Rockville Kindergarten Teacher Among MCPS Teacher of the Year Finalists

Cristina Ulrich, kindergarten teacher at Brookhaven Elementary School, is among the three finalinst for the 2013-14 Montgomery County Public Schools' Teacher of the Year award.

The other nominees are:

• Steven Katz, math teacher at Westland Middle School
• Dawn Charles, English teacher at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School 

All three are recipients of the Veteran Teacher Award and are being honored with 2013 Excellence in Teaching Awards from the Marian Greenblatt Education Fund, according to a statement from MCPS.

The Greenblatt Education Fund also is honoring Adam Stephens, an instrumental music teacher at Montgomery Blair High School, as the 2013 Rising Star Teacher of the Year. This award honors a first- or second-year teacher whose creativity and enthusiasm encourages students to challenge themselves, according to the statement.

The teachers will be honored as part of the annual Champions for Children Awards Celebration hosted by the Montgomery County Business Roundtable for Education. The MCPS Teacher of the Year will be named during that event, which will take place on Thursday, April 25, at MedImmune’s headquarters in Gaithersburg.

The Marian Greenblatt Fund is named for a former board of education member and recognizes teachers who inspire their students to achieve, encourage younger teachers to be the best they can be, and help their schools and communities. Recipients of the Veteran Teacher Award must have five years or more of teaching experience in Montgomery County and receive a prize of $1,000. The recipient of the Rising Star Teaching Award receives $500, the statement continued.