Danielle Ford, special education teacher at the Sheppard Pratt School in Rockville, was named this year’s winner of Sheppard Pratt’s annual Teacher of the Year Award. Ford's achievements were celebrated during a surprise ceremony on October 17 with her colleagues and Sheppard Pratt students.
Sheppard Pratt has presented its top educators with the Teacher of the Year Award for the last five years. The award is sponsored by the family of Dr. Penelope “Penny” Cordish, a former Sheppard Pratt board member and retired educator. The purpose of the award is to honor Sheppard Pratt teachers who, like Dr. Cordish, excel in all the following areas: quality, caring, teamwork, integrity, and leadership. Recipients of the award are nominated by their colleagues or by a Sheppard Pratt School family.
Ford received recognition for her caring, collaborative nature as well as her innovation and leadership both inside and outside of the classroom. Those who nominated Ford commented on her outstanding communication, compassion, and commitment to her students’ growth. She was praised for keeping families informed and engaged, creating hands-on learning experiences that build real-world skills for her students, and fostering a respectful, inclusive classroom environment.
Ford goes above and beyond to ensure that there are meaningful vocational opportunities available for her students. She launched a student-led coffee art initiative and a bi-weekly Snack Shack series to give students the opportunity to enhance their independent living skills, and the funds raised through these initiatives are reinvested directly into the classroom to support the students. According to one of her nominators, “Ford leads her classroom with mutual respect and collaboration. All of her colleagues appreciate her inclusivity.”
Sheppard Pratt president and CEO, Harsh K. Trivedi, MD, MBA, presented the award to Ford at the ceremony, sharing that she has “an energy and enthusiasm for education and that your approach to teaching is well-respected by your colleagues, your students, and their families.”
Ford will be awarded a stipend for her recognition, and the Sheppard Pratt School in Rockville will receive $5,000 for professional development.