Fire Ribbon Award Winners - 2026-2027

Recipient's School/Office Location

Recipient's First and Last Name

Recipient's Title/Role

Brooke Grove ES

Rakeb Girma

3rd Grade Teacher

Brooke Grove ES

Kiara Neufville

Paraeducator

Brookhaven ES

Jenny Diaz

Media Specialist Assistant

Capt. James E. Daly ES

Donisha Missick

Judy Center Coordinator

Carl Sandburg Learning Center

Julia Eiden

Special Education Teacher

Clearspring ES

Britanny Miller

1st Grade Teacher

Clearspring ES

Toni Hobbs

Pre-K Teacher

Dr. Sally K. Ride ES

Gerald Eugene

Community School Liaison

Gaithersburg MS

Cressi Boston-Mayo

Assistant Principal

Garrett Park ES

Jean Horan

Paraeducator

Garrett Park ES

Kara Blondino

Grade 4 Teacher

Georgian Forest ES

Hannah Wang

English Language Development Teacher

Georgian Forest ES

Ouafae Mrini

Paraeducator

Germantown ES

Jeff Burdette

PE Teacher

Glen Haven ES

Lynn Case

Paraeducator

Glenallan ES

Carol Petschonek

Teacher, Special Education

Greenwood ES

Jennifer Myers

Reading Specialist

Highland View ES

Monica Cruz

Teacher, Special Education Resource

Jackson Road ES

Elizabeth Pappano

Math Focus Teacher

Jackson Road ES

Jessie Lee

Grade 4 Teacher

Little Bennett ES

Erin Kane

School Psychologist

Lois P. Rockwell ES

Mariea Allnutt

Teacher, Elementary

Luxmanor ES

Keryn Saffell

Media Specialist

Maryvale ES

Kati Coulibaly

Paraeducator

Poolesville HS

Diane Van Yuga

English Teacher

Redland MS

Rashanda Jack

Special Education Teacher

Robert Frost MS

Christina Sardelis

Counseling Secretary and School Registrar

Rock Terrace School

Nelson Padilla

Security Assistant

Rosa M. Parks MS

Veronica Oldfield

Administrative Secretary

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Ashley Garrett

STEM Teacher

Sargent Shriver ES

Michelle Kapuscinki (Hertz)

