Kate Ehrlich, Maryland Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year
Oakdale High School Teacher Named Maryland Council for Social Studies Teacher of the Year
Frederick, MD – Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) is pleased to announce that Oakdale High School teacher Kate Ehrlich was named the Maryland Council for the Social Studies Teacher of the Year at their annual conference on Saturday, April 6, 2024. Ehrlich was also recognized earlier in March by the Maryland General Assembly and State Senator Bill Folden and Delegate April Miller.
Ehrlich is a graduate of Towson University, has a Master's degree in the Humanities from Hood College, and earned her National Board Certification in 2011. She has been a teacher for FCPS since 2006. She was recognized by the council for her excellence as a teacher, notably for her development of a number of courses at FCPS, including a new dual enrollment Cultural Identity in America course and her sponsorship of the Rho Kappa social studies honor society.
Ehrlich is dedicated to expanding the historical narrative in Frederick County. She received a grant from the Institute for Common Power to develop a traveling exhibit about local Black & African American history. The exhibit features several notable local figures from Frederick County, and their impact on local history and the Frederick community. The presentation has been traveling to FCPS high schools and will continue to travel through FCPS middle and high schools next year.
“Ms. Ehrlich is a consummate professional; she is a leader of her peers and dedicated to her students,” said Colleen Bernard, Curriculum Specialist of Secondary Social Studies for FCPS. “She is always seeking new knowledge and ways to grow her professional practice. Every summer she engages in a study abroad for teachers program, then returns to share her learning with her peers.”
The Maryland Council for Social Studies (MDCSS) is dedicated to the promotion and support of social studies education in Maryland and the United States, and to the advancement of cultural understanding, respect for human differences, and an appreciation of diversity. MDCSS provides high quality professional development and instructional resources for Maryland social studies teachers and works to recognize excellence in social studies instruction at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.