Twenty-Six Teachers Nominated For Outstanding Teacher Award

Twenty-six Prince William County Public Schools teachers have been recognized by their school communities with nominations for the Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award. The nominees will be honored at a reception on Wednesday, January 25 at 4:30 p.m. The reception will be held in the commons area of Forest Park High School, 15721 Spriggs Road, Woodbridge.

The Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award program was established by the Post to recognize teachers who exemplify excellence in their profession. The Post will announce twenty winners in April, one representing the private schools and nineteen representing the public school systems of the Washington metropolitan area. Each award winner will receive $3,000 from the Post at a ceremony in April. Prince William County Public Schools will also recognize the Agnes Meyer Award recipient as its 2005-2006 Teacher of the Year.

A panel of parents, teachers, school and central office administrators, and classified personnel will select the teacher to represent Prince William County from the twenty-six nominees. Teachers who meet the criteria for the award are those who instill in students a desire to learn and achieve; understand the individual needs of students; and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of subject matter and have the ability to share it effectively with students.

The twenty-six teachers who have been nominated for the Teacher of the Year/Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award, their instructional areas, and their schools are listed below.

Sally Ann Merkle Adams, French I, French IV/V, AP French V Language, Osbourn Park High School; Peter B. Bedford, AP European History, ESOL US/VA History, C.D. Hylton High School; Neil Beech, Biology I, IGCSE Biology, AICE Biology, Brentsville District High School; Rosemarie Benderoth, Health and Physical Education, Graham Park Middle School; Nancy Burns, Social Studies Civics, Seventh Grade, Stonewall Middle School; Martha Cannon, Algebra I, Algebra II/Trig, Integrated Algebra-Geometry II, Osbourn Park High School.

Also, Steven Charest, History, Math, English, Grades 9-12, PACE West; Debbie Floris, English 9 Humanities, AP English Literature and Composition, Freedom High School; Monique Gallet, Inclusion Teacher, Fifth Grade, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School; Nancy Groves, Math Specialist, Rippon Middle School; Harold Hall, Chemistry, Pre-AP Chemistry, C.D. Hylton High School; Ramona Hauptman, Kindergarten, Mountain View Elementary School.

Also Mary Devlin Hayden, English 12, AICE English Literature, Twelfth Grade, Potomac High School; Irene King, Physical Science, Eighth Grade, Louise A. Benton Middle School; Joseph Kulmayer, Jr., Mathematics, Integrated Algebra and Geometry II, Potomac High School; Barbara Leigh, Fourth Grade, Old Bridge Elementary School; Mary Magneson, Photography, Portfolio Prep, AP Studio Art Drawing, AP 2D Design, C.D. Hylton High School; Kathryn McNeely, Second Grade, Belmont Elementary School.

Also, Cynthia “Riley” O’Casey, Language Arts, Eighth Grade, Bull Run Middle School; Patricia Parker, English Seminar, Ninth Grade, Woodbridge High School; Barbara Piotter, Social Studies, Sixth Grade, Fred Lynn Middle School; Brandie Provenzano, English 9, Reading Seminar, Ninth Grade, Battlefield High School; Carlotta Staples, Third Grade, River Oaks Elementary School; William Wesley Willis, Jr., Pre-IB Physics, IB Physics, Eleventh and Tewlfth Grades, Gar-Field High School; William Woodie, Social Studies, Eighth Grade, Parkside Middle School; and Julie Zang-Svendsen, Third Grade, West Gate Elementary School.