April 19, 2021 For Immediate Release
City Public Schools Celebrates Teacher of the Year Top 3 Finalists
Each year, City Schools celebrates its great teachers with the Teacher of the Year award. Through a competitive process that includes applications, essays, and recommendations followed by interviews and classroom observations of the finalists, the candidate pool is narrowed until the CEO announces the winner in a surprise classroom visit.
Jamilla Fort
Cecil Elementary School, K-5 Mathematics and SPED Teacher
Jamilla Fort is a creative educational innovator, teacher leader, and academic program designer focusing on mass student impact. She created the Bmore Music! LLC and was awarded a half-million-dollar Maryland State Department of Education grant to design and lead academic enrichment programming to improve student outcomes and culture school-wide. District leaders appointed Jamilla to design, teach and lead BCPSS summer pilots that directly informed district decision-making for SY 20-21 virtual/hybrid learning. This summer, Jamilla led a team of teachers in creating the “Virtual Best Practices for Teachers by Teachers” tool for teachers; she is the Founder and CEO of “Chit-Chats with Fort,” where she connects with students, parents, teachers, and leaders on weekly live shows and offers free professional development through her platform. Jamilla believes teaching is about going above and beyond to ensure students have their best chance at success!
Katy Rennenkampf
Western High School, 9th Grade Mathematics Teacher
Katy Rennenkampf (she/they) is a lifelong learner who brings inclusivity, community, and joy to any classroom she leads-- and can even make math class seem fun! She holds bachelor's degrees in Mathematics, Economics, and English Literature from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in Secondary Mathematics Education from Johns Hopkins University. She currently teaches 9th-grade Algebra at Western High School, where she empowers students to break barriers and be leaders in the math classroom. She supports colleagues in ongoing professional growth and development. Outside of school, Katy mentors youth with the Baltimore Dance Crews Project (she's better at mentoring than the dancing); she also facilitates social justice classes with the Civic Education Project, helping high school students grow into change agents within their own communities.
Sidney Thomas
Holabird Academy, 7th and 8th Grade Social Studies Teacher
Sidney Thomas is a current 7th and 8th-grade model teacher at Holabird Academy, where she has taught both Social Studies and ELA. Sidney earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Millsaps College and her Master of Arts in English from Jackson State University. She is committed to racial equity and to supporting students as they blossom and thrive. As a BMore Me Fellow, she develops and writes a racially equitable and culturally responsive Social Studies curriculum for Baltimore City Schools. Sidney also serves as a Multi-Classroom Lead, Holabird Equity Committee Leader, Project LIT leader, and other outside roles such as a CHARM magazine advisory board member and a One Book Baltimore committee member. Sidney was a 2019 Teacher of the Year Semi-Finalist for Baltimore City Public Schools.