Kent County Middle School is on a hot streak, being able to now boast back-to-back Teachers of the Year.

Each spring Kent County Public Schools honors a Teacher of the Year, Support Employee of the Year and Promising Educator Award winner.

This month, Kent County Middle School teacher Cheryl Fracassi was named the 2025 Kent County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.

The ceremony was held April 16 in the Kent County High School auditorium, where all of the school-level award winners were cheered on by their colleagues and family members.

Superintendent Dr. Mary Boswell-McComas joined the celebration led by Director of Human Resources Dan Hushion, with Board of Education members, Director of Teaching and Learning Gina Jachimowicz and retired educator Leon Frison serving as award presenters.

Kaityln Wright, 2024 Teacher of Year and Fracassi’s colleague at Kent County Middle School, gave a keynote address. Chef John Keller and his Kent County High School culinary arts students prepared hors d’oeuvres and refreshments for the ceremony.

Dr. McComas said the event is so special because there is no way to really quantify the hard work that goes into supporting students and teachers every day.

“It is so important that we come together at least once a year to really lift up those who are going above and beyond on a daily basis to support our children and support our colleagues,” Dr. McComas said. “They represent the very best of who we are as an organization and the very best of who we are as a community.”

Along with Fracassi, the Teacher of the Year nominees were Rebeka Wooters, Galena Elementary School; Kathleen Devine, H.H. Garnet Elementary School; Drew Walters, Rock Hall Elementary School; and Johanna Cohen, Kent County High School.

“In the words of her colleagues, Cheryl goes above and beyond for her students, creating a supportive environment that prioritizes their social and emotional learning and academic growth,” Dr. McComas said of Fracassi.

Fracassi began her education career in 2012, joining Kent County Public Schools in 2019 as a teacher in the behavior support classroom.

Based at Kent County Middle School, Fracassi is currently the lead teacher for the Pathways Program, supporting students identified as having significant behavioral challenges in the general education classroom environment.

She is also leading the implementation of Restorative Practices at the middle school, an approach to conflict resolution that focuses on relationship building and social connections.

“Her leadership in Restorative Practices has empowered her students to develop stronger self-regulation skills, fostering a positive and productive learning environment,” McComas said.

During the summer months, Fracassi teaches in the Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s Counties program, helping local students maintain and build on the skills they learned during the prior school year. She was the named the program’s site director at Washington College this year.

“I want to thank my husband, who supports me no matter what I do,” Fracassi said after being named the 2025 Teacher of the Year. “He is my rock and my support.”
She also gave a special thank you to her work family at Kent County Middle School, highlighting the important role they play in supporting her and one another.

“I don’t know how I could do it without you,” she told the Kent County Middle School team.

Fracassi joins a cohort of Teachers of the Year from the state’s 23 other school systems in competing to be the 2025 Maryland Teacher of the Year.

The Support Employees of the Year for each building are: Amanda Jackson, Galena Elementary School; Regina Jones, H.H. Garnet Elementary School; Maria Gordillo-Terreros, Rock Hall Elementary School; B.T. King, Kent County Middle School; and Ralph Johnson, Kent County High School.

Johnson, who works with students in the Kent Alternative Program (KAP) at the high school, was named the 2025 Kent County Public Schools Support Employee of the year.

“Being a part of KAP has been a very changing experience,” Johnson said.

He credited Tishara Collins, assistant principal leading KAP, with building what he thinks is the best alternative program in the state. He thanked his family and his work family at KAP for their support.

A teacher showing great potential in the first years of their Kent County Public Schools career is recognized with the annual Promising Educator Award.

There were five nominees for this year’s award: Abigail Saxton, Galena Elementary School; Madison Kendall, H.H. Garnet Elementary School; Breanna Reardon, Rock Hall Elementary School; and Gabriella Crisham and Patrick McColigan, both from Kent County High School.

Kendall, a Kent County High School and Washington College graduate, received the 2025 Promising Educator Award.

“It is very evident that Ms. Kendall loves teaching. Her enthusiasm and excitement are reflected in her students. It is a joy to watch Ms. Kendall teach and interact with her students each and every day,” Hushion read from Kendall’s nomination letter submitted by her principal Brenda Rose.

Kendall thanked her family and boyfriend for supporting her, including helping her prepare for lessons by doing things like cutting out 500 flashcards; her teacher-mentor Mary Brown; and Rose.

In her keynote address, Wright, the 2024 Teacher of the Year and a finalist for Maryland Teacher of the Year, celebrated all of the honorees at this year’s school system awards ceremony for their dedication to students. She noted how this year’s recipients spoke about their work families.

