ANNOUNCING 2014 MAINE COUNTY TEACHERS OF THE YEAR

May 06, 2014

Sixteen Maine teachers were named County Teachers of the Year today. Education Commissioner Jim Rier, Senate President Justin Alfond, State Board Vice Chair Peter Geiger, 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year Karen MacDonald, and Educate Maine Executive Director Tanna Clews were on hand at a Hall of Flags ceremony today to recognize and honor this talented group of educators from around the state.

The 2014 County Teachers of the Year are among the 376 Maine teachers who were nominated in February under the expanded Teacher of the Year program. A distinguished panel of teachers, principals and business community members made the County Teacher of the Year selections.

2014 County Teachers of the Year

(Teacher bios available on the Maine Teacher of the Year website: www.mainetoy.org)

Aroostook: Kara Beal, Valley Rivers Middle School, Fort Kent

Androscoggin: Gordon "Skip" Crosby, Poland Regional High School, Poland

Cumberland: Sarah Brokofsky, Westbrook Middle School, Westbrook

Franklin: Sarah Reynolds, Cascade Brook School, Farmington

Hancock: Andrea Beardsley, Ellsworth High School, Ellsworth

Kennebec: Daniel Crocker, Hall Dale Middle School, Farmingdale

Knox: Kristi Todd, Union Elementary School, Union

Lincoln: Cordelia "Cory" Chase, Boothbay Regional Elementary, Boothbay

Oxford: Jeffrey Bailey, Mountain Valley High School, Rumford

Penobscot: Victoria Grotton, Glenburn School, Glenburn

Piscataquis: Dyan McCarthy-Clark, SeDoMoCha Middle, Dover-Foxcroft

Sagadahoc: Eric Varney, Morse High School, Bath

Somerset: Jennifer Dorman, Skowhegan Area Middle School, Skowhegan

Waldo: Phyllis Frkuska-Heeren, Drinkwater Elementary, Northport

Washington: Ann Luginbuhl, Charlotte Elementary, Charlotte

York: Kate Smith, Central Elementary, MSAD 35, South Berwick

The County Teachers of the Year (CTOYs), one of whom will be selected as the 2015 State Teacher of the Year, serve as ambassadors for teachers, students, and quality education and are available to make presentations to local and regional organizations. They will continue to participate in an intensive State Teacher of the Year selection process, including submitting a video showcasing their classroom instructional practices. The field will be narrowed to eight semi-finalists who will begin working on their professional portfolio, a component of the National Teacher of the Year process. After the portfolio review and presentations to a select panel, the field is narrowed to four finalists. The 2015 Maine Teacher of the Year will be selected after a school site visit and final interview.

"Maine students are being inspired each day by the effective, engaging educators we are fortunate to have in so many of our classrooms and the 16 teachers being recognized today are the best of the best," said Maine Department of Education Commissioner Jim Rier. "These teachers deserve to know they are valued and respected, and through our expanded Teacher of the Year program, we can come together as a state to show our thanks for their incredible commitment to our children and our communities."

"The Maine Teacher of the Year program offers a tremendous opportunity to promote and highlight the noblest of professions," said Tim Hussey, President & CEO of Hussey Seating and Chair of the Board of Educate Maine. "A strong education system relies on high quality, dedicated teachers and we are so pleased to recognize these 16 teachers who will serve as ambassadors for their school, county and fellow teachers. Congratulations to these exemplary teachers and to all the teachers who were nominated for County Teacher of the Year."

You can learn more about 2014 Maine Teacher of the Year Karen MacDonald on her blog: mainetoy14.weebly.com. Karen is a teacher at King Middle School in Portland. She recently returned from Washington, D.C. where she and other State Teachers of the Year were recognized at a White House reception.

Bangor Savings Bank, Geiger, Hannaford Supermarkets and Unum provide funding for the Teacher of the Year program. The program is managed by Educate Maine in partnership with the Maine Department of Education, with special thanks to the Maine State Board of Education and the Maine State Teacher of the Year Association for their support and advice. For more information, visit the Maine Teacher of the Year website at www.mainetoy.org.

< Back To News