December 09, 2024 - Hershey, PA
Interim Acting Secretary of Education Angela Fitterer announced that Leon Smith, an educator at Haverford Township School District, has been named the 2025 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year. The announcement was made during the SAS Institute, the Pennsylvania Department of Education's annual professional development conference. "Each year, Pennsylvania's Teacher of the Year celebrates the educator who is 'head of the class'-a teacher with the values, experience, and dedication needed to support their learners and set them up for success," said Interim Acting Secretary Fitterer. "Mr. Smith perfectly exemplifies what it means to be an excellent educator, and his commitment to his school is making a lasting impact on his students, their families, and the surrounding community." Leon Smith is a secondary teacher at Haverford High School in the Haverford Township School District in Havertown. He has spent 22 years at the district and teaches 9th grade Honors and Advanced Placement Social Studies, as well as 10th-12th grade African American Studies. Mr. Smith holds a Bachelors in Secondary Social Studies Education from the University of Maryland at College Park, a Masters in Educational Leadership in Technology Integration from Pennsylvania State University, and a PK-12 Principal certification from Cabrini University. Speakers Include:Leon Smith, 2025 Pennsylvania Teacher of the YearAngela Fitterer, Interim Acting Secretary of Education
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