Teacher Inspires Students Through Language

Sra. Deborah Doyle, Spanish Department Chair and Spanish Instructor, has been a part of our Gerstell Community for over 14 years. She learned about Gerstell by attending an Open House in 2008 after being invited to attend by close friends. As a career educator, she found Gerstell’s Leadership Model and four pillars, including Modern Language Proficiency, to be irresistible.
 
During her impressive career, Sra. Doyle has taught over 4,500 students from novice to advanced learners in grades 6-12. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Spanish and Secondary Education from the University of Maryland after attending her first 2 years of college at Saint Joseph College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She studied abroad in Madrid Spain during her junior year. Sra. Doyle received a Master's Degree in Spanish Linguistics at Georgetown University.
 
Sra. Doyle taught for many years at Elizabeth Seton and Mt. Hebron High Schools. She was awarded an educational leave to study French in her early career and upon returning to the classroom, used her training in applied linguistics to teach English Speakers of Other Languages. Sra. Doyle was recruited to be the first World Languages Resource Teacher for the Howard County Public School System and spent several years mentoring new teachers and providing professional development for all world language teachers.
 
Some of Sra. Doyle’s many accomplishments include:
  1. Maryland Language Teacher of the Year (2007-2008).
  2. Started Gerstell Academy’s Intern/Mentor Program: Spanish in the Community (unique to the State of Maryland and to the nation)
  3. Founded the Gerstell Academy Chapter of La Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica.
  4. Serves on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Foreign Language Association.
  5. Member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese.
  6. Led over 8 student educational travel programs to Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico during her teaching career.
  7. Gerstell Academy Advisor to the Classes of 2013, 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2024.
  8. Awarded the Stephen Olszewski Excellence in Teaching Award in 2021.
FUN FACTS
  • Loves creating flower gardens, reading good mysteries, and renovating her grandparent’s 152-year-old historic home in Oella, Maryland.
  • Loves to take her dog Sullivan and grand dog LingN, to Patapsco State Park.
  • Grandparents emigrated in the early 1900’s from the then Czechoslovakia which was to become the Slovak Republic. Her multilingual father encouraged her to pursue language studies.
  • Maternal great-grandfather was a sheep farmer from Scotland.
  • Sewed most of her own clothes during high school and college.
  • Contemplated becoming a French teacher during her early teaching years.
  • Was shy and introverted before learning to express herself in another language. Learning to speak in different languages gave her confidence and positively changed her life.
  • Adopted two wonderful children from South Korea.
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2500 Old Westminster Pike
Finksburg, MD 21048-1823
410-861-3000
1-866-861-3300