Montgomery County Public Schools wrapped up Black History Month by honoring some of its longest-serving educators, and among those recognized was a familiar and deeply respected face to generations of Silver Spring families, Mrs. Estelle Moore.
The celebration, held last week at the Carver Educational Services Center and titled “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” highlighted the careers and legacies of educators whose impact has spanned decades. Mrs. Moore, a second-grade teacher at Greencastle Elementary School, was recognized for her extraordinary commitment to students and the MCPS community, approximately 2.5 years after we last featured her remarkable career.
MCPS described Mrs. Moore as one of the district’s most enduring icons of education. Her journey with the school system began in the early 1970s, and her influence was recognized nationally within the district when she was named MCPS Teacher of the Year in 1993. She has now spent the past 30 years at Greencastle Elementary School, where she continues to teach second grade.
When we spoke with Mrs. Moore in 2023, she reflected on more than five decades in the classroom, including three years teaching in Pennsylvania and 50 years serving students in Montgomery County. Over that time, she has taught at multiple elementary schools across the county, spent a year teaching in Japan, and four months working with students in Ghana. Despite the length of her career, she made it clear then that retirement was not on her radar, saying she planned to continue teaching as long as she felt called to do so.
That sense of purpose remains evident today. Colleagues and families alike continue to describe Mrs. Moore as an educator who leads with care, consistency, and heart. She has long emphasized that while curriculum and teaching methods evolve, students still need to feel seen, valued, and supported, a philosophy that has guided her work for decades.
Being honored as part of MCPS’s Black History Month observance adds another meaningful chapter to a career defined by service, faith, and an unwavering belief in the potential of every child. For a teacher who has educated parents, their children, and in some cases is on track to teach grandchildren, the recognition serves as a celebration not just of longevity, but of lasting impact.
