STATE — Nominations are now open for the 2023 County Teachers of the Year and 2024 State Teacher of the Year. Members of the public are encouraged to nominate educators who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and who inspire the achievement of all students.

“Maine’s Teacher of the Year Program is unique,” said Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “In addition to much-deserved recognition of the incredible educators in Maine classrooms, it is also a year-long journey that gives educators from each county in Maine a platform to share their passions and knowledge. This program is a growing network of dedicated and caring education colleagues from across our State and nation, so please take a few minutes and nominate someone today.”

Nominations can be made through a nomination form on the Maine Teacher of the Year Website now through 5 p.m. on Feb. 5. Nominations will be accepted from students, parents, caregivers, community members, school administrators, colleagues, college faculty members, and associations/organizations (self-nominations and nominations from family members are not accepted).

To be considered for the County and Maine Teacher of the Year award, a person must:

• Hold the appropriate professional certification for their teaching position;
• Be a full-time, certified, in good standing, PK-12 teacher in a state-accredited public school, including a career and technical education and adult education center, a public charter school, or a publicly supported secondary school (a private school that enrolls 60 percent or more publicly funded students, sometimes referred to as “town academies”);
• Be actively teaching students at least fifty percent of the workday at the time of nomination and during their year of recognition.
• Maintain their teaching position and remain in the County for which they are selected throughout the year of recognition.
• Have a minimum of five years of teaching – three of which are in Maine.

Maine’s County and State Teachers of the Year serve as advocates for teachers, students, and public education in Maine. They serve as advisors to the Department of Education and state-level education stakeholders across Maine.  Additionally, County and State Teachers of the Year join a cohort of teacher leaders who actively work together to improve education in Maine. They also receive ongoing professional learning and participate in many state and county leadership opportunities.

The 2023 County Teachers of the Year will be announced in May. The 2024 Maine Teacher of the Year will be selected from the 16 county honorees. Through a selection process designed for educators by educators, the field will be narrowed to semi-finalists. Then state finalists for the Maine Teacher of the Year are announced by Maine’s Education Commissioner at a school assembly in the fall. Each year, State and County Teachers of the Year are honored at the annual Teacher of the Year Gala in the fall.

On behalf of and in partnership with the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine, a business-led organization whose mission is to champion college, career readiness, and increased education attainment. Funding is provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Dead River Co., Geiger, Hannaford, the Maine Lottery, the Silvernail Family, and Unum, with support from the State Board of Education and the Maine State and County Teacher of the Year Association.

“We are proud to administer the Maine Teacher of the Year program in collaboration with the Maine Department of Education,” said Dr. Jason Judd, Educate Maine Executive Director. “Now more than ever, we need to recognize the excellence within our educator workforce, amplify the voices of classroom teachers, and elevate the teaching profession in Maine. The 2023 County Teachers of the Year will be the tenth cohort to engage in this reflective and rigorous process and join the growing network of teacher leaders teaching, learning, and leading in Maine.”

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is committed to a nomination and selection process that ensures people of all backgrounds are represented. Educate Maine and the Maine Department of Education champion that commitment by encouraging the nomination of educators from all culturally diverse experiences and backgrounds. Through the generous support of Maine businesses, there is no cost to the local district when the Teacher of the Year is out of the classroom on their official duties, which includes representing educators state-wide and nationally through safely distanced in-person and virtual events that highlight the vital work of Maine schools, communities, and educators.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, visit the Maine Teacher of the Year website.