“Each of you is a part of what makes this family strong,” Wright said. “I am so grateful knowing that you have dedicated yourselves to helping build such a loving village for our students.”

Hushion thanked the sponsors of this year’s awards: Hertrich of Elkton, which provides a vehicle to the Teacher of the Year; JBK Hardware; the Inn at Huntingfield Creek; Java Rock; Sweet Cheeks; Wildly Native Flower Farm; Spa Angels; Red Acres Hydroponics; Modern Stone Age Kitchen; Haven Harbor Marina Resorts; Harbor Shack; Church Hill Theatre; Evergrain Bread Co.; the Chester River Packet; Chesapeake Bank and Trust; Talkie Communications; Eve’s Cheese; and the Kent County government.

This month, Kent County Public Schools highlighted the work of 15 teachers and staff members as part of its annual awards program.

Each school honored their Teachers of the Year and Support Employees of the Year on Thursday, March 13 with surprise presentations of balloons and flowers.

Special recognition also was given this month to the four nominees for the annual Promising Educator award.

An awards ceremony will be held Wednesday evening, April 16 to announce the countywide Teacher of the Year, Support Employee of the Year and Promising Educator Award winner.

The honorees are, by school:

Galena Elementary School

Rebeka Wooters, Teacher of the Year

Amanda Jackson, Support Employee of the Year

Abigail Saxton, Promising Educator

 

H.H. Garnet Elementary School

Kathleen Devine, Teacher of the Year

Regina Jones, Support Employee of the Year

Madison Kendall, Promising Educator

 

Rock Hall Elementary School

Drew Walters, Teacher of the Year

Maria Gordilla-Terreros, Support Employee of the Year

Breanna Reardon, Promising Educator

 

Kent County Middle School

Cheryl Fracassi, Teacher of the Year

B.T. King, Support Employee of the Year

 

Kent County High School

Johanna Cohen, Teacher of the Year

Ralph Johnson, Support Employee of the Year

Gabriella Crisham, Promising Educator

Patrick McColigan, Promising Educator

 

Central Office

Mirelle Kraus, Support Employee of the Year

 

Whoever is named the Kent County Public Schools Teacher of the Year on April 16 will join a cohort of winners from the state’s 23 other school systems all hoping to be the Maryland Teacher of the Year.

 

The teachers and staff who led the production of “The Lion King Jr.” musical at Kent County High School were recognized with this month’s Golden Anchor award.

Lori Armstrong, Jodi Bortz, Anna Lill, Noel Morris, William Poore, Stephanie Spencer and Kaitlyn Wright received their awards from the Kent County Board of Education Monday night, March 10.

The Golden Anchor award is presented each month to staff members or groups of employees who exemplify the mission and core values of Kent County Public Schools.

“Kent County Public Schools is an anchor organization that creates an environment of academic excellence through a collaborative, equitable and rigorous learning community,” the mission statement reads.

Nominations may be submitted by Kent County Public Schools staff members, parents and students.

This month’s honorees helmed the production of “The Lion King Jr.” that ran the Feb. 28 through March 1 in the Kent County High School auditorium. More than 1,000 people came to see the show that featured elementary, middle and high school students.

Armstrong and Wright served as directors, with Bortz as the musical director. Lill, Morris and Spencer helped with the production design and costuming. Poore led his Makerspace program students in creating 3-D printed masks.

“Their efforts extended beyond directing and coaching,” said Kent County High School Principal Kris Hemstetter in presenting the awards. “They guided students in designing breathtaking puppets, masks and intricate set pieces, fostering both artistic and technical skills.”

Hemstetter gave a special thank you to the Kent Cultural Alliance for its sponsorship of the production and spoke about of the importance of arts in education.

Kent County Public Schools is accepting applications for anyone interested in serving on the Citizen Advisory Committee.

The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) is a structured group that meets about specific issues impacting educational policy, activities and programs. The CAC may also respond to requests from the Kent County Board of Education for research and recommendations on specific educational issues.

The application is available for download at www.kent.k12.md.us/CitizenAdvisoryCommittee.aspx.

Return applications to: Gail Manley, Executive Assistant to the Superintendent, Kent County Board of Education, 5608 Boundary Ave., Rock Hall, MD 21661.

They may be faxed to 410-778-2350 or emailed to [email protected].

New members will be appointed to a two-year term that will begin July 1.

For additional information, visit the Citizen Advisory Committee webpage listed above.

Kent County Public Schools is asking everyone to support its efforts to seek more money from the state to build a new Kent County Middle School.

