Vote for Frederick County Elementary Finalists

About Catherine Alspaugh

“I teach so I can help children find their passion in life,” says Catherine Alspaugh, a 3rd-grade teacher at New Market Elementary School in Frederick County. This 26-year classroom veteran holds a B.A. in American Studies from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia and an A.P.C. from the University of Maryland.

“My favorite moment as a teacher is watching a student on stage discover something in him or herself they didn't know they had inside,” she says. Her favorite children’s book is The Pagemaster. “It it is filled with rich vocabulary, connections to classical literature, and adventure.” A Prayer for Owen Meany is her favorite adult read. “Each chapter could stand alone as a short story, but the main ideas come together in the climax. It is the best crafted book I have read.”

With more than two decades of teaching to draw upon, Alspaugh offers this advice to prospective teachers: “Teaching is most importantly about people, not subject matter. Math and English are important, but anyone can learn a body of curriculum. Your personal relationship with your students must be in place before you can deliver a good educational package. So, first concentrate on who you are as a person to your students; then master what you need to teach,” she says. The best advice she’s received: “Let the parents tell you their concerns before you voice yours.”

The person Alspaugh admires most is her sister, Dr. Berverly Lawson, a chemistry teacher in Dallas, Texas. “She is a master teacher, a lovely woman, and the best friend I ever had,” she says.

About Jeff Esko

“I teach because I see the potential of our young people and I love helping them reach for their dreams,” says Jeff Esko. “My favorite moment as a teacher occurs many times a day as I see the glimmer in my students’ eyes that tells me they’ve ‘got it.’”

A 5th-grade teacher in the Gifted & Talented Magnet Program at Urbana Elementary School in Frederick County, Esko has been teaching for 30 years. If he weren’t a teacher, he’d be an environmental scientist “because of my love for the natural world; my concern for the health of the environment; and my desire to preserve and protect the earth and its resources,” he says.

Esko earned a B.S. in Elementary Education and a M.S. (plus 30 credit hours) in Integrated Curriculum at West Virginia University in Morgantown. The best advice he’s received as a teacher is to “work smarter, not longer,” he says. The advice he would give to those thinking about becoming a teacher: “Know your subjects and persevere.”

Esko’s favorite teacher is Dr. John George due to “his ability to understand what is truly important and because of his dedication to keeping education creative and open ended, he says. “I admire his ability to think outside the box.”

The person Esko most admires is “Gandhi, because of his successful non-violent revolution,” he says.

His favorite book? “Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins, because I enjoy his stream-of-consciousness style of writing and his amazing metaphors,” he says.

About Melissa Gallagher

“Teaching brings something new and different every day. I like finding new ways to keep my students engaged,” says Melissa Gallagher, a 6th-grade Language Arts teacher at St. John’s Regional Catholic School in Frederick County.

A graduate of Ladycliff College in Highland Falls, New York, Gallagher has been teaching 26 years. During that time she’s received lots of advice, the best being: “Don’t take yourself too seriously, especially when you teach middle school,” she says.

Gallagher’s advice to those considering a career in education: “Know your subject area well,” she says. “If you’re excited about the subject you teach, that enthusiasm will spread to your students.”

It was her fifth grade teacher who most influenced Gallagher. “She had a wonderful, warm manner with the students and made each one feel special,” she said.

The person Gallagher most admires is Eleanor Roosevelt “for her compassion and perseverance,” she says.

If she weren’t a teacher, Gallagher would most likely be a chef. “I love to cook,” she says.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is Gallagher’s favorite book “It’s beautifully written; the characters are real and the themes timeless,” she says.

About Kate Gray

“I love being able to laugh with my students as we learn together. Humor helps kids remember academic concepts and it’s fun,” says Kate Gray, a 4th grade teacher at Orchard Grove Elementary School in Frederick County.

Gray, who has taught for eight years, has wanted to be an educator since she was 6. “I’ve never really considered another profession,” she says. When pushed, Gray admits a job at Disney World “would be a blast!”

A graduate of Frostburg State University, Gray has done some graduate work at Mount St. Mary’s University. Her own favorite teacher was Karen Byrnes, a 1st grade teacher at Walkersville Elementary. “I was very shy and had a hard time adjusting to school. She was so patient and helped me see the joy in learning,” she says.

