Delmar Elementary's Lisa King Is Named 2010-11 Wicomico Teacher Of The Year

Lisa King, a third-grade teacher at Delmar Elementary School, was recognized for her outstanding work in the classroom when she was named 2010-11 Wicomico Teacher of the Year March 18. Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Fredericksen and Board of Education President Mark S. Thompson announced King's honor at the end of the annual Wicomico Teacher of the Year Awards Banquet at the Commons at Salisbury University.

"I believe educators should always seek professional growth to strengthen their knowledge base," King wrote in her Teacher of the Year writing prompt. She said she actively works to strengthen the profession of teaching by seeking out opportunities for professional development, serving as a mentor of future teachers, and by putting into practice in her classroom the techniques she learns through her studies toward of a master's degree in reading. "I have learned new techniques to use to infuse a literature-based approach with my basal series. I have also learned how to engage my students in reading workshops. I use differentiated instruction, integrated approaches to teaching reading, and I integrate technology in my lessons."

Effectively instructing students is sometimes the least of the challenges a teacher faces. "One problem that public education faces today is how the economy has impacted our students' families. Many parents have lost jobs, which has become a stress on students' home life. Students bring these hardships with them to school each day. How do educators promote learning to the student who has no home because their mother or father has lost their job? That student is worried about where their next meal is going to come from and where they are going to sleep at night. Although student learning is at the heart of teaching, their basic needs have to be met first," wrote King, who said meeting those needs is a community-wide issue.

As Wicomico Teacher of the Year, King represents the county's more than 1,249 teachers. She also represents the outstanding staff of Delmar Elementary, whose roster of teachers includes the outgoing Wicomico Teacher of the Year, Susan Cullen. Both King and Cullen teach third grade at Delmar Elementary. This is King's first year at Delmar Elementary, after spending her first nine years as a teacher at Pinehurst Elementary.

King holds a bachelor's degree in education from Salisbury University, and began working for Wicomico County Public Schools in 1998 as the co-director of the East Salisbury Family Center, assisting at-risk students and their families. In addition to teaching third grade at Pinehurst and now Delmar, she has served as grade level and Instructional Leadership Team chair. She has often been consulted by her peers for her expertise in dealing with challenging populations. She had previously been honored as the Wicomico Intermediate Teacher of the Year in 2008. In the community, she has volunteered as an after-school tutor for a church organization, as a parent on the parent advisory committee at Wicomico Middle, and as a staff volunteer at Pinehurst activities.

King's nomination for Wicomico Teacher of the Year came from a co-worker who said, "Lisa inspires students every minute of the day. I am in her classroom every day for an hour and a half. She can make a sad child smile just by her astonishing way with children. She has gotten every child in her class to want to learn. They are excited to come to school. I have worked with her for over five months and I can't wait to go in her classroom."

The new Teacher of the Year will begin her year in style, arriving at Delmar Elementary School at 9:30 a.m. Friday chauffeured in a classic 1949 Buick provided for the occasion by Wicomico music teacher and auto enthusiast Buck Burton. King will be featured, along with this year's 24 other semi-finalists, in a "Working Together for Children" Teacher of the Year special on PAC 14.

Later this year, King will represent Wicomico County Public Schools in the Maryland Teacher of the Year contest. Wicomico is proud to have two former Maryland Teachers of the Year, Bonnie Walston and Aaron Deal, working in the school system on behalf of students.

Top Teachers

The annual Teacher of the Year Banquet spotlights not just the year's most outstanding teacher, but all Wicomico educators who demonstrate outstanding leadership, a commitment to excellence, dedication to teaching the children of the community, and professional achievement, said Karen Leimann, coordinator of the Teacher of the Year Program.

Twenty-five semi-finalists were selected to complete a writing prompt and undergo an interview with a blue-ribbon judging panel of former Wicomico teachers of the year. Based on results from the interview and writing exercise, the judging panel chose a finalist to represent each school level. Finalists were, in addition to King for the intermediate level: Jessica White, kindergarten teacher, Willards Elementary; Janice Davis, General Music teacher/Choral Director, Pittsville Elementary and Middle; and Cheryl Howard Doughty, Family & Consumer Sciences teacher, James M. Bennett High.

