Baltimore City Public Schools -

Govans Elementary School
Pre-Kindergarten

Adrienne Canull teaches Pre-Kindergarten at Govans Elementary School and has been a classroom teacher for over 20 years. She has taught Pre-k, Kindergarten, and Art and is passionate about visual arts in all forms. Adrienne strives to create a classroom where creativity is celebrated and curiosity thrives. She finds joy in teaching young learners who bring excitement and wonder daily. Adrienne is also a two-time published children’s book author and illustrator, through a partnership with the now-retired Pre-k at Play initiative. She enjoys cheering on the O’s and exploring the arts when not teaching. 

Favorite Quote: “It doesn’t happen all at once…you become. It takes a very long time.” -Margery Williams, author of The Velveteen Rabbit. 

Academy for College and Career Exploration
English and African American Studies 

Tonette Campbell is a veteran educator with 19 years of experience, currently teaching English and African American Studies in Baltimore City. She is committed to culturally responsive teaching and educational equity, creating collaborative, identity-affirming classroom experiences that honor student voice, culture, and excellence. Tonette fosters inclusive spaces where students feel seen, valued, and empowered to think critically and express themselves creatively. A lifelong learner and reflective practitioner, she leads with love, purpose, and a deep belief in the transformative power of education to inspire growth and liberation for all students. 

Favorite Quote: “We cannot have educational justice without teachers who are willing to challenge the system and love our children enough to fight for them.” – Dr. Bettina L.

Holabird Academy
Gifted and Advanced Learning (GAL) Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2 

Katlyn has been an educator at Holabird Academy for 13 years, teaching Pre-K, Kindergarten, First Grade, and currently serves as the GAL Pre-K through Grade 2 teacher. As a Master Team Reach Teacher through Opportunity Culture, she models and leads with passion and purpose. Katlyn is deeply committed to foundational literacy, play-based learning, and fostering higher-level thinking in all students. She believes there is giftedness in every child. Katlyn holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s in Education from Johns Hopkins University. She supports expanding The Writing Revolution and has authored literacy, science, SEL, and sustainability curricula. 

Favorite Quote: “There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” - Mr. Rogers 

Hampden Elementary/Middle School
Pre-Kindergarten 

Fevis Cornelia G. Limiac is a dedicated and passionate educator who has been a beacon of light and hope for young learners with special needs.  As a Special Educator for 33 years now, she has been molding minds and transforming lives in City Schools for 16 years. Her teaching career is supported by the foundations she learned from her Master’s Degree in Special Education, with a major in Communication Disorders, and her Master of Arts in Education, with a major in Educational Management.  Currently, she is the Special Educator in the Let’s Grow Program at Hampden Elementary Middle School and a Mentor of the New Teachers from Kenya in the Early Learning Program.  Fevis considers her profession as a ministry. 

Favorite Quote: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  -Proverbs 22:6 

Academy for College and Career Exploration
Mathematics and Special Education

Jevons Liu is a National Board Certified special education and mathematics Model Teacher at the Academy for College and Career Exploration. He founded the school’s AP Calculus program, expanding opportunities for students to pursue STEM careers and raising the ceiling for excellence. Committed to equity, he holds students with IEPs to high expectations and has taught in the Maryland Correctional Institutions. He leads staff wellness and oversees academics for student-athletes, ensuring holistic support for students and educators. He mentors new teachers in the district, serves on the Maryland Teacher Advisory Council, and co-chairs the Maryland Blueprint Pillar 5 Advisory Committee. 

Favorite Quote: “As an aspiring teacher, you will be a part of a movement to improve and refine education in Baltimore City. You will become an integral member of a community that is already working hard to support children and bring equity to American education.” - Excerpt from my offer letter to join Baltimore City Public Schools.

Baltimore City College
International Baccalureate Spanish

Franca Muller Paz is an educator of 15 years whose work bridges the classroom, community, and world. As a model Spanish teacher and department chair at Baltimore City College, she leads groundbreaking efforts in heritage language instruction, international travel, and student advocacy. A Fulbright-Hays participant, “25 Women to Watch” honoree, and elected union leader, Franca fights for education funding, internet access, and Multilingual Learner rights across Baltimore and Maryland. She empowers youth through student-led programs like Students Organizing a Multicultural Open Society (SOMOS) and Intercambio, a family and staff language exchange. Her students build language skills, win campaigns, and shape policy. 