Among those she admires most is her husband, “the most hardworking person I’ve ever met and the best father to our two kids,” she says. By the end of the year, she notes, “he knows all the kids’ names in my class because he listens to my stories every night.”

Goodnight Moon is Gray’s favorite book “because it will always remind me of the importance of reading books to small children.”

About Deena Richardson

“I really love kids,” says Deena Richardson. “I love interacting with them every day, they make every day of work new and exciting! I love to watch them learn and grow and watch the ‘light bulb go off.’”

Now in her sixth year of teaching, Richardson teaches all subjects at Deer Crossing Elementary School in Frederick County. “My ultimate goal is to become a guidance counselor,” she says. To that end, Richardson will complete her master’s in Counselor Education from McDaniel College in December. Her undergrad degree was in Elementary Education from Salisbury State University.

One of her most memorable teaching moments came several years ago at a school in the City of Frederick. “I had a few kids in my class that were not going to have Christmas and did not have winter coats,” she says. “I found donations from friends and family for these things and gave them to their parents in black trash bags, so that the parents could wrap them for Christmas morning. Then the students came back from Christmas break to tell me what they got for Christmas. Now, that is why I teach.”

A former student, Brady Long, is the person Richardson most admires. “I found out two years ago that Brady was diagnosed with cancer, so I volunteered to be his Home Hospital Teacher while he went through chemotherapy. I spent three days a week with him. His drive and determination each day, made me admire him,” she says.

Richardson’s favorite books are in the Charlie Bone series. “Charlie Bone and the Time Twister is my favorite,” she says. “It is similar to Harry Potter, but there are no movies out to ruin the fun of reading the book.”

About Kimberly Jean Kendro Schaffer

“I love to learn new things,” says Kimberly Schaffer. “I find that I learn something new from my students each day. It is the best job in the world. I get to share my knowledge with others, as well as learn new things myself. Who wouldn't love that?”

Schaffer, a teacher at Deer Crossing Elementary School in Frederick County, is a graduate of Towson University. She undertook her graduate studies at the University of Phoenix online. While there have been many high points during her 12-year teaching career, her My Favorite Teacher nomination “takes the cake,” she says.

The best advice Schaffer has received as a teacher is: “Do what is best for kids,” she says. That’s also the same advice she would give to a new or prospective teacher.

Two teachers have inspired Schaffer over the years – her mother, Judy Kendro, a kindergarten teacher and Ned Hageal, a former English teacher at Governor Thomas Johnson High School. Schaffer’s mother taught her at an early age to love learning. “She has always been a phenomenal role model,” says Schaffer. “Mr. Hageal taught me that hard work could really pay off. He introduced me to literature and to a love of reading. I knew he believed in me...I think that is what teaching is all about.”

The athletic director at Urbana High School – who just happens to be her brother – is the person Schaffer most admires. “Two years ago, he donated a kidney to our father, Tom Kendro, who was suffering from kidney disease,” she says. “His courage is a testament to the wonderful parenting that he and I had growing up. Kevin's selfless act taught me a lot about the kind of person that I aspire to be.”

About Judy Schanuel

“I teach because I want to give children the tools to be lifelong learners,” says Judy Schanuel. “Every day, I feel like I learn something new and I want my students to have what they need to do this as well.”

A graduate of the University of Maryland, Schanuel received a B.S. in Dietetics. She later earned a B.A. in Early Childhood Education and a M.A. in Reading from Western Maryland, now McDaniel College. Currently, she teaches 1st grade at Deer Crossing Elementary School in Frederick County.

Having taught for 14 years, Schanuel still appreciates those “Aha” moments. “Every day I have a favorite moment where the light bulb goes on for a student and they finally understand something and feel successful,” she says.

If Schanuel weren’t a teacher, she’d probably be a librarian or bookseller. “I would love to work at a job that would allow me to live near the beach. I would pick a bookstore or a library since I love to read,” she says. Passionate about reading, Schanuel has a tough time picking a favorite. “I really liked The Poisonwood Bible,” she says. “It was an intense story, but very well written.”

