Educator Of The Month: Chelsea Sedghi

In her 11 years in education, eight of which have been spent in Anne Arundel County, Chelsea Sedghi has accomplished much. A first-year assistant principal at Magothy River Middle School, Sedghi is most directly responsible for seventh grade and half of sixth grade, but she prides herself on being present for all grades. Her love of education and student growth is evident. Last year, she was Severn River Middle School’s Teacher of the Year nominee as head of that school’s math department.

“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher,” said Sedghi, a self-professed planner and lover of to-do lists.

She said one of the most challenging aspects of transitioning from the classroom to the office, though also unexpectedly enjoyable, has been learning to rearrange her meticulous lists. “I really try to be proactive … I want to troubleshoot before something happens,” she added. “As assistant principal, some days are simply reactive, and I have to be ready for anything that comes that day and flexible to rearrange my day.”

Sedghi has seen the worst in education over the last decade, from the “dark days” of COVID to violence in schools nationwide, but she feels education — and students — are ready to make this generation better than the one before it.

“COVID was very difficult because we were showing, not teaching, and students were simply mimicking what they saw. I feel like we are climbing out of it each year and we can see the light again,” Sedghi said. “I feel we are getting back to students taking ownership of their learning, and we are not seeing the daunting gaps in education. Educators are once again able to work efficiently and effectively.”

Anne Arundel County Public Schools is focused on keeping our schools safe, something Sedghi calls part of the “hidden curriculum.”

“Safety is one of our top priorities so our teachers can focus on education,” she added. “We want students to be happy to come to school and enjoy learning. Whatever might be going on outside, we take that on for them so they can feel safe when they come into the building and are ready to learn.”

The Severna Park resident feels lucky to be able to educate in this area and be part of an amazing community of resilient educators, parents and students.

“I am excited to watch the growth of the kids’ education,” Sedghi said, “and to help prepare them for their next challenges.”

Do you know other great educators? Nominate them today by emailing spvnews@severnaparkvoice.com.

The Educator of the Month is sponsored by Cafe Mezzanotte.