Principal, Teachers Of The Year Named For The Howard County Public School System

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The principal and teachers of the year for the Howard County Public School System have been announced by school leaders.

The award winners are:

• Principal of the Year: Dr. Joelle Miller, Centennial High School
• Teacher of the Year: Jeanette Swank, Ellicott Mills Middle School
• Teacher of the Year: Jessica Nichols, River Hill High School

Each award winner was informed of their honor during surprise visits at their schools and will be recognized at an upcoming Howard County Board of Education meeting. The three also serve as the HCPSS nominees for Washington Post Principal of the Year, Washington Post Teacher of the Year (Swank) and Maryland State Department of Education Teacher of the Year (Nichols).

Dr. Joelle Miller, Centennial High School, HCPSS 2024 Principal of the Year

Dr. Miller began her education career as a biology consultant for the Caroline County Public School System, followed by work as a science teacher, Advanced Placement coordinator, biology content review specialist and Maryland Science Olympiad Division Coordinator. She began her HCPSS career in 2007 as a biology teacher at River Hill High School. She served as assistant principal at Centennial High School from 2010-2015, after which she served as principal at Clarksville Middle School and Mt. Hebron High School. She returned to Centennial High School as principal this school year.

Jessica Nichols, River Hill High School, HCPSS 2024 Teacher of the Year

Nichols has been a secondary social studies teacher since 2001. She taught in Montgomery County Public Schools and at a private academy before joining the social studies department at River Hill High School in 2014. While there, she has been the head sponsor of several school clubs and served as the school’s wellness representative and as a teacher development liaison.

Jeanette Swank, Ellicott Mills Middle School, HCPSS 2024 Teacher of the Year

Swank’s 23-year career in education began in Baltimore County where she served as a middle school Spanish teacher and foreign language department chair. She joined HCPSS in 2006 as a 7th grade English teacher and department chair at Wilde Lake Middle School. In 2014, she moved to Running Brook Elementary School, where she taught and served as the team leader for 3rd and 5th grade. In 2019, she moved to Ellicott Mills Middle School, where she teaches 6th and 7th grade English. Swank has held numerous leadership roles during her educational career, including being a member of school improvement, leadership and professional development teams, as well as mentoring teacher interns. She is currently pursuing National Board Certification.