Freeland Teacher Melissa Salkeld

Baltimore County Public Schools Teacher Melissa
Salkeld Earns $25,000 Milken Educator Award
Prettyboy Elementary School kindergarten teacher equips young learners for
academic and personal growth. 

In a surprise assembly today, Melissa Salkeld, a kindergarten teacher at Prettyboy
Elementary School, received a $25,000 Milken Educator Award for her unique combination of high
expectations and heartfelt dedication that encourages social, emotional and academic growth in her
young learners. 

Every year, Salkeld’s kindergarteners show marked improvement over their peers, ready
and equipped to thrive in school.

Milken Educator Awards Senior Vice President Dr. Jane Foley, Maryland Superintendent of Schools
Mohammed Choudhury and Superintendent of Schools for Baltimore County Public Schools Dr. Darryl
Williams presented Salkeld with the honor before cheering students, colleagues, state and local officials
and the media. 

Salkeld will join the national Milken Educator Network, a cadre of more than 2,800
educators and leaders across the U.S. dedicated to furthering quality K-12 education.

“Kindergarten teachers like Melissa Salkeld have the important responsibility of providing fertile ground
for all students to grow, both academically and as individuals,” said Dr. Foley, who is herself a 1994
Milken Educator from Indiana. 

“In Melissa’s classroom, students develop crucial skills of self-motivation,
independence, collaboration, and critical thinking. Melissa’s talents extend beyond the classroom
through her membership on Prettyboy’s instructional leadership team, where she advocates for
equitable educational opportunities for all. We welcome Melissa Salkeld into the Milken Educator Award
family today and look forward to the contributions she will bring on a national scale. Congratulations,
Melissa!” 

Salkeld is the first educator from Prettyboy Elementary School and among some 60 educators coast-tocoast who will receive the Award during the 2021-22 school year. She is the only Milken Educator Award
recipient from Maryland this season.

“Today, we are among greatness. As a Milken Educator Award winner, Melissa Salkeld sets the standard
for excellence in education, not only in Maryland but throughout the country,” said Maryland State
Superintendent Choudhury. 

“I share my congratulations and thanks to Ms. Salkeld, Prettyboy
Elementary School and Baltimore County Schools for their commitment to outstanding teaching and
learning. We know that teachers profoundly impact the positive trajectory of student lives, which
reverberates through our communities, the fabric of our nation and generations yet to come. 

Our
mission to realize a bright future for every child is only possible through the efforts of educators like Ms.
Salkeld whose exceptional skill, dedication and success prioritizes both the academic acceleration and
social-emotional wellbeing of her young students.”

“Melissa Salkeld is a tremendous example of the impact great teachers have on the lives of their
students,” said Baltimore County Public Schools Superintendent Williams. 

“Her innovative teaching
methods, leadership in the school community and unwavering belief in her students have consistently
resulted in positive outcomes for students. Congratulations to Melissa, her students, and the entire
Prettyboy Elementary School community for this well-deserved recognition.” 

Hailed as the “Oscars of Teaching,” Milken Educator Awards inspire and uplift with the unique stories of
educators making a profound difference for students, colleagues and communities. The Awards are not
designated for lifetime achievement. Recipients are heralded while early to mid-career for what they
have achieved — and for the promise of what they will accomplish given the resources and
opportunities inherent in the Award.

Oprah, a longtime education advocate, shared her congratulations to this year’s winners in a video
message shared earlier this year thanking “the most incredible educators around the country” and
acknowledging her deep appreciation for the “tireless work” they do. 

U.S. Secretary of Education Dr.
Miguel Cardona said Milken Educators “personify excellence in education” and “inspire leadership and
motivate students to excel.”

More About Melissa Salkeld:
Classroom Creativity for Young Learners: Salkeld holds high expectations for the youngest learners at
Prettyboy Elementary School. 

She connects concepts to real life, helping students practice specific
strategies, incorporate precise vocabulary, and demonstrate their learning. Salkeld often divides the
class into small groups, allowing students to work collaboratively as she moves from table to table,
differentiating to meet each child’s strengths and needs. 

Students use manipulatives, checklists of
success criteria, and technology like audiobooks, First in Math and Wixie to move toward mastery of
reading, numeracy and other age-appropriate skills. Salkeld’s pupils show consistent growth each year
and leave her class prepared to succeed in higher grades. 

Focus on Social and Emotional Learning: Salkeld brings innovative practices to her classroom, with a
strong focus on social and emotional learning (SEL). She has studied Conscious Discipline, a traumainformed, evidence-based SEL methodology, and threads its strategies throughout her practice. 

With
respect, caring and genuine love, Salkeld strengthens her students’ social emotional skills, coaches other
teachers on managing behavioral issues, and shares academic and emotional support techniques with
parents so they can build children’s strengths at home. A strong advocate for children, especially those
with special needs, Salkeld stresses equity and believes all students should have equal opportunities to
learn and succeed in her class.
Leader in Education Best Practices: 

As a member of Prettyboy’s school progress planning team, Salkeld
helped design professional development for staff on responsive instruction, including developing data
stories, exploring learner variability, and creating equitable learning environments. She has introduced
colleagues to SEL strategies that support students’ self-regulation and executive functioning, including
mindful breathing, classroom commitments, and student jobs. 

