The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Maryland Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education recently honored two Charles County Public Schools educators – T. C. Martin Elementary School Principal Greg Miller and Aparna Joshi, a gifted education resource teacher at Milton M. Somers Middle School – for their efforts in gifted education. Miller received the 2013 Outstanding Educator – School Administrator award and Joshi was honored with the 2013 Teacher as Leader in Gifted and Talented Education award.
The Maryland State Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education annually honors educators, students and community organizations for their contributions in developing the talents of Maryland students from all populations in gifted education. Miller is one of six Maryland school administrators recognized this year, and Joshi is one of 20 Maryland teachers honored with a Teacher as Leader award.
Miller has been the principal at Martin since 2011. He was nominated for the award by Kathy Stapleson, a gifted education resource teacher at Martin, for his efforts in expanding the gifted program. In 2013, the school received an Excellence in Gifted and Talented Education (EGATE) award, which honors elementary, middle and high schools that offer gifted and talented programs that model excellence and focus on improving levels of student achievement. Stapleson said Miller was instrumental in Martin’s selection for the award.
“He shows leadership in expanding and improving the gifted program and services in our school. His support of the gifted committee, passion for the EGATE award and his willingness to allocate time and materials to the gifted program make him eligible for this prestigious award,” Stapleson wrote in a nomination letter. Miller also works with Stapleson to present gifted information to parents at school events and encourages teachers to seek additional training opportunities to enhance their knowledge of gifted education practices.
Last school year, Miller coordinated a schoolwide event to celebrate Martin’s selection as an EGATE award recipient and recognized students and staff for their accomplishments in gifted education. As an administrator, Miller also participates in gifted identification screening meetings, dedicates time during staff meetings to discuss gifted services and monitors the delivery of instruction with students identified for gifted services.
Joshi has been the gifted education resource teacher at Somers for the past three school years. She was nominated for the award by Mary Seremet, a gifted education resource teacher for Charles County Public Schools. Seremet works with gifted education teachers at the middle-school level and said Joshi is an exemplary leader. “In her role as the gifted resource teacher, Joshi has distinguished herself as an enthusiastic educator with a passionate commitment to student development and success. She is masterful in developing and adapting curriculum in order to meet both the cognitive and affective needs of gifted learners,” Seremet wrote in a nomination letter.
As the gifted education teacher at Somers, Joshi collaborates with teachers of identified students to implement instructional practices for high student achievement. She encourages her students to explore their passions and coordinates several extended-learning opportunities, from advanced book clubs and robotics-team events to essay contests. Joshi also leads systemwide workshops and has helped write curriculum for gifted language arts, earth science and Algebra I.
She is a national certified teacher, holds the Maryland gifted and talented education speci
