Nominations are now open for the 2026-2027 Teacher of the Year, Early Excellence Educator, and DCPS Team Members of the Year! All nominations must be submitted online by 8:00PM on January 21, 2026 to be considered.
Teacher of the Year
Nominees must have completed at least five years of successful teaching by the time of nomination. They must be professionally licensed, highly qualified full-time teachers who spend the majority of their time teaching. Nominees must continue teaching in Dorchester County through the 2026-2027 school year and be available to attend all events related to the Teacher of the Year program.
Selection process: Nomination lists will be sent to each school principal, who will select one school finalist. Finalists will be notified by DCPS Human Resources and will submit an application portfolio, participate in an interview, and have a classroom visit scored by a panel of judges. Scores from these components will determine the DCPS Teacher of the Year, announced at the DCPS Awards Night on April 9, 2026.
🔗Teacher of the Year Nomination Form
Early Excellence Educator
Nominees must be non-tenured teachers with fewer than three years of successful teaching experience and on track to achieve tenure. They must be highly qualified and spend the majority of their time teaching. Nominees must continue teaching in Dorchester County through the 2026-2027 school year.
Selection process: Nomination lists will be sent to each school principal, who will select one school finalist. Finalists will be notified by DCPS Human Resources and will submit an application portfolio along with a video recording of a lesson. A panel of judges will score these materials to select the DCPS Early Excellence Educator, announced at the DCPS Awards Night on April 9, 2026.
🔗Early Excellence Educator Nomination Form
Team Members of the Year
Nominees must be full-time Dorchester County Public Schools employees. Eligibility for finalists will be determined by their supervisor and/or school principal. One winner in each of the following categories will be selected by a panel of judges based on a rating rubric:
Service Above Self
Community Connections
Impact
Leadership
🔗Team Member of the Year Nomination Form
All finalists will be notified by Friday, February 27, 2026 and celebrated at the DCPS Awards Gala on Thursday, April 9, 2026.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Casey O'Bier (obierc@dcpsmd.org) or Mrs. Shamya Johnson Stover (johnsonsh@dcpsmd.org), your Teacher of the Year and DCPS Awards co-coordinators.