Salkeld welcomes colleagues for learning
walks and has led professional development for the district on executive functioning. Visitors from the
district, University of Delaware and Johns Hopkins University have observed Salkeld’s implementation of
academic and SEL best practices. Through a partnership with Universal Design for Learning
Implementation and Research Network, educators from around the U.S., Australia and Canada have
visited Salkeld’s classroom.
Education: Salkeld earned a bachelor’s in early childhood education from Villa Julie College in 2006 and
a master’s in curriculum, instruction and assessment in 2013 from Walden University. 

More About the Milken Educator Awards: “The future belongs to the educated.”
Along with the financial prize, Milken Educator Award recipients join the national Milken Educator
Network, a group of more than 2,800 top teachers, principals and specialists. The network serves as a
rich resource for fellow educators, legislators, school boards and others dedicated to excellence in
education. 

In June, the honorees will attend an all-expenses-paid Milken Educator Awards Forum in Los
Angeles, where they will network with their new colleagues as well as veteran Milken Educators
and other education leaders about how to increase their impact on K-12 education. In addition,
they will learn about how to become involved in the Milken Friends Forever (MFFs) mentoring
program, in which freshman Milken Educators receive personalized coaching and support from a
Milken Educator veteran on ways to elevate their instructional practice and take an active role
in educational leadership, policy and practice. 

Over the years, more than $140 million in funding, including $70 million for the individual cash
awards, has been devoted to the overall Milken Awards initiative, which includes powerful
professional development opportunities throughout recipients’ careers. 

Veteran Milken Educators frequently go on to serve in leadership roles at state, national and
international levels.

• “We find you. You don’t find us!” Unlike most teacher recognition programs, the Milken
Educator Awards initiative has no formal nomination or application process. Candidates are
sourced through a confidential selection process and then reviewed by blue ribbon panels in
each state. 

The most exceptional candidates are recommended for the award, with final
selection made by the Milken Family Foundation.

• The $25,000 cash award is unrestricted. Recipients have used the money in diverse ways. For
instance, some have spent the funds on their children’s or their own continuing education,
financing dream field trips, establishing scholarships, and even adopting children. 

To get regular updates on the surprise Milken Educator Award events or to watch the award events
unfold, follow and use the #MilkenAward hashtag on Facebook (@MilkenEducatorAwards), Twitter
(@Milken), YouTube (/MilkenAward), Instagram (MilkenFamilyFdn), and TikTok (@MilkenAward).
For more information, visit MilkenEducatorAwards.org or call the Milken Family Foundation at (310)
570-4772.
At the time of the Award, Melissa Salkeld was:

Teacher
Prettyboy Elementary
Freeland, MD

Subject(s) taught: General Elementary
Grade(s): K

Biographical Information

Kindergarten teacher Melissa Salkeld holds high expectations for the youngest learners at Prettyboy Elementary School in Freeland, Maryland. She connects concepts to real life, helping students practice specific strategies, incorporate precise vocabulary, and demonstrate their learning. Salkeld often divides the class into small groups, allowing students to work collaboratively as she moves from table to table, differentiating to meet each child’s strengths and needs. Students use manipulatives, checklists of success criteria, and technology like audiobooks, First in Math and Wixie to move toward mastery of reading, numeracy and other age-appropriate skills. Salkeld’s pupils show consistent growth each year and leave her class prepared to succeed in higher grades.

Salkeld brings innovative practices to her classroom, with a strong focus on social and emotional learning (SEL). She has studied Conscious Discipline, a trauma-informed, evidence-based SEL methodology, and threads its strategies throughout her practice. With respect, caring and genuine love, Salkeld strengthens her students’ social emotional skills, coaches other teachers on managing behavioral issues, and shares academic and emotional support techniques with parents so they can build children’s strengths at home. A strong advocate for children, especially those with special needs, Salkeld stresses equity and believes all students should have equal opportunities to learn and succeed in her class.

As a member of Prettyboy’s school progress planning team, Salkeld helped design professional development for staff on responsive instruction, including developing data stories, exploring learner variability, and creating equitable learning environments. She has introduced colleagues to SEL strategies that support students’ self-regulation and executive functioning, including mindful breathing, classroom commitments, and student jobs. Salkeld welcomes colleagues for learning walks and has led professional development for the district on executive functioning. Visitors from the district, University of Delaware and Johns Hopkins University have observed Salkeld’s implementation of academic and SEL best practices. Through a partnership with Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network, educators from around the U.S., Australia and Canada have visited Salkeld’s classroom.

Salkeld earned a bachelor’s in early childhood education from Villa Julie College in 2006 and a master’s in curriculum, instruction and assessment in 2013 from Walden University.

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