Story Category: Local Schools »

The St. Mary’s County Board of Education Thursday honored the system’s 2011-2012 Teacher of the Year, Bernadette Sheetz. She is a math teacher at Esperanza Middle School.

Sheetz received a certificate of recognition and will compete with her teacher peers selected by the other 23 school systems for the Maryland Teacher of the Year at a ceremony in October. Sheetz appeared with her principal, Ms. Snyder-Mills and her family and friends and posed for a picture with school board members and School Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano.

Sheetz said of the award, “This is quite an honor.”  She said she is married to a member of the U.S. Marine Corps and they have experienced other school systems, but she is happy to call St. Mary’s her home. She praised the school system for the support it gives to teachers.

Sheetz said she is sorry to see the school year wind down: “I don’t feel I have enough time. I have more things I want to do with them (her students).”

According to information presented to the board for the ceremony: “The Maryland Teacher of the Year Program has a single objective – to draw public attention to the work being done by the state’s many fine teachers. The Maryland Teacher of the Year Program is an awards program sponsored and coordinated by the Maryland State Department of Education.”