South Shore Elementary Educator Up For MD Teacher Of The Year

CROWNSVILLE, MD — South Shore Elementary School third grade teacher Teresa Beilstein has been named a finalist for the 2019-2020 Maryland Teacher of the Year award given by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Beilstein, who was named Anne Arundel County Teacher of the Year in April, is one of seven finalists for the award. The others are Brandi Janson of Carroll County, Jossie Perry of Cecil County, Michael Franklin of Frederick County, Paige L. Milanoski of Harford County, Madeline Hanington of Montgomery County and Joshua Edwards of Washington County.

“I couldn’t be more excited and honored to move forward representing our awesome teachers,” said Beilstein in a statement. Beilstein was surprised with the news in front of her third-grade class this morning by Schools Superintendent George Arlotto, board of education members and South Shore Principal Stacy Shafran.

“The excitement that our county generates is just so awesome. I would not want to work anywhere else, and I can’t believe that I get to be the representative of so many amazing teachers who work so hard every day without the recognition," she said.

Beilstein is the fifth consecutive county teacher and seventh in the last nine years to be named a state finalist. Three AACPS teachers – Josh Carroll of South River High School in 2017-2018, Linda Adamson of Mayo and Jessup elementary schools in 1993-1994, and Patricia Neidhart of Broadneck High School in 1988-1989 – have earned state teacher of the year honors.

A National Board-certified teacher, Beilstein not only conducted her student teaching assignment at South Shore, but also has spent her entire seven-year career there. She is known as a teacher who quickly builds relationships with colleagues, students and parents. She views it, in fact, as the most important ingredient to her healthy classroom, she said.

“Thanks for teaching me everything I know, not just academically, but about myself,” a former student who is now thriving in middle school wrote in an endorsement letter that accompanied Beilstein’s nomination for Anne Arundel County Teacher of the Year. State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Salmon will announce Maryland’s Teacher of the Year at a banquet on Oct. 25.