Special Education Teacher

Sequoyah ES

Jennifer Son

LC Paraeducator

Sequoyah ES

Sakina Rezaee

LC Paraeducator

Thurgood Marshall ES

Georgia Anderson

Assistant Principal

Thurgood Marshall ES

Jessica Vitzthum

ELD Teacher

Washington Grove ES

Abie Ceesay

Art Teacher

Washington Grove ES

Marketta Gent

Music Teacher

Wayside ES

Kayla Bajwa

Grade 4 Teacher

Wayside ES

Jennifer Rudolph

Grade 1 Teacher

Westland MS

Karen Finnerty

Special Education / Alternative Education Teacher

Westland MS

Melissa Hylton

Intervention-Student Support Team Leader / Social Studies Teacher

Whetstone ES

Alexa Williams

Teacher, Special Education

Wyngate ES

Michelle Gins

HSM Teacher

Wyngate ES

Marina Asslanian

Fourth Grade Teacher

Recipient's School/Office Location

Recipient's First and Last Name

Recipient's Title/Role

Bethesda-Chevy Chase HS

John Zehner

Social Studies teacher

Brookhaven ES

Isabella Cordaro

1st Grade Teacher

Capt. James E. Daly ES

Adam Blankinship

ELD Teacher

Capt. James E. Daly ES

Phil Poska

Media Specialist

Carl Sandburg Learning Center

Tamara Bossler

Speech Language Pathologist

Cloverly ES

Michelle Dockery

Special Education Paraeducator

Cloverly ES

Bria Gerald

Paraeducator

Dr. Sally K. Ride ES

Meredith Bauer

School Counselor

Gaithersburg MS

Darakshinda Farooq

Paraeducator

Garrett Park ES

Bridgette Ruttkay

HSM Paraeducator

Garrett Park ES

Leah Montas

Media Specialist

Georgian Forest ES

Joey-Marie Doherty

Third Grade Teacher

Georgian Forest ES

Meseret Fersha

Paraeducator

Germantown ES

Kathy Savino

Kindergarten teacher

Glen Haven ES

Amy Burmeister

Teacher, ELD

Greenwood ES

Hiranya Patterson

Counselor

Highland View ES

Stacy Justice

Teacher

Jackson Road ES

Jennifer Rabanales

Fourth Grade Teacher

Jackson Road ES

Daina Seale

Reading Focus Teacher

Jackson Road ES

Nicole Mason

Reading Specialist

Jackson Road ES

Brianna Wilson

First Grade Teacher

Jackson Road ES

Maria Pisano

Kindergarten Teacher

Jackson Road ES

Dr. Kamita Thigpen-McCoy

Behavior Support Teacher

Jackson Road ES

Brianna Wilson

First Grade Teacher

John F. Kennedy HS

Reginald Wright

Teacher, Resource

Jones Lane ES

Jamie Miller

Paraeducator

Little Bennett ES

Emma Paouncic

5th Grade Learning Center Teacher

Lois P. Rockwell ES

Christie Lampe

Teacher

Northwood HS

Vincent Sumbry

IT Systems Specialist

Northwood HS

Kelly Homer

Teacher

Rock Terrace School

Natasha Sitney-Freeman

Secretary 2 (Main Office and Attendance Secretary + Registrar)

Rolling Terrace ES

Anne Koroknay & Marcelin Vilmar

Community School Liaison / Building Services Manager II Shift

Rosa M. Parks MS

Omar Baxter

ITSS and Athletic Coordinator

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Luisa Jauregui

Community School Liaison

Sequoyah ES

Soraj Nabangchang

LC Paraeducator

Sequoyah ES

Markia Shelton

LC Paraeducator

Thurgood Marshall ES

Risa Reid

Focus Teacher

Whetstone ES

Dianne Gayle

School Secretary

Bannockburn ES

Jonathan Dworin

ELD Teacher

Brookhaven ES

Allison McGowan

STEM Teacher

Brookhaven ES

Antoni Forline

Music Teacher

Brookhaven ES

Sagine Dominique

Paraeducator

Carderock Springs ES

Hannah Robbins

5th Grade Team Leader

Carl Sandburg Learning Center

Jordan Masker

Program Specialist

Chevy Chase ES

Sam Elson, Nada Ibrahim, Bridget Prego, Josephine Luster, Zamzam Salhan, Colleen O'Brien