Perhaps the best piece of advice she’s been given during her teaching career is to: “Always be reflective to make sure that kids are learning what was taught that day before moving on to the next thing,” she says. What she would tell those considering the profession: “Make meaningful relationships with their students. Once a relationship is established, the learning will follow.”

There are two people Schanuel greatly admires – her mother and father, Betty and Marvin. “They have always been supportive of me. Growing up, they made sure that education was very important and that I was given the opportunity to pursue my goals and dreams,” she says.

About Ingrid Sherwood

Why, after 40 years in the classroom, does Ingrid Sherwood teach? “Each day, there are possibilities of seeing imaginations ignited by discovering patterns or by creating non-patterns,” she says. Were she not a teacher, Sherwood would have a tough time choosing among science, art and retail: “A scientist to witness how the laws of the universe consistently produce the same results, an artist to demonstrate how the imagination of the mind produces unique results, or a Wal-Mart greeter for the possibility of seeing my former students,” she says.

After receiving a B.S. in Education from Adelphi University in New York, Sherwood earned 36+ graduate hours and an Early Childhood Montessori Certificate from The Houston Montessori Center. She currently teaches 3-6 year olds at the Monocacy Valley Montessori Charter School in Frederick County.

The best piece of advice Sherwood has received as a teacher came from her Montessori mentor. “Each child is a capsule of civilization to date,” she says.

While Sherwood admires Dr. Maria Montessori, she credits her 4th-grade teacher, Miss Thomas, as the educator who most influenced her. “She had a wooden wishing well with students' names inside it,” she says. “There was always the possibility that your name would be drawn from the wishing well so that you could do a job or receive a valuable, such as a baby shoot from her spider plant.”

Sherwood’s favorite book is The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World. “[It] stirred me to contemplate the ancient and pervading premise of Natural Law as it pertains to our country and to my classroom,” she says.

About Pamela D. Siedor

An artist and graphic designer by trade, Pam Siedor volunteers her time to teach art to 2nd-8th graders at St. Thomas More Academy in Frederick County. If she weren’t teaching she would spend more time focusing on drawing and painting.

Siedor, currently in her first year of teaching, holds a B.A. in Art with a minor in Graphic Design from Hood College. Her favorite moment as a teacher comes from “hearing the students share their excitement about their artwork,” she says.

The best piece of advice Siedor has received in her brief tenure as a teacher is to “call the children by name, speak calmly and confidently,” she says. Advice she’d offer to someone considering a career in education: “Volunteer your time in the classroom as a teacher's aide.”

It is Christopher Siedor, as a high school and confirmation teacher, who most influenced Siedor through “his knowledge of the subject he was teaching, the ability to communicate well with the students and to tell a good story to enhance the understanding by the student,” she says. “As a result, the students learned the subject easier with more enjoyment.” He also is the person she most admires “for his accomplishments, energy and love of family.”

Her favorite book? “The Promise of Peace by Carol Umberger is a novel that is part of The Scottish Crown Series and the story takes place in Scotland, my Father's country. I enjoy the personal stories of the characters and families entwined in Scotland's pursuit of peace with England,” she says.

About Cindy A. Smith

If she weren’t a teacher, Cindy A. Smith would be a full-time grandma and mission worker. Why? “[So] I can still teach!” says this 25-year classroom veteran. A 2nd grade teacher in the magnet program at North Frederick Elementary School in Frederick County, Smith teaches for three reasons: “To keep kids safe. To teach them to think. To drive them crazy,” she says with a smile.

Her favorite moment as a teacher came when her class was studying a topic through multiple disciplines. “A student asked, ‘Is this math, or science, or social studies, or reading or writing, or art, or music or PE?’ My response, ‘All of them. It’s learning,’” she says.

Smith finds the North Frederick community supportive, on a local and global basis. “Our students collected 2,860 pencils and enough money to buy a week of food, English language books, and a volley ball net for the children at Iris School [in Mozambique]. As a result my husband and I were able to teach in the school and start an English language club after school which continues today. North Frederick students are blessing other kids on the other side of the globe,” she says.

For those considering a career in teaching, Smith offers this advice: “Learning is an experience in relationships; checking ideas and changing ideas for a lifetime. Teach to your students' destinies.”