BALTIMORE — Kent County Middle School teacher Cheryl Fracassi was among the state’s top educators recognized recently at a Maryland State Board of Education meeting.
In mid-April, Fracassi was named the Kent County Public Schools Teacher of the Year.
Her trip to the board meeting in Baltimore on May 29 was a celebration of the teachers of the year from all 24 public school systems in Maryland.
“As a teacher, I always strive to be the best I can be, and it was truly an honor to be recognized for my efforts by the Maryland State Board of Education,” Fracassi said in a news release.
Joshua Michael, president of the Maryland State Board of Education and a former middle school math teacher in Baltimore, welcomed the 24 teachers of the year.
“We know from the research that having an excellent teacher can have a two- to three-times impact on improving student achievement,” Michael said.
“Today, we have the great privilege of recognizing 24 of Maryland’s leading educators, reminding us of what’s possible when dedication meets purpose and when high expectations are matched with deep care,” Michael added.
Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright said the educators represent every grade level and core subject areas and “an array of programs that reflect the world-class education delivered each day in all 24 Maryland school systems.”
“Our teachers of the year work unselfishly, giving the best of themselves to the children and youth in classrooms across our great state,” Wright said. “On behalf of our nearly 892,000 students statewide, I am both grateful and honored to express my deepest appreciation for all that you do.”
Kent County Superintendent Mary McComas and Director of Human Resources Dan Hushion were on hand at the state board meeting to cheer on Fracassi.
“We are so proud of Mrs. Fracassi and all she does for our students in Kent County,” Hushion said in the news release. “She consistently demonstrates leadership and her passion for education through her role as an educator in Kent County Public Schools and her work with the Horizons of Kent and Queen Anne’s summer learning program.”
As part of the annual Teacher of the Year program, Fracassi will be vying with her fellow award winners from throughout the state to see who will be named the 2025 Maryland Teacher of the Year this fall.
“It was humbling and exciting to meet the other Teacher of the Year candidates,” Fracassi said. “I look forward to what is in store for us in the upcoming school year.”
Trish McGee, owner and publisher of The Evening Enterprise, is the president of the Kent County Board of Education. She did not contribute to this report.
