Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) is proud to announce Elizabeth McDonald, the Biomedical Science Teacher at Boyd J. Michael, III Technical High School, has been selected as a finalist for the Maryland Teacher of the Year award. The 2022-2023

Washington County Teacher of the Year is the sixth consecutive state finalist for WCPS.

“WCPS is incredibly fortunate to have another one of our educators recognized as a top teacher in the state for the sixth year in a row,” says Dr. Sovine, superintendent of schools. “Elizabeth is an exceptional role model to both her students and her fellow educators in Washington County. We are so excited to see her move forward to the State level representing all of our teachers at WCPS.”

A panel of judges from key educational organizations representing principals, teachers, school boards, parents, and higher education institutions has selected teachers representing each of Maryland’s 24 local school systems. The seven finalists were chosen based on a rigorous set of state and national criteria, including teaching philosophy and results, community involvement, knowledge of general education issues, and desire for professional and instructional improvement.

Elizabeth has been a teacher for over 20 years and has worked at WCPS for 11 years. She has been a previous Washington County Teacher of the Year finalist in 2016 and 2020, a Project Lead the Way Certified Teacher, and has attained and renewed National Board Certification for the Standards in Adolescent and Young Adult Science. Ms. McDonald leads the Academy of Biomedical Sciences, where high school students develop content knowledge and skills to prepare for college and career. She facilitates hands-on, interactive learning experiences in her classroom and pursues real-world medical scenarios that allow her students to observe and question challenging topics in science and medicine. Ms. McDonald sponsors HOSA Future Health Professionals and mentors students in competitive events and outreach programs, including a Mini Med School for elementary students.

The 2023 Maryland Teacher of the Year Winner will be announced on Maryland Public Television (MPT) on Thursday, October 6, 2022, in a 30-minute Maryland Teacher of the Year Television Special airing at 8 p.m. on MPT2. The program will highlight all 24 local school systems' Teachers of the Year and end with the announcement naming the new 2022-2023 Maryland Teacher of the Year.

The selected 2023 Maryland Teacher of the Year will go on to compete for the National Teacher of the Year award. Maryland's Teacher of the Year will also spend the coming year as an educational speaker, advisor, and ambassador.