Hillcrest Elementary teacher Melanie Pereira and North Frederick Elementary principal Tracy Poquette are the 2026 Frederick County finalists in the Washington Post Educator of the Year program.
Pereira is the 2026 Washington Post Teacher of the Year finalist for FCPS. Poquette is the 2026 Washington Post Principal of the Year finalist for FCPS.
The Washington Post Educator of the Year program celebrates educators who go above and beyond the day-to-day demands of their positions to create exceptional learning environments.
Washington Post Teacher of the Year finalist
Melanie Pereira is a second-grade teacher at Hillcrest Elementary, where she is a leader in Hillcrest’s One-Way Bilingual program.
A champion for multilinguistic students, Pereira is committed to supporting them as they gain confidence in learning English as a second language. She is also focused on promoting collaborative learning with all staff and is always willing to try new practices.
Pereira earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland, College Park. She was a 2025 FCPS Teacher of the Year finalist.
Washington Post Principal of the Year finalist
Tracy Poquette is in her sixth year as the principal at North Frederick Elementary, where she leads a school community of 675 students and 100 employees.
After starting her education career as a teacher in 2006, she discovered a passion for innovative instruction and earned her mathematics specialist certification. She has also served as a math specialist and assistant principal.
North Frederick has seen steady academic gains via Poquette’s leadership with a notable 5 percent increase in math proficiency within one year.