HCPSSHCPSS Names 2026 English Language Development Teachers and Administrator of the Year
April 29th, 2026
Dayton Oaks Elementary School’s (DOES) and West Friendship Elementary School’s (WFES) Susan Starr and Oakland Mills High School’s (OMHS) Sarah Lynch have been named Howard County Public School System’s (HCPSS) Elementary and Secondary English Language Development (ELD) Teachers of the Year, respectively. Guilford Park High School’s Samantha Filipiak has been named ELD Administrator of the year.
Starr, Lynch, and Filipiak were selected based on the following criteria:
- Student Impact
- Innovation and Creativity
- Cultural Sensitivity
- Collaboration
- Professional Development
- Community Engagement
“We proudly honor Susan Starr, Sarah Lynch, and Samantha Filipiak for their collaboration with colleagues and families, challenging and supportive instruction and leadership, and lasting impact on multilingual learners,” says HCPSS ELD Resource Teacher Pam Freedman, who chaired the ELD awards selection committee.
“Ms. Starr works tirelessly to serve our multilingual students, building strong, meaningful relationships with students and families rooted in trust, care, and advocacy,” says DOES Principal Adrienne Williams-Kennard. “Her genuine commitment is evident in the consistent growth our students demonstrate in their English language development.”
WFES Principal Debra O’Byrne adds, “Ms. Starr demonstrates consistent dedication to her caseload of students and works thoughtfully to support their academic and social-emotional growth. She communicates regularly with families, assisting them in accessing appropriate resources, and collaborates effectively with classroom teachers to support instruction for multilingual learners.”
Lynch exhibits similarly outstanding qualities, says OMHS Assistant Principal Jamie Proctor.
“As the instructional team leader for our ELD department, Sarah goes far beyond her classroom to support both teachers and students through thoughtful case management, collaborative leadership, and a deep commitment to multilingual learners. Her leadership has strengthened instructional coherence, elevated best practices, and ensured that multilingual students are supported academically, linguistically, and emotionally.”
GPHS Principal Joshua Wasilewski says that Filipiak has had “a profound and measurable impact on students, staff, and the broader GPHS community” through her leadership, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to multilingual learners. “Collaboration is a cornerstone of Samantha’s leadership,” he adds, highlighting her work with GPHS’ Instructional Team Lead and ELD Coach to support ELD teachers and their co-teachers in implementing best practices for multilingual learners.
More information about HCPSS’ ELD program is available online.