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.”

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