Robin Armstrong Townsend, principal at Mechanicsville Elementary School in Gamber, is the 2007 recipient of McDaniel College’s Joseph R. Bailer Award, to be presented at 6 p.m. Dec. 12 in McDaniel College’s Decker Student Center Forum. The prestigious award, named for one of the College’s most highly respected career educators, is presented each year to a McDaniel College master’s degree recipient who has made a significant contribution to the field of education.

Townsend earned her master’s degree in Exercise Science and Physical Education as well as her certification as an administrator at McDaniel College in 1998 while working as a physical educator at Mt. Airy Elementary School.

Under her leadership at Mechanicsville Elementary since 2004, the school has been recognized as the Character Education School of the Year (2004), Maryland Green School (2006-2007) and by the Maryland State Department of Education for Excellence on Maryland School Assessments (2004, 2005, 2006). In 2006-2007 Mechanicsville Fourth Grade students reached a notable milestone. All 112 students scored proficient or advanced on both reading and mathematics Maryland School Assessments.

The family of Joseph R. Bailer established the award to honor Bailer’s career as chairman of the McDaniel Education department and director of the graduate program from 1949-71. Bailer, who died in 1974, was a primary contributor to the growth of the graduate program. Both as a mentor and as an outstanding example of an educator, he influenced the lives of hundreds of McDaniel College students, many of whom have gone on to leadership roles in educational programs in Maryland and beyond.

The Bailer Award rotates among the college’s various certificate programs in administration, counselor education, education of the Deaf, curriculum and instruction, elementary and secondary education, school library media, reading, and special education.

For more information, contact Michele Leiberman, associate director of media relations, at (410) 857-2294.