MCPS Staff

Clearspring ES

Amber Debrowski

Kindergarten

Cloverly ES

Mr. Peet

Building Services

Dr. Sally K. Ride ES

Astrid Odellas

Kindergarten/First Grade Learning Center Teacher

Fox Chapel ES

Alicia Reed

Grade 5 Team Leader

Gaithersburg MS

Philip Brando

Science Teacher

Garrett Park ES

Eric Almengor

Administrative Secretary

Garrett Park ES

Shakirra McKinley

School Counselor

Georgian Forest ES

Leslie Manzon

Special Education Team Leader

Georgian Forest ES

Farah Shahrostambaik

Pre-K Paraeducator

Glen Haven ES

Travis Truppner

Paraeducator

Glenallan ES

Juan Del Granado

Building Service Worker

Greenwood ES

Eugenia Chang

ELD Teacher

Highland View ES

Rosa Pineda and Jose Ayala

Building Service Workers

Jones Lane ES

Rose Davis

Special Education Paraeducator

Little Bennett ES

Laura Yutzey

Speech Pathologist

Lois P. Rockwell ES

Yvette Lopez-Abernathy

Teacher, Elementary

Maryvale ES

Angela Hebron

Paraeducator, Head Start

Olney ES

Stephanie Giurlando

Grade 5 Teacher

Olney ES

Elizabeth Nguyen

Teacher, Reading Specialist

Olney ES

Keri Bonnett

Para Educator

Olney ES

Julie Gormley

Para Educator

Olney ES

Ailyn Martinez & Elsy Castillo

Building Service Manager & Building Service Assistant Manager

Poolesville HS

Allison Wilder

Administrator - Magnet Coordinator

Redland MS

Daniel Ottalini

Science Teacher

Robert Frost MS

Norda Kittrie

Media Assistant

Rock Terrace School

Melissa Norton

Reading Specialist / Middle School Team Leader

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Ashley McGrew

Secretary

Sherwood HS

Katherine Jaffe

Social studies teacher

Spark M. Matsunaga ES

Shannon Smith

Staff Development Teacher

Summit Hall ES

Donna Camden

ELD Teacher

Thurgood Marshall ES

Steph Hight

3rd Grade Teacher

Washington Grove ES

Clarissa Allotey

Music Teacher

Wayside ES

Ellen Adams

Second Grade Teacher

Wayside ES

Melissa Rhoads

Media Specialist

Wayside ES

Michelle Deutsch

First Grade Teacher

Wayside ES

Julie Raab

Media Assistant

Westland MS

Claire Bloch

Acting RTSE

Whetstone ES

Elsa Rios

Parent Community Coordinator

Recipient's School/Office Location

Recipient's First and Last Name

Recipient's Title/Role

Bannockburn ES

Emily Xia

5th grade team leader

Brooke Grove ES

Lauryn Cave

1st Grade Learning Center Teacher

Brooke Grove ES

Mary Blow

Para-Educator

Brookhaven ES

Jordan Crowley

HSM Teacher

Burning Tree ES

Cheryl Johnson, Amanda Luzi, and Lindsey Salcetti

First Grade Teachers

Capt. James E. Daly ES

David De Francesco

3rd Grade Teacher

Carl Sandburg Learning Center

Miriam Vargas-Pacas

Building Service Manager

Cloverly ES

Patricia Parker

Educator

Dr. Sally K. Ride ES

Aneela Patterson

Paraeducator

Flower Valley ES

Flower Valley SESES Team

SESES Team

Gaithersburg MS

Jodi Hart

Reading Intervention Teacher and EFR

Georgian Forest ES

Mervat Hassan

Paraeducator

Georgian Forest ES

Lajuen Usui

First Grade Team Leader

Greenwood ES

Faridy Frias

Cafeteria Manager

Jackson Road ES

Shaniece Hospedales

Kindergarten Teacher

Jackson Road ES

Jodi Whalen

Math Content Coach

Jones Lane ES

Lilly Carter

2nd Grade Teacher

Little Bennett ES

Nicole Anderson

Academic Support

Lois P. Rockwell ES

Stefanie Kucsan

Teacher, Elementary

Maryvale ES

Maria Romero

Administrative Secretary

Northwood HS

Ryan Sullivan

Choral Music Director

Northwood HS

Liz Lightfoot

Counselor

Poolesville HS

Katie Hackey

ITSS

Quince Orchard HS

Peter Ariano

Music Teacher and Band Director

Redland MS

Thaseen Amin

Paraeducator Special Educator

RICA - John L. Gildner Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents

Alyssa Cunneen

Assistant Principal

Robert Frost MS

Charmian Redden

Science Content Specialist

Robert Frost MS

Logan Hsueh

IT Specialist

Rock Terrace School

Elizabeth (Liz) Nardin

Transition Lead Teacher

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Traci Tsui and Navina Grover

