Ask the MSDE Reading Team

Bonnie Schmeltz

Bonnie Schmeltz is the Maryland State Coordinator for Reading and English Language Arts. Bonnie joined this office from Anne Arundel County Public Schools, where she was a principal. Twenty-five years prior to being a principal, she was also an assistant principal, Title I reading specialist, county reading specialist and a classroom teacher. She has taught reading courses at the university level.
 
Bonnie is a member of the Anne Arundel County Reading Council, State of Maryland Reading council, and the International Reading Association Council. She has made presentations at each level and has been president of the local and state organization. She served a six year term as the state coordinator and is currently the scholarship chairperson.

Joseph Clark

Joseph Clark is a Specialist in Reading and English Language Arts responsible for curriculum, assessment, and professional development. He joined the Reading/English Language Arts Office from Calvert County Public Schools, where he was a classroom teacher and journalism adviser at Calvert High School for ten years. He also spent 17 years in Prince George's County Public Schools, predominately at Bowie High School, first as a teacher and later as Teacher Coordinator. His primary job at MSDE involves facilitating the design, development, and administration of the English HSA.

Alison Delaney

Alison Delaney is a High School Reading/English Language Arts Specialist responsible for curriculum, and professional development. She joined the Reading/English Language Arts Office from Queen Anne's County Public Schools where she was a reading specialist, an English teacher for grades 9 through 12, and the English department coordinator at Kent Island High School. Her job at MSDE involves curriculum initiatives, online courses, and leading the Governor's Academy for English.

Sylvia Edwards

Sylvia Edwards is a Specialist in Reading/English Language Arts responsible for curriculum and assessment. Sylvia joined the Reading/English Language Arts Office from Anne Arundel County Public Schools, where she was serving as the teacher specialist for high school English. She has taught at the junior high school, high school, community college, and university levels. Her job at MSDE involves revising curriculum, assisting with the development of the HSA English II, and facilitating the design and development of the MSA for Reading.

Heather Lageman

Heather Lageman is a High School Reading/English Language Arts Specialist responsible for curriculum, assessment, and professional development. She joined the Reading/English Language Arts Office from Baltimore County Public Schools, where she was the Assistant to the Central Area Assistant Superintendent in the Central Office. She also served Baltimore County Public Schools at Dulaney High School. She was as an English teacher and yearbook advisor at Dulaney before serving as their Assistant Principal for three years. Her primary job at MSDE involves facilitating the design, development, and administration of the English HSA.

Kathy Lauritzen

Kathy Lauritzen is a specialist in Reading/English Language Arts responsible for curriculum, assessment and professional development. Kathy joined the RELA following a career in Anne Arundel Co. Public Schools as an elementary classroom teacher, school based reading resource teacher, and central office reading specialist in grades K-12. For the past two years she has worked part-time with MSDE’s School Improvement Initiatives program and provided on-going consultative services in reading to out of state school districts. In addition, Kathy teaches several courses in reading for the Graduate Programs in Education Division of Goucher College. Her job at MSDE involves the Voluntary State Curriculum, the instructional toolkit, assessment initiatives and professional development.

Lynette Sledge

Lynette Sledge is a specialist in Reading/English Language Arts responsible for curriculum and assessment. Lynette joined the Reading/English Language Arts Office from Anne Arundel County Public Schools where she was an English Language Arts teacher and department chairperson at Severna Park Middle School.