Career Center Culinary Arts Teacher Chef Renee Randolph Named APS 2020 Teacher of the Year

Arlington Career Center Culinary Arts Teacher Chef Renee Randolph has been named Arlington Public Schools’ 2020 Teacher of the Year.

“I want to congratulate Renee Randolph for being selected as this year’s APS Teacher of the Year,” said Interim Superintendent Cintia Johnson. “Chef Randolph is an amazing teacher who has genuine passion for what she does, and it shows through her teaching and her interactions with her students.” Johnson added, “Her commitment to her students and love of culinary arts is evident in each of her classes, and she skillfully organizes her class routines to maximize instructional time and keep her students engaged in learning.”

Randolph has been teaching since 2005 and has been at the Career Center since 2016. She taught family and consumer science at Potomac and Gwynn Park high schools in Prince Georges County, Md.

“As the Career Center’s culinary arts instructor, Chef Randolph’s inspiring instruction embodies what it means to be an outstanding teacher,” said Principal Margaret Chung. “She is a teacher without equal in how she inspires all students to learn.”

Randolph has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Master of Business Administration from University of Maryland University College and holds a certification as a culinary essential educator from Johnson & Wales University. In addition, Randolph is an American Culinary Federation Certified Chef.

When she first started at the Career Center, Randolph shared her vision of increasing academic rigor by providing increased opportunities for hands-on industry learning experiences which included opportunities to earn industry certifications from the National Restaurant Association and the American Culinary Federation. She also implemented the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) to provide students access to mentor chefs, paid summer internships, culinary employment training and college scholarships.In addition, Culinary Arts students operate a full-service restaurant called Off the Pike four nights a year that is opened to the public as well as a fully licensed food truck called Off the Pike Mobile. Both provide valuable, hands-on experiences to students.

“Renee has been a great addition to the Culinary Arts Program and a vital member of the Family and Consumer Science team in Arlington,” said Career, Technical and Adult Education Director Kris Martini.“Chef Randolph takes learning to the next level. Nurturing, invaluable, role model are all words that make her class come to life,” said Wakefield senior Mauricio Ventura-Jimenez. “Chef gives us opportunities that some college students would beg for.”

Randolph will serve as Arlington’s nominee for the 2021 Virginia Teacher of the Year Award and is one of 19 metropolitan area teachers who will been recognized as a finalist for The Washington Post 2020 Teacher Award which will be published on May 15.

In previous years, APS has held a Celebration of Excellence event in May to honor the Teacher of the Year and the other APS teachers who have been named Teacher of the Year for their individual schools. This year, because of the school closure due to COVID-19, Chef Randolph and the other award recipients will be honored virtually across APS social media channels with videos and photos. The virtual celebration will kick off Tuesday, April 21 and extend through May. Follow APS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to view the recognitions.

APS Teacher of the Year Honorees for Each School
This year’s outstanding APS Teacher of the Year school-based honorees include:

Kathi Aagaard, Abingdon Elementary School
Katherine Annamreddy, Discovery Elementary School
Leslie Argueta, Ashlawn Elementary School
Denice Arroyo, Barcroft Elementary School
Nichole Barrett, Taylor Elementary School
Julie Bato, Long Branch Elementary School
Katlyn Bennett, Jefferson Middle School
Kristy Bergmann, Key Elementary School
Dora Black, Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School
Daniel Bowles, Jamestown Elementary School
Gregory Cabana, Wakefield High School
Kenneth Campbell, Swanson Middle School
Tara Colgan, Arlington Community High School
Nicole Croce, Campbell Elementary School
Sara Fiorini, Washington-Liberty High School
Kelsey Gallion, Oakridge Elementary School
Michael Giusto, Nottingham Elementary School
Carrie Goodfellow, H-B Woodlawn Secondary Program
Wayne Herninko, Glebe Elementary School
Mark Holladay, Arlington Traditional School
Tomeka Jones, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Program
Anthony Hyman, Gunston Middle School
Eve Mendolia, Montessori Public School of Arlington
Marissa Mulholland, Barrett Elementary School
Rebecca Jones-Napolitano, Randolph Elementary School
Kate Neal, Carlin Springs Elementary School
Maedeh Pourrabi, Alice West Fleet Elementary School
Gina Rocco, McKinley Elementary School
Denise Santiago, Claremont Elementary School
Gregg Siegal, Hoffman-Boston Elementary School
Eric Skrzpek, Williamsburg Middle School
Justine Springberg, Yorktown High School
Megan Starke, Integration Station
Michelle Strickland, Tuckahoe Elementary School
Teresa Taylor, Kenmore Middle School
Lauren Worley, Arlington Science Focus School

Dorothy Hamm Middle School did not nominate a teacher this year given that the school community is new for the 2019-20 school year.

Teacher of the Year honorees are nominated by their individual school communities through a selection process that includes input from staff, students and families. A panel of school leaders, past Teacher of the Year winners and Executive Leadership team members then reviews all applicants and conducts a selection process to name the APS Teacher of the Year.