Charles County, MD – The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the Maryland Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education recently honored Connie Mattingly, a learning resource teacher at Walter J. Mitchell Elementary School, for her work in gifted education. She was named a recipient of a 2016 Teacher as Leader in Gifted and Talented Education Award.
The Maryland State Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education annually honors educators and community organizations for their contributions in developing the talents of Maryland students from all populations in gifted education. Mattingly, along with several Charles County Public Schools students, will be honored at a Feb. 24 reception held to honor exemplary students and teachers for their accomplishments in gifted education.
As the learning resource teacher at Mitchell for the past three years, Mattingly coordinates both the testing and gifted education programs for students. One of her goals as a teacher is to provide students with a rigorous curriculum that meets above grade-level standards and incorporates gifted education best practices. She often can be found co-teaching with a gifted education teacher or working with a small group of advanced students. Mattingly plans weekly with all teachers and launched a second grade advanced math program for students. She also works regularly with third through fifth graders in advanced math programs.
Mattingly was nominated for recognition of her work in gifted education by Joyce Campbell, a gifted education resource teacher at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building who works with learning resource teachers at the elementary-school level to assist them in providing a quality gifted programs. In her nomination, Campbell describes Mattingly as a teacher with a strong work ethic and a dedicated professional.
“Ms. Mattingly has spent many hours helping develop, rewriting and reviewing the gifted reading curriculum in our county. She also has led numerous professional development sessions for teachers of advanced students and students identified for gifted services,” Campbell wrote. Campbell also notes Mattingly’s pursuit in professional development opportunities in the area of gifted education. In 2014 she attended the National Association for Gifted Education conference and participates in gifted conferences at the state level.
A career accomplishment of importance to Mattingly is helping five of her former students receive recognition as Carson Scholars. The Carson Scholars Fund awards $1,000 college scholarships to a select group of high achieving students in grades four through 11 who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and humanitarian qualities. These students must have a minimum 3.75 grade-point average to be considered. The scholarships are invested for the students’ college education.
Mattingly began her career with Charles County Public Schools in 1993 as a special education teacher at Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer Elementary School. She has also taught enrichment language arts at the middle-school level and transitioned to gifted education in 2002. Prior to joining the teaching staff at Mitchell, Mattingly was a gifted education teacher at William B. Wade Elementary School. In 2011 Wade was honored by MSDE for their excellence in gifted education.
