April 1, 2021
Five Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) art teachers were recently recognized by the Maryland Art Education Association (MAEA) as outstanding educators.
The association named three teachers as CCPS Career Art Educators of the Year. They are Kristina Blakeslee of Maurice J. McDonough High School; Christine Chinault of Malcolm Elementary School; and Gayle Kraus of Piccowaxen Middle School.
Christin Downie of the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center and Caroline Metcalfe of Indian Head Elementary School were named CCPS Novice Art Educators of the Year by the MAEA.
Blakeslee has been at McDonough for 10 years where she teaches freshmen through seniors in Art 1, Painting 1 and 2, Ceramics 1 and 2, sculpture, and advanced placement art and design. She also teaches art classes to students in the ACHIEVE program. “I love seeing my high school students apply the skills and concepts they’ve learned to amaze me,” Blakeslee said. “They are all so unique, and it’s ex