Cafeteria Manager and Cafeteria Worker

Sequoyah ES

Kerri Wallis

PE Teacher

Sequoyah ES

Naeemah Sharpe

LC Paraeducator

Thurgood Marshall ES

Ethan Fields

P.E. Teacher

Thurgood Marshall ES

Leigh Dixon

Focus/ELD Teacher

Washington Grove ES

Clarissa Allotey

Special Educator - PEP

Westland MS

Gerald (JT) Twigg

Special Education Teacher

Whetstone ES

Karen Herrera

Building Service staff member

Recipient's School/Office Location

Recipient's First and Last Name

Recipient's Title/Role

Bannockburn ES

Cara Tellier

3rd Grade Teacher

Brooke Grove ES

Lauryn Cave

Teacher, Special Education

Burning Tree ES

Kristy Probst

Special Education Elem Program Specialist

Burning Tree ES

Vanessa Wilson and Karen Torrico

Teacher, Special Education and Paraeducator

Capt. James E. Daly ES

Christina Hashemzadeh

Paraeducator

Capt. James E. Daly ES

Kintora Olfus

4th Grade Team Leader

Capt. James E. Daly ES

Sarah Vandegrift

Counselor

Capt. James E. Daly ES

Danny Divver

4th Grade Teacher

Capt. James E. Daly ES

Darine Yehya

3rd Grade Teacher

Carderock Springs ES

Marcie Axelrod

Special Education Teacher

Carl Sandburg Learning Center

Jackie Mueller

Staff Development Teacher

Clearspring ES

Hannah Bischoff

Kindergarten Learning Center teacher

Dr. Sally K. Ride ES

Paige Carroll

School Secretary

Gaithersburg MS

Phyllis Levy

Administrative Secretary

Georgian Forest ES

Tara Blurton

First Grade Teacher

Georgian Forest ES

Denise Mann

Pre-K paraeducator

Germantown ES

Sheysie Cuthbert de Carlson, Yayu Wang, Jeongsook(Joy) Kim

Special Para Educators

Glen Haven ES

Laura Tun

Instructional Team Leader

Glenallan ES

Amra Nansimbi

Teacher

Glenallan ES

Cecilia Orellana

Building Services

Greenwood ES

Christine Cutino

Media Assistant

Jones Lane ES

Brittany Kimmel

Staff Development Teacher

Jones Lane ES

Linda Oh

ELD Teacher

Judith A. Resnik ES

Shauna Pier

Teacher, Academic Intervention

Little Bennett ES

Marti Musser

ELD Teacher

Lois P. Rockwell ES

Coleen McIntyre

Special Education Resource Teacher

Longview School

Kezia Oliveria Gass

Paraeducator

Luxmanor ES

Erica Son

Kindergarten Teacher

Northwood HS

Christine “Capp” Stein

Resource Counselor

Northwood HS

Cristian Pereira

Counseling Secretary

Poolesville HS

Michelle Hunsicker-Blair

Media Specialist

Redland MS

Deb Romano

Special Education Teacher

Rock Terrace School

Shannon Morgan

Paraeducator, Extended Transitions

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Maritza Reynoso Arias

Building Services

Sargent Shriver ES

Elaine Pak

ELD Teacher

Sequoyah ES

Antonina Smillo

LC Paraeducator

Sequoyah ES

Catherine (Katie) Myers

2nd Grade Teacher

Sherwood HS

Cambrian Powell

Regional Center Lead

Thurgood Marshall ES

Ava Anderson

Music Teacher

Thurgood Marshall ES

Katty Jaquez Suero

Building Service Assistant Manager

Washington Grove ES

Heather Zimmerman

PEP Parent Educator

Westland MS

Laura Williams

School Counselors

Westland MS

Jillian Bailey

Attendance Secretary/ Secretary I

Recipient's School/Office Location

Recipient's First and Last Name

Recipient's Title/Role

Bannockburn ES

Meredith Pennypacker

4th grade team leader

Belmont ES

Minjiang (Alice) Bai

Staff Development Teacher

Brooke Grove ES

Ashley Wright

Learning Center, Academic Interventionist

Candlewood ES

Kate Hardy

Staff Development Teacher

Candlewood ES

Melanie Hermenegildo

Paraeducator

Carl Sandburg Learning Center

Brian Turner

Behavior Support Teacher

Clearspring ES

Kathryn Nayel

Kindergarten Teacher

Cloverly ES

Christine Chauvin

Speech Pathologist

Dr. Sally K. Ride ES

Kate Amin

