Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) proudly announces the district’s finalists for the Washington Post Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year Awards. Devin Page of Northern Middle is the CCPS finalist for Teacher of the Year, and Zachary Seawell of Calvert Middle is the finalist for Principal of the Year.
The Washington Post Teacher of the Year Award, formerly known as the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award, recognizes teachers who exemplify excellence in their profession. The Washington Post Principal of the Year Award, formerly called the Distinguished Educational Leadership Award, seeks to recognize those principals who go beyond the day-to-day demands of their position to create an exceptional educational environment. School systems in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, including D.C. public charters and private schools, selected nominees in the two categories. Each winner receives a trophy and $7,500.
The winner of the 2017 Teacher of the Year award is Sean Pang, an English teacher at Rockville High School in Montgomery County, and the Principal of the Year is Nathaniel Provencio, principal of Minnieville Elementary School in Prince William County.
According to Supervisor of Social Studies Cecelia Lewis, Mr. Page has “an immeasurable passion for overall student success and an endless drive to help all students meet very high expectations.” After teaching for two years in Baltimore County Public Schools, he came to Calvert County Public Schools as a social studies teacher at Northern Middle School, where he is the school’s History Fair coordinator, sponsors the National Junior Honor Society, and has served on the School Improvement Team and Instructional Leadership Team. Principal Jaime Webster said, “Mr. Page is passionate about social studies content and has been active with professional development in his field. His lessons are well-planned, engaging, and utilize technology to present the information to students in multiple modalities.” Perhaps Mr. Page’s strongest quality as a teacher, however, is his ability to build relationships with students so they believe in their own ability to learn and succeed. Mr. Webster said, “He engages even the most reluctant students with his humor and commitment to their success. His students know he cares about them from the moment they step through the doorway because he takes the time to build genuine relationships.”
Mr. Seawell grew up in an Air Force family and attended schools in Germany and England before moving to Calvert County when he was in the eighth grade. He graduated from Calvert High, taught science at Southern Middle, and currently lives in the area served by Calvert Middle. His commitment to the community is evident in the relationships he builds with families to support student success. A parent of a Calvert Middle student said, “I have always felt that Mr. Seawell has the best interests of the students at heart. He works very hard to ensure that students have a safe, welcoming environment in the building when they walk in every day.” Mr.
Seawell’s leadership focuses on setting high expectations and creating a positive school culture. Dr. Susan Johnson, Director of Secondary School Improvement, said,
“He is an advocate for his school, staff, and students to ensure that they have what they need to be successful. Mr. Seawell puts students at the forefront of his decision making. He has a clear vision for his school and devises school improvement initiatives using disaggregated data.” Furthermore, Mr. Seawell has been instrumental in working with staff and students to address achievement gaps between groups of students. Dr. Daniel D. Curry, Superintendent, said, “His commitment to student learning ensures that every student in his school has access to a rigorous educational program and receives all of the support necessary to achieve.”