This year’s Teacher of the Year is Kristen Portalea, a dedicated math teacher with 14 years of experience at Rockville High School. Known for her creativity and commitment to all learners—especially students with IEPs and Emergent Multilingual students—Ms. Portalea makes every student feel welcome. Whether it’s using erasable highlighters, color-coded notes, or hot chocolate to keep lessons engaging, she goes above and beyond to help every student succeed.