Stephanie Flick Awarded as St. Mary’s Teacher of the Year

Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent, congratulates Stephanie Flick, a kindergarten teacher at Benjamin Banneker Elementary

St. Mary’s County Public Schools announces the selection of Ms. Stephanie Flick, a kindergarten teacher at Benjamin Banneker Elementary School, as its 2006-2007 Teacher of the Year.

“Ms. Flick represents the high quality teaching staff employed by our school system,” said Dr. Michael J. Martirano, superintendent of schools. “She is fully dedicated to the success of each one of her students.”

According to Ms. Maureen Montgomery, principal of Benjamin Banneker Elementary, Ms. Flick has accepted the additional challenge of including in her classroom students with intensive special educational needs.  She currently team teaches with a special education teacher and will loop, or advance, with her current group of student to the first grade.  In addition to her teaching position, Ms. Flick serves as a mentor teacher to new teachers and serves as chairperson for Benjamin Banneker Elementary School’s Morale Committee.  She has been credited with starting the school’s Sunshine and Bridge Building programs which both address increasing morale and building school culture.

Ms. Flick, a product of St. Mary’s County Public Schools, returned to the school system in 2003 as a first grade teacher at Benjamin Banneker Elementary.  Prior to her return, she served as a first grade teacher at Pearson’s Corner Elementary School in Mechanicsville, VA.

“She (Ms. Flick) is always willing to dedicate time to prepare and learn new ways to reach her students,” wrote Ms. Maureen Montgomery, principal of Benjamin Banneker Elementary, in her nomination letter. “Her clear knowledge of instruction has won her the respect of staff members who rely on her for assistance with lesson planning and implementation, lesson modeling, and staff development.  She is a teacher to the teachers, and they value and rely on her to help improve instruction to raise student achievement.”

Ms. Flick will represent St. Mary’s County Public Schools as a candidate for Maryland Teacher of the Year.  This award will be announced at a banquet held in Baltimore in October.  All county Teacher of the Year representatives will be honored at the State Board of Education meeting held May 24, 2006, at the Maryland State Department of Education in Baltimore.

The Maryland Teacher of the Year will be presented with several prizes, will speak at numerous conferences and events, and will act as an advisor to the Maryland State Department of Education.  The Maryland Teacher of the Year is also a candidate for National Teacher of the Year.