The other semi-finalists for 2010-11 Wicomico Teacher of the Year were:

Jessica Atkins, Grade 5 teacher, Glen Avenue Elementary
Janice Austin, Math teacher, Wicomico High
Karen Carroll, Grade 6 Reading/Language Arts teacher, Salisbury Middle
Carol Chester, Social Studies teacher, Wicomico Middle
Kerri Corron, Kindergarten teacher, West Salisbury Elementary
Alexan Dargan, Grade 1 teacher, Beaver Run Elementary
Maria Davis, Special Education teacher, Parkside High
Jennifer Fenzel, Grade 5 teacher, Westside Intermediate
Claudia Hapner, Early Intervention specialist, Infants & Toddlers Program
Laura Haugh, Grade 1 teacher, Westside Primary
Joanne Hoeffner, Science teacher, Mardela Middle and High
Lori Menzel, Grade 3 Math teacher, East Salisbury Elementary
Jennifer Morris, Kindergarten teacher, Fruitland Primary
Brian Otto, Kindergarten teacher, Pinehurst Elementary
Tara Parsons, Grade 3 teacher, Pemberton Elementary Magnet
Audra Phippin, Title I Math teacher, Northwestern Elementary
Marsha Rickards, Kindergarten teacher, Prince Street Elementary
Christina Ruark, Math teacher, Bennett Middle
Michelle Schlegel, Kindergarten teacher, Charles H. Chipman Elementary
Theresa Spicer, Grade 4 teacher, Fruitland Intermediate
Teresa Williams, Grade 3 Math teacher, North Salisbury Elementary Magnet

Friend of Education

Each year at the Wicomico County Teacher of the Year Awards Banquet, Wicomico also honors a "Friend of Education" who has generously supported Wicomico schoolchildren and schools. This year's recipient of the Friend of Education Award was Hannah Miller, community relations manager for Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Salisbury. Miller and Barnes & Noble partner with the school system on many programs for students, including the STARS after-school program, and a summer reading program for students in grades 1-6. Miller visits schools to speak at PTA meetings and to talk with students about the importance of reading. She also presents information to new teachers. Barnes & Noble provides space for school groups to wrap presents at the holidays.

Business Sponsors of the Wicomico Teacher of the Year Program

The Wicomico County Teacher of the Year Banquet is sponsored or supported by a number of generous businesses and organizations.

Gold Level: CareFirst, Holt Paper & Chemical Co.

Silver Level: Association of Public School Administrators & Supervisors, Atlantic Pumping Inc., Bank of Delmarva, W. R. McCain & Associates, Salisbury University Alumni Association.

Bronze Level: Becker Morgan Group, Bubba's Place, Chesapeake Water Testing Labs, Davis, Bowen, & Friedel, Delegate and Mrs. Carolyn Elmore, First Shore Federal Savings & Loan, Gordy Tiger Mart, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Goslee, Ms. Doretha Jones, and Princess Anne Chapter of The Links, Inc.

In-kind Donors: Acorn Market, Barb's Gift & Hallmark Shop, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Bubba's Place, Buck Burton, Chick-fil-A, Clear Channel Outdoor, Dell Computers, Delmarva Broadcasting, Dress Barn, Eastside Deli, Educational Supplies, Inc. , Fancy Fingers, Fractured Prune the Donut Shop, G. B. Heron & Co., Goin' Nuts Café, Instructional Resource Center, Joseph Lauren Hair Classics, Kitty's Flowers, Kuhn's Jewelers, La Tolteca Mexican Restaurant, Old West Steakhouse, Olive Garden, PAC 14, Plaza Tapatia, Red Door Sub Shop, Rise Up Coffee, Route 12 Pizza, Ruby Tuesday of Fruitland, Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce, Salisbury University, Specific Gravity, Subside Deli, Talbots, The Daily Times, The Gospel Shop, Uno's, Viva Espresso, Zia's Italian Grill.