Favorite Quote: "In the depth of winter, I learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus (from the essay Return to Tipasa) 

The Historic Cherry Hill Elementary/Middle School
Math and Science

Sheridan Pratt, a proud third-grade math and science educator at The Historic Cherry Hill Elementary Middle School, has dedicated 10 years to teaching in the Cherry Hill community. Originally from Pittsburgh, she earned her dual Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education before earning her Master's from the University of Pittsburgh. In addition to teaching, Mrs. Pratt is a member of the Instructional Leadership Team, the Attendance Co-Chair, elementary team lead, and a middle school cheerleading coach. Mrs. Pratt has also won the Baltimore Teachers Network’s ‘Beacon of Light’ award for her profound impact on the lives of her students, school, and the community she serves.

Favorite Quote: “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mary Ann Winterling Elementary School at Bentalou
Kindergarten

Meagan Smith is a Nationally Board-Certified Teacher. She teaches Kindergarten at Mary Ann Winterling Elementary School, where she empowers students to be the best versions of themselves academically and socially. Meagan holds several leadership positions within her school that contribute to a strong family and community engagement culture. She also supports the growth of City Schools educators and families by participating in projects designed to strengthen home-school partnerships. Meagan shows dedication to supporting her colleagues by leading professional development for both the Science department and the Office of Family and Community Engagement. 

Favorite Quote: “Education brings confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.” - Confucius

Fallstaff Elementary/Middle School
Middle School Social Studies

Laya Theberge is an educator with 19 years of experience, including over a decade teaching middle school students social studies in Baltimore City. She earned her B.A. in Education from Augsburg University and M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction in Social Justice from Loyola University Maryland. Committed to equity, Laya focuses on building strong relationships, empowering student voices, and fostering joy in learning—principles she emphasizes while mentoring early-career teachers. She also teaches robotics at the Johns Hopkins CTY, promoting hands-on, problem-based learning. In 2021, Laya was selected to participate in a NHD/Library of Congress professional learning series, further deepening her commitment to meaningful, inquiry-driven history education. Dedicated to creating environments where curiosity thrives and every student feels valued, Laya is a proud advocate for public education, with her children attending Baltimore City schools. 

Favorite Quote: “There’s no such thing as neutral education. Education either functions as an instrument to bring about conformity or freedom.” - Paulo Freire

Cecil Elementary School
Kindergarten

Laquinnya Wynder, M.Ed., is a kindergarten teacher at Cecil Elementary School. Laquinnya serves as a model teacher and mentor to early career teachers at Cecil. She attained a Master of Education Degree from Towson University in 2014. She has been a classroom teacher for 13 years. Laquinnya has a passion for teaching, learning, and building relationships with students that has led to academic and social gains for many of Cecil’s youngest learners. She has led a Professional Learning Community (PLC) to increase academic achievement and improve pre-kindergarten and kindergarten cohesiveness using curriculum research and data analysis. 

Favorite Quote: “Sometimes the thing your students need most has nothing to do with the lesson plan.” ~ Anonymous 

Hampstead Hill Academy
English Language Arts – 7th Grade 

Kat Locke-Jones believes that creating brave spaces for students means reflecting their authentic light back to them. Locke-Jones earned her English Education degree from the University of Delaware (2013) and her M.S.Ed from Johns Hopkins University (2015). Locke-Jones is cofounder of SL24 and Sean’s House, a mental health foundation focused on educating, assisting, and supporting students. As a BCPS model teacher and 2023 TOY Finalist, she feels incredibly lucky to teach 7th grade ELA at Hampstead Hill Academy. When she’s not trying to be “the best worst dancer” in her classroom, she’s passionate about teaching students to write and tell their own stories. 

Favorite Quote: “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”  – Edith Wharton

Click here to watch her surprise announcement video!