There is a bill being heard in the Maryland General Assembly that would do this. Senate Bill 843 would direct more state funding toward the replacement of Kent County Middle School.

A hearing on SB0843 is scheduled for Tuesday, March 4 in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.

There are three ways you can show your support leading up to the hearing for SB0843.

1. You can sign onto a form letter Kent County Public Schools will be submitting to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee at the close of business Friday, Feb. 28. KCPS asks for your name, town and email address. Go to https://tinyurl.com/p44swp65 to sign the letter. If you previously signed the letter sent for the House of Delegates version of the bill, you do not need to sign this letter for the Senate bill.
2. You can submit your own letter or a copy of the KCPS form letter between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 by creating an account through My MGA on the General Assembly website. Go to https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/ and click the “My MGA” icon at the top right. If you submit your own copy of the KCPS form letter, just add your information at the bottom of the letter, save it as a PDF and send it! Download the KCPS letter at https://tinyurl.com/373v8tuj.
3. Sign up to provide in-person testimony through the My MGA portal. The signup window is from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28. The hearing is schedule for 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 4.

Kent County Public Schools thanks everyone for being a part of this community effort.

Bill Receski of Rock Hall Elementary School was honored with this month’s Golden Anchor Award for his hard work and dedication.

Receski received his award from the Kent County Board of Education Monday night, Feb. 10.

The Golden Anchor Award is presented each month to staff members or groups of employees who exemplify the mission and core values of Kent County Public Schools.

“Kent County Public Schools is an anchor organization that creates an environment of academic excellence through a collaborative, equitable and rigorous learning community,” the mission statement reads.

Nominations may be submitted by Kent County Public Schools staff members, parents and students.

Receski is the teacher specialist at Rock Hall Elementary School. He has been a part of Kent County Public Schools for more than three decades.

Kent County Public Schools Director of Human Resources Dan Hushion announced the honor for Receski at the board meeting.

“In the words of some of his colleagues, Bill is always there whenever needed,” Hushion said. “All the students know his name. He is very pleasant, caring and kind to all students.”

Rock Hall Elementary School Principal Gillian Spero recounted a story of a phone received last fall from someone at the Pentagon wishing to speak with Receski.

Spero said it was a former student of Receski’s. She said the caller, who has become “pretty high ranking,” wanted Receski to know that he would not be where he is today were it not for him.

Spero said so many others have similar stories about the impact Receski has made on the lives of students.

“On behalf of our students and families and staff, we recognize and thank you for your reliability and tireless dedication,” Spero told Receski.

 

Kent County Public Schools staff, families and community members are invited to fill out an online survey and provide their input on the four draft 2025-26 calendars.

The survey can be found at https://tinyurl.com/d4z82jwb.

There are four calendars under review by the Kent County Board of Education. The drafts and the survey results are expected to be presented at the Board’s next monthly meeting, Monday, March 10.

The school system’s Calendar Committee, led by Director of Human Resources Dan Hushion, opened an initial survey in November and accepted responses through early February.

Using the results of that survey on calendar building blocks like start date, length of breaks throughout the year and the last day of school, four different calendars were drafted.

This survey seeks the community’s input on which of the four drafts is the preferred option. The Kent County Board of Education has the final vote on the school calendar.

On option 1, the first week of school starts Aug. 25. Winter break runs from Monday, Dec. 22 through Sunday, Jan. 4. Spring break would be just over a week from Friday, April 3 through Sunday, April 12. The last day of school is set at Friday, June 12.

Calendar option 2 has the same start date and winter break. Spring break would see schools and offices closed Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6 in favor of the last day of school moving up to Friday, June 5.

Option 3 pushes back the start of school to Tuesday, Sept. 2. Winter break is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Sunday, Jan. 4. Spring break would be Thursday, April 2 through Monday, April 6 and the last day of school would fall on Friday, June 12.

A fourth option starts school on Tuesday, Sept. 2, includes the Dec. 22-to-Jan. 4 winter break, the longer April 3-to-April 12 spring break with the last day of school on Thursday, June 18.

All four calendars have a fall break for students starting with parent conferences on Wednesday, Oct. 15, a full-day of staff professional development on Thursday, Oct. 16 and school and offices closed for the Maryland State Education Association conference on Friday, Oct. 17.

Thanksgiving break on all four options begins Wednesday, Nov. 26.

Additional holiday breaks in January and February are Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day.

The four draft calendars include a spring parent-teacher conference day Wednesday, March 18.

Memorial Day, Monday, May 25 is a day off on the four draft 2025-26 calendars.

All four calendar options include two inclement weather days.

Learn more at www.kent.k12.md.us.