Two distinguished educators inducted into HCPS Hall of Fame during 2025 Celebration of Excellence in Education Event

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Joseph Stevens, Elementary School Teacher and Administrator
40 Years of Service to HCPS (1965-2005)

Mr. Joseph Stevens received his Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Bloomsburg State College. He went on to earn his master’s in administration and supervision and an advanced professional certificate from Loyola University, where he later served as an adjunct professor of Elementary Mathematics.

In 1965, Mr. Stevens began teaching for Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) at Oakington Elementary School. He taught fourth grade as well as summer school reading. Mr. Stevens transferred to Bel Air Elementary School in 1967 where he took on the role of teaching assistant principal, teaching sixth grade full-time with added duties as assistant principal. In 1970, Mr. Stevens was promoted to a full-time assistant principal at Hickory Elementary School. Between 1970 and 1991, Mr. Stevens served as assistant principal at several schools in the county including William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary, Deerfield Elementary, and Edgewood Elementary. In 1991, he accepted his final position with HCPS as principal of Bakerfield Elementary School where he served until his retirement in 2005. While principal of Bakerfield Elementary, Mr. Stevens oversaw the renovation of the building, which involved the school’s population being split between three different schools in the area: Hall’s Cross Roads Elementary, Bakerfield Elementary, and Aberdeen High.

During his career, Mr. Stevens was involved in school improvement and curriculum committees, the Mathematics Textbook Selection Committee, and the Elementary Report Card Revision Committee. In addition, he was a member of the Maryland and National Elementary Principals Association, a member and past president of the Harford County School Administration Association, and a member of the Harford County Reading Council. Several times throughout his career, Mr. Stevens was recognized by the HCPS Budget Office for the management of his allotted school budgets.

Mr. Stevens is described as a leader who maintained an open-door policy to share celebrations and concerns with him. He took the time to acknowledge every person on his staff who made his school building successful. Most importantly, he was a tireless advocate for his students.

Mr. Stevens retired from HCPS in 2005 after dedicating a 40-year career to students and colleagues in Harford County and to the greater education community.
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Christopher Terry, Elementary School Teacher and Administrator
32 Years of Service to HCPS (1966-1998)

Mr. Terry received his Bachelor of Science from Towson State College in 1966 and his Master of Education from Loyola College in 1971. He went on to pursue his master’s +30 and an advanced professional certificate at Loyola College, University of Maryland, and Morgan State College, which he completed in 1974.

His teaching career began with Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) in 1966 as a 6^th grade teacher at Hall’s Cross Roads Elementary. In 1968, he was transferred to Dublin Elementary where he taught 6^th grade and served as the assistant principal until 1970. He then was promoted to Slate Ridge Elementary as a teaching principal for one year and then assumed the position as a full-time principal for the next two years. In 1973, Mr. Terry became principal of Homestead Elementary, and in 1976, he accepted his final position with HCPS as principal of Homestead/Wakefield Elementary, serving in this role until his retirement in 1998.

During his career, Mr. Terry was a member of several associations, including the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the Harford County Elementary School Administrators Association (HCESAA), the Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals (MAESP), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and the Association of Public School Administrators and Supervisors of Harford County (APSASHC.) He served as President of HCESAA in 1987 and chaired and co-chaired two state conventions for principals, one in 1978 and one in 1987, and was both a presenter and panelist for training new principals at the state level. In addition, he served as a consultant to the Maryland State Department of Education for developing gifted and talented programs. Mr. Terry was also active on numerous county and school-based committees for curriculum development, special education services, and school improvement planning. He participated on five redistricting committees and several school construction and modernization projects.

Mr. Terry is described as a great advocate for children and teachers, being a leader who listened to and respected the views of others. He approached each situation with a big-picture mindset, creating an environment of trust in which everyone worked together for the benefit of all. Mr. Terry’s high standards for teaching and learning, his strong work ethic, and his ability to instill in others a commitment to excellence earned him admiration and respect from parents, staff, and colleagues across the school system.

Mr. Terry was awarded an honorary lifetime membership by the National Congress of PTA. Upon retirement, a scholarship in his name was created by the Homestead/Wakefield Elementary School (HWES) PTA and was provided to HWES students at high school graduation, who aspired to be educators.

In 1998, Mr. Terry retired from HCPS after 32 years of dedication to the Harford County community. But he couldn’t stay away long! Mr. Terry returned to HCPS as an acting principal on four separate occasions following retirement: in 1999 (Prospect Mill Elementary), 2002 (William Paca/Old Post Road Elementary), 2003, and 2004 (Bel Air Elementary).

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