Salisbury University students on campus

SU PDS National Awards

2023: SU Alumna Earns Nation's Only Exemplary Mentor Teacher Award From NAPDS

Clara Outten poses with award Salisbury University partners with dozens of schools, hundreds of teachers and thousands of students in Maryland through its Professional Development Schools network each year.

As part of the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS), SU is a part of a large organization with tens of thousands of pre-service teachers being mentored throughout the U.S.

SU alumna Clara Outten ’00 M’06, a first-grade teacher at Snow Hill Elementary School, has served as mentor to more than 30 SU interns over the past 20 years. She recently was recognized for her outstanding work, a the only mentor in the nation to receive the NAPDS Exemplary Mentor Teacher Award at the organization’s annual conference in Jacksonville, FL.  Read more...

2021: Second SU Intern Wins National Award

Emma Reider in front on her poster presentationAt the National Association for Professional Development Schools annual conference in late March, Emma Reider was awarded with the Emerging PDS Leader Award; one of two such awards in 2021 given to student members of the Association.

Emma is the second SU teacher candidate to win the Emerging PDS Leader Award, following Shelby Ennis’s honor in 2018. The Elementary Education major, who completed her internship at Berlin Intermediate School, was nominated by her mentor, PDS Site Coordinator Pam Lipka, and by a joint nomination submitted by Dean Laurie Henry and PDS Coordinator Sara Elburn.

The award’s criteria include service to NAPDS, presenting at the national conference, and contributions to the local PDS. Emma was part of two presentations with SU faculty at the 2020 NAPDS Conference in Atlantic City and also served on a panel discussion with student members from six other universities. She has agreed to continue her PDS involvement by serving on the NAPDS Awards Committee next year.

2021: SU Earns NAPDS 'Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement' Award

Wicomico Board of Ed award presentationSalisbury University’s coordination with local public schools, in particular those in Wicomico County, has been a benefit for students within the Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education as they prepare for their careers as educators.

The Professional Development School (PDS) partnership with Wicomico County Public Schools has been recognized by the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) as an Exemplary PDS Achievement Award recipient.

SU is one of just four institutions recognized with the honor this year, along with Bowie State University, California Lutheran University and the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Read more...

2018: Salisbury University Student Receives National Award

Ennis receives national award - newspaper clipWhen Salisbury Universtiy student Shelby Ennis was called to the podium at the National Association for Professional Development Schools' (NAPDS) annual conference in Jacksonville, Fla., she learned that she was receiving the organization's Emerging PDS Leader Award.

A senior elementary and early childhood education major from Westover, Ennis was chosen among nine finalists who had been nominated by NAPDS members.  The award honors student members of NAPDS for their service to the organization and their institution's PDS program, as well as scholarly contributions at the conference.  Read more...

2017: SU Earns NAPDS 'Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement' Award

2017 NAPDS Award

Salisbury University today earned national recognition for its collaborative partnerships with Snow Hill Elementary School.

The University was honored with the 2017 Exemplary Professional Development School (PDS) Achievement Award from the National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS). The award applauds outstanding school-university partnerships that shape current and future educators. Only three such efforts nationwide were recognized.   Read more...

2015: SU Earns NAPDS 'Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement' Award

2015 NAPDS Award

Salisbury University has earned national recognition for its collaborative partnerships with Mardela Middle and High School (MMHS).

The University was honored with the 2015 Exemplary Professional Development School (PDS) Achievement Award from the National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS). Only six campuses across the country were honored. SU is the only non-research one university to earn national recognition for its PDS partnerships at the elementary, middle and high school levels.   Read more...

2011: SU Earns NAPDS 'Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement' Award

2011 NAPDS Award

Salisbury University has earned national kudos for its teaching partnerships with Worcester County Public Schools.

The University was honored with the 2011 Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement Award from the National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS). Only five campuses across the country were recognized.   Read more...

2009: SU Earns Prestigious NAPDS 'Spirit of Partnership' Award

2009 NAPDS Award

When representatives of Salisbury University recently returned from the National Association of Professional Development Schools’ annual conference in Daytona Beach, FL, they didn’t realize they were going to need a little extra room in their suitcases.

The SU delegation brought back with it the fourth annual Spirit of Partnership Award, presented to honor contributions made to the conference by individual institutions.   Read more...