Tag: “Kristen Nielsen”

Crossroads Nielsen named BCPS Teacher of the Year

Crossroads Center student Abby Lawson is just a few weeks away from graduation, and she credits her English language arts teacher, Kristen Nielsen, for helping her get there and being her inspiration.

“Unfortunately, not every school can have her, but I was blessed with her, and everything she’s done for me,” Lawson said.

Nielsen, a champion for all her students, was named the 2019-20 BCPS Teacher of the Year at a ceremony Wednesday night.

Nielsen is in her second year as a teacher at Crossroads, where she teaches Grades 9 and 12. She is also an Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program teacher and a member of Crossroad’s equity team.

“Kristen Nielsen does whatever it takes to assist all her students,” BCPS Interim Superintendent Verletta White said. “She has dedicated her career to not just doing all she can to teach others but serve as a powerful advocate for equity in public education.”

Nielsen, who resides in Middle River, is in her 16th year as a Baltimore County Public Schools educator. Previously, she taught at Eastern Technical High for 11 years, Deep Creek Middle for three years, and Chesapeake High for one year. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and a reading specialist certification with a focus on adolescent literacy at Goucher College.

Principals at the 174 BCPS schools, programs, and centers could nominate one educator for BCPS Teacher of the Year. Nominations were received from 164 schools. A selection committee, comprised of administrators, teachers, students, and staff, selected Nielsen as this year’s BCPS Teacher of the Year.

In addition to Nielsen, four other BCPS finalists were recognized. They include:

  • Christina DeSimone, child development teacher, Catonsville High
  • Jamie Metzgar, Grade 5 teacher, Honeygo Elementary
  • Abigail Metcalf, inclusion teacher, Relay Elementary
  • Ronald McFadden, choral arts teacher, Southwest Academy

Past BCPS teachers of the year include:

2018: Brendan Penn, Lyons Mill Elementary
2017: Rebecca Eig, Owings Mills Elementary
2016: Corey Carter, Northwest Academy of Health Sciences
2015: Orly Mondell, New Town High
2014: Anne Cross, Gunpowder Elementary
2013: Sean McComb, Patapsco High & Center for the Arts, the 2014 National Teacher of the Year

Three local residents nominated for BCPS Teacher of the Year

Three local residents are among five BCPS educators that have been named finalists for 2019-20 BCPS Teacher of the Year. Perry Hall resident Jaime Metzgar, Middle River resident Kristen Nielsen and Christina DeSimone of Parkville will also compete with Ronald McFadden and Abigail Metcalf to see who will be named BCPS Teacher of the Year on April 24.

Jaime Metzgar

Metzgar is a fifth-grade teacher at the new Honeygo Elementary School in Perry Hall. This is her 13th year as a BCPS educator and Metzgar previously taught at Joppa View and Grange elementary schools, where she was also nominated at those schools for the Teacher of the Year honor.

Kristen Nielsen

After being a teacher at Eastern Tech, Nielsen is in her second year as an English language arts teacher at Crossroads Center in Middle River. Nielsen serves on Crossroad Center’s equity team and teaches Grades 9 and 12.


Christina DeSimone

Although DeSimone lives in Parkville, she teaches child development teacher at Catonsville High. She previously taught seven years at Dundalk High. A second-generation BCPS educator, DeSimone leads her school’s community preschool program, where high school students teach preschool students.

Principals at the 174 BCPS schools, programs, and centers could nominate one educator for BCPS Teacher of the Year. Nominations were received from 164 schools, and all nominees are featured on the Team BCPS blog by zone: east, central, and west. The BCPS Teacher of the Year selection committee, comprised of administrators, teachers, students, and staff, selected the five finalists.

The BCPS Teacher of the Year will be Baltimore County’s Maryland Teacher of the Year representative and Interim Superintendent Verletta White said she is proud of all five candidates.

“I’m so proud of these dedicated educators for the ways they creatively promote literacy across the subject areas and a warm and welcoming school climate,” White said. “All five finalists are champions for equity in their classrooms, and I am grateful for their tireless efforts to support all students.”