Windsor Mill Teacher Candidate for National Award

Teacher Joshua Parker of Windsor Mill Middle School will be honored with the California Casualty Award for Teaching Excellence.

According to a news release from Baltimore County Public Schools, the award is "one of the nation’s most prestigious honors for public school educators."

This makes him eligible to be named the nation's top educator.

, a resident of Randallstown, is already , and he's a former Baltimore County Teacher of the Year.

He's the department chairman for English Reading and World Languages at Windsor Mill Middle.

He's among 38 people who will be honored at the NEA Foundation’s Salute to Excellence in Education Gala in February, the release states.

The event, known as "the Academy Awards of public education," is set for Feb. 8 in Washington, DC.

Parker will receive his award in front of more than 850 education leaders from throughout the US, the release states.

The annual awards are given to educators who make a difference in the classroom, Harriet Sanford, president and chief executive officer of the foundation, said in a statement.

“We give these awards annually to honor and promote excellence in education and to elevate the profession," she said.

The Maryland State Educators Association, which is National Education Association’s state affiliate in Maryland, nominated Parker for this latest award, according to the release.

In addition:

• The school also gets a $650 award
• Five educators will get $10,000 cash awards
• One will be named the nation's top educator and will receive an additional $25,000

According to the release, the NEA Foundation and the National Education Association give the awards with support from California Casualty, the Horace Mann Companies, NEA Member Benefits, and the Pearson Foundation.