St. Mary’s County Honors Educators With Community Celebration And Awards During Teacher Appreciation Week
GREAT MILLS, Md. — Teachers, administrators and staff from across St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) gathered at Great Mills High School for a celebration of service, leadership and educational excellence. The annual recognition ceremony, held during Teacher Appreciation Week, highlighted educators and support staff for their excellence, social development and support in shaping the lives of students and strengthening school communities.
Honorees ranged from classroom teachers to front office staff and building leaders, including nominees for the prestigious Washington Post Teacher and Principal of the Year awards, a 42-year tradition recognizing outstanding educators across the Washington, D.C., region.
Awards were also presented by the parent-led group Citizens Advisory Committee for Special Education (CASE), which honored staff with its Rise-Up Awards. Some schools recognized educators who will later attend an awards ceremony sponsored by SMECO, which honored educators for leadership in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education.
SMCPS Superintendent Dr. J. Scott Smith reflected on the evening’s significance. “You are filled with purpose and empathy and the unflappable drive to do what’s right by kids,” Smith said. “We all need to carry this evening with us through the final weeks of the year.”
Community Reflections and Local Heroes
Among those recognized was a support staff honoree from Spring Ridge Middle School, named Educational Support Professional of the Year, who described working as a substitute teacher, then as a paraeducator before moving into an administrative role supporting students, staff and parents.
Hunter Martin, a band teacher at Leonardtown High School and a finalist for the Washington Post Teacher of the Year, credited his 10 years in the district and the support of students and families for shaping his growth as an educator.
“Being named Washington Post Teacher of the Year is indeed validating,” Martin said. “But I hope more than anything else, it shines light on my students, their hard work and the role the arts play in enriching the lives of our youth, both inside and outside of the classroom.”
Martin also noted that SMCPS was recognized by the Educational Theater Association as a premier community for theater education and has been repeatedly recognized as one of the best communities for music education by the National Association for Music Merchants Education.
The award for SMCPS Maryland Teacher of the Year went to Tylita Butler, an eighth-grade science teacher at Esperanza Middle School. A product of St. Mary’s County Public Schools herself, Butler emphasized the circular nature of her career.
“Growing up as a student enrolled in SMCPS, I had the privilege of having some wonderful educators who demonstrated exactly what it is to be a teacher here in the community,” Butler said. “It’s a support system beyond the content of the classroom. I’ve walked these halls as a student, and now I walk them as an educator with the same sense of curiosity, passion and hope.”
Honoring Leadership: Dr. Deborah Dennie Recognized as Principal of the Year Finalist
The evening culminated with the recognition of Dr. Deborah Dennie, principal of Leonardtown Middle School, who was honored as a Washington Post Principal of the Year finalist. Her heartfelt address served as a capstone to the night’s theme of perseverance, gratitude and community.
Dennie credited her assistant principal, Kaci Marschall, for leading the nomination process and praised her “LMS family” of staff and faculty. “You show up early, you stay late, and you give your best to every child who walks through our doors,” she said.
Her remarks underscored the leadership ideals grounded in community relationships. “Education isn’t just about test scores, it’s not just about lesson plans, it’s about people,” Dennie said. “A warm smile in the hallway, a listening ear to a hard moment, a shared laugh at the end of a long day — those are the things that create a culture of a school, and that culture is what drives success.”
She also gave thanks to her family, including her husband and daughters, for supporting her through long hours, late-night write-ups and countless weekend school duties.
Dennie ended her remarks with a quote from C.S. Lewis that drew applause from attendees: “Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.”
As applause echoed through the Great Mills High School auditorium, it was clear that the evening wasn’t just about awards. It was about recognizing the power of daily acts of teaching, of listening, of leading — and how those acts ripple through classrooms and communities long after the final bell.
For a full list of recognition, visit the St. Mary’s County Public Schools website’s awards nominations page.
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