Kindergarten Teacher

Earle B. Wood MS

Jocelyn Pickering

Deaf of Hard and Hearing Teacher

Gaithersburg MS

Himilse Pinto Roman

Registrar

Georgian Forest ES

Grace Elgart

Speech Pathologist

Georgian Forest ES

Hsiao-Maan Shah

Cafeteria Manager

Greenwood ES

Carlos Cooper

Building Service Manager

Little Bennett ES

Jessica Hawkins

ELD Teacher

Recipient's School/Office Location

Recipient's First and Last Name

Recipient's Title/Role

Belmont ES

Kara Freitas

Grade 3 Teacher

Brooke Grove ES

April Henderson

4th Grade Learning Center, Special Education Teacher

Carl Sandburg Learning Center

Almira Smith

Special Education Para-Educator

Clearspring ES

Rico Wims

Assistant Building Service Manager

Dr. Sally K. Ride ES

David Vega

Assistant Building Manager soon to be Building Manager

Earle B. Wood MS

Katie Custer

Media Specialist

Gaithersburg MS

Erminia Rosanova

Assistant Principal

Georgian Forest ES

Judith Marin

LFI Teacher

Georgian Forest ES

Hsiu Tsai

Food and Nutrition Services

Germantown ES

Charles Goforth

Building Services Assistant Manager

Germantown ES

Charles Goforth

Building a sassistantmanager

Greenwood ES

Lillian Gascon

Administrative Secretary

Greenwood ES

Susan Ostrinsky

Attendance Secretary

Judith A. Resnik ES

Jason Ellison

Building Service Assistant Manager II

Judith A. Resnik ES

Gabriella Torres-Kolobow

Paraeducator

Judith A. Resnik ES

Victoria Howell

Teacher, Elementary

Little Bennett ES

Tricia Smith

Classroom Teacher

Lois P. Rockwell ES

Brittnay Tarpley

Building Service Manager III

Montgomery Knolls ES

Kelly Ballesteros Buitrago

Community School Liaison

Poolesville HS

Melody Morgan

Math Teacher

Redland MS

Erica Alexander

Paraeducator

Rock Terrace School

Kent Thompson

Extended Transitions Program Specialist and Behavior Support Teacher

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Franchesca Mateo

Admin Secretary

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Majano, Ana

Para Educator

Sargent Shriver ES

Shannan McCahan

4th Grade Teacher

Sargent Shriver ES

Eleni Pavlou

ELD Teacher

Sequoyah ES

Julie McInerney

Media Specialist

Sequoyah ES

Jackie Nasar

Learning Center Teacher

Takoma Park MS

Julio Martinez

Building Service Manager

Takoma Park MS

Carlyn Patterson-Breese

Assistant Principal

Washington Grove ES

Julie Schnabel

ELD Teacher

Waters Landing ES

Melisha Cteef

Community School Liaison

School

Recipients' Full Names

Title/Role

Belmont ES

Kelly Morris

Special Education Teacher

Brooke Grove ES

Liliana Vieira

Teacher

Brooke Grove ES

Megan Bibeault and Mikaela Brewer

Teacher and Special Education Teacher

Gaithersburg MS

Gabrielle Hssain

World Languages & Electives Content Specialist

Georgian Forest ES

Amanda Burkman

Staff Development Teacher

Georgian Forest ES

Edgar Ayala

Building Service Manager

Little Bennett ES

Ashley Mattingly

Teacher

Luxmanor ES

Annette Messier

PEP Parent Coordinator

Poolesville HS

Lindsay Junkins

Teacher

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Keisha Keys

Teacher

S. Christa McAuliffe ES

Yessica Ramirez

Building Services Assistant Manager

Sargent Shriver ES

Jacqueline Russell

General Music Teacher

Sargent Shriver ES

Raquel Ordonez

Third Grade Teacher

Sequoyah ES

Angelee Falodun and Rachael Banaei

Special Education Elem Program Specialist and Paraeducator

Summit Hall ES

Melinda (Mindy) Elias

Assistant Principal

Summit Hall ES

Chris Ricketts

Math Content Coach

Washington Grove ES

Laura Hahn

Reading Specialist

Westland MS

Lauren Corby

Counselor

Westland MS

Melanie Travers

Pupil Personnel Worker