Michael Williams Named MCPS Teacher of the Year (PHOTO)

PHOTO|MCPS

A social studies teacher from John F. Kennedy High School has been named the 2016-2017 Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Teacher of the Year.

Michael Williams, who has worked for MCPS for 14 years, will now compete for Maryland Teacher of the Year.

Williams was named Teacher of the Year on Tuesday night during the 14th annual Champions for Children Awards Celebration, which was held at the Wheaton High School.

“Michael Williams is the embodiment of our ‘Inspiring Excellence’ theme,” Board of Education President Michael Durso said. “He inspires his students to challenge expectations and tackle obstacles to their success. He is an educator, role model, and mentor. I congratulate Mr. Williams and all of our awardees tonight,” he said.

According to a news release, Williams was one of three finalists for Teacher of the Year, along with Kimberly Skufca, a technology education teacher at Shady Grove Middle School, and Andrea Segovia, a third grade teacher at Ashburton Elementary School. The three finalists had received the Master Teacher Award from the Marian Greenblatt Educational Fund, making them eligible to compete for MCPS Teacher of the Year.

“Michael Williams and the other Teacher of the Year finalists represent the outstanding commitment and dedication of our teachers and staff throughout the district,” Larry Bowers, interim superintendent of schools said. “We want to offer them and all the honorees our congratulations and thank them for helping to make MCPS one of the nation’s best school districts,” he said.

The Champions for Children celebration is hosted by the Montgomery County Business Roundtable for Education (MCBRE) and is made possible through generous donations from sponsors. MCBRE is a nonprofit organization, comprised of senior business leaders who share their expertise with MCPS leadership and sponsor programs that connect what students are learning in the classroom to the real world.

“The Champions for Children awards are a reflection of the excellence that abounds within MCPS schools and facilities,” Tiffany Godbout Williams, executive director of MCBRE said. “We congratulate the school system’s leadership and the award winners for their accomplishments,” she said.

Williams is a resource teacher for the social studies department at Kennedy High School in Silver Spring.

Williams teaches Advanced Placement (AP) World History, U.S. History, and African American History. Williams co-founded the Montgomery County Minority Scholars Program, a student-driven initiative that focuses on reducing the achievement gap and expanding the number of African American and Latino students who are involved in honors and AP courses. The program has expanded to 15 schools.

Officials said that the program has helped increase the number of minority students taking honors and AP courses. Williams is also the head coach of the boy’s varsity soccer team and sponsor of the Black Student Union.

Several other MCPS staff members and community members were recognized for their excellence and commitment at the Champions for Children event, including:

• Samir Paul, computer science teacher, Montgomery Blair High School, Greenblatt Rising Star Teacher of the Year;
• Kaila Wiggins, first grade teacher, Clopper Mill Elementary School, Greenblatt Rising Star Teacher of the Year;
• E. Frank Kaplan, principal, Strawberry Knoll Elementary School, Dr. Edward Shirley Award for Excellence in Educational Administration and Supervision;
• Craig Stewart, security assistant, Winston Churchill High School, Supporting Services Employee of the Year;
• Cigna, Business Champion for Children; and
• Melissa McKenna, Recording Secretary of the Delegates’ Assembly and CIP Committee Chair, Montgomery County Council of PTAs, Volunteer Champion for Children.

For more information on Williams and the Champions for Children Awards Celebration, visit the MCPS website.

Congratulations to Michael Williams MCPS Teacher of The Year https://t.co/r0R70cO396 #MCPSChamps pic.twitter.com/qLY6GjmigF

— MCPS (@MCPS) May 4, 2016

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