, Choices Academy and virtual learning). The online nomination form is available in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. Paper forms in each language are available on request by contacting any school office or the main office of the school system. Schools will celebrate their nominees, recognize their top three nominees as quarterfinalists, and announce the school's Teacher of the Year and semifinalist for Wicomico Teacher of the Year in January. For Special Programs, one educator will be named each program's Teacher of the Year, and the top-scoring teacher from the Special Programs will be a semifinalist for Wicomico Teacher of the Year. Semifinalists will participate in the Fishbowl public speaking event in early 2025, and will submit a written prompt and interview with a blue-ribbon judging panel. Scores from these three activities will be tallied to determine the finalists and winner of Wicomico Teacher of the Year. The Wicomico Teacher of the Year Celebration will take place April 10 to celebrate all semifinalists, the Teachers of the Year for the Special Programs, and the finalists for the Rising Star Award for outstanding second-year teachers. The four finalists for Wicomico Teacher of the Year will be named that night, and the evening will end with the announcement of the 2025-2026 Wicomico Teacher of the Year. "Great teachers affect the lives of students and families in lasting, positive ways. As a former student in our schools, I have many memories of outstanding teachers who supported me in being successful in school and being prepared for college and career," said Dr. Micah Stauffer, Superintendent of Schools. "We have amazing teachers in Wicomico County Public Schools, and the Wicomico Teacher of the Year Recognition Program is a great way to let those teachers know just how much we appreciate them. We're excited to find out which of the amazing teachers who is serving students in our schools right now will be named the next Wicomico Teacher of the Year." Wicomico Teachers of the Year model teaching excellence. Current Wicomico Teacher of the Year Debbie Reynolds (Wicomico Middle) was the very first Rising Star Award winner as the most outstanding new teacher. Many Wicomico Teachers of the Year have been finalists for Maryland Teacher of the Year. Wicomico is proud to have had on its staff three former Maryland Teachers of the Year: Aaron Deal (2004), then a computer education teacher at Salisbury Middle and now the Supervisor of New Teacher Induction and Educational Technology and an important member of the Wicomico Teacher of the Year Committee; April Todd, who was named both Somerset and Maryland Teacher of the Year and is now a middle school Thinking and Doing (TAD) teacher for Wicomico Schools; and Bonnie Walston (1994), then a resource teacher at Parkside High School and the Director of Special Education until her retirement.
