Maine students are in great hands. I've spent the last week visiting the four finalists for the 2015 Maine Teacher of the Year. These skilled educators come from diverse areas of the state and teach at various grade levels, from Pre-K to high school. But they share many qualities: a fierce commitment to their students, an ability to foster strong relationships, a desire to reflect on and refine their practice, and service to their profession. It has been a highlight of my year to visit their schools. All four educators AND their schools represent the best of what Maine's public schools have to offer. Please take the time to get to know these oustanding educators.
Androscoggin County Teacher of the Year: Gordon “Skip” Crosby
School: Poland Regional High School
Grades: 9-12
Subject: Spanish
School District: RSU 16
Superintendent Tina Meserve
Skip Crosby is a teacher of Spanish at Poland Regional High School in Poland. He has been teaching for 23.5 year. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Gordon College, Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from University of Maine, Farmington and a Masters in Spanish from Middlebury College. Skip spent two years at La Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, where he earned a certificate in Spanish. Skip graduated from Leavitt Area High School in Turner, ME.
Franklin County Teacher of the Year: Sarah Reynolds
School: Cascade Brook School, Farmington
Grades: 4th grade
Subject: All Subjects
District: RSU 9
Principal: Nichole Goodspeed
Superintendent: Thomas Ward
Sarah teaches 4th grade students at Cascade Brook School in Farmington. She has held this position since 2012. Prior to that she spent six years as a 5th grade teacher at Belgrade Central School and three years as a 7th grade math and science teacher at Windham Middle School. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and a Master’s in Elementary Literacy Education from the University of Maine. Sarah is a member of the District Teacher Evaluation Team. As a student, Sarah attended Cascade Brook School.
Penobscot County Teacher of the Year: Victoria Grotton
School: Glenburn School
Grade: PreK
Subject: Early Childhood
District: Glenburn School District
Principal: Thomas Sullivan
Superintendent: Douglas Smith
Vicki Grotton is the PreK teacher at the Glenburn School. In collaboration with the University of Maine, Mrs. Grotton designed the PreK program and has served as the teacher since its start in 2011. Prior to that she spent nine years as a 6th grade teacher at the Glenburn School. Mrs. Grotton holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from the University of Maine and is currently enrolled in the Master’s in Elementary Education program at UM. Vicki is an active volunteer in her community of Glenburn.
Somerset County Teacher of the Year: Jennifer Dorman
School: Skowhegan Area Middle School
Subject: English Language Arts
Grades: 7-8
District: MSAD 54
Principal: Zach Longyear
Superintendent: Brent Colbry
Mrs. Dorman serves as a Special Education teacher and Reading Interventionist at Skowhegan Area Middle School. She has held this position since 2006. From 1993 to 2006, she was the K-6 Special Education teacher for the district of MSAD 54 instructing students identified with disabilities in the subject areas of Reading, Writing, Spelling and Math. Mrs. Dorman holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and a Master of Arts in Education from Lesley University. She also serves as a course instructor for the Maine Education Consortium.
Androscoggin County Teacher of the Year: Gordon “Skip” Crosby
School: Poland Regional High School
Grades: 9-12
Subject: Spanish
School District: RSU 16
Superintendent Tina Meserve
Skip Crosby is a teacher of Spanish at Poland Regional High School in Poland. He has been teaching for 23.5 year. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Gordon College, Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from University of Maine, Farmington and a Masters in Spanish from Middlebury College. Skip spent two years at La Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia, where he earned a certificate in Spanish. Skip graduated from Leavitt Area High School in Turner, ME.
Franklin County Teacher of the Year: Sarah Reynolds
School: Cascade Brook School, Farmington
Grades: 4th grade
Subject: All Subjects
District: RSU 9
Principal: Nichole Goodspeed
Superintendent: Thomas Ward
Sarah teaches 4th grade students at Cascade Brook School in Farmington. She has held this position since 2012. Prior to that she spent six years as a 5th grade teacher at Belgrade Central School and three years as a 7th grade math and science teacher at Windham Middle School. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and a Master’s in Elementary Literacy Education from the University of Maine. Sarah is a member of the District Teacher Evaluation Team. As a student, Sarah attended Cascade Brook School.
Penobscot County Teacher of the Year: Victoria Grotton
School: Glenburn School
Grade: PreK
Subject: Early Childhood
District: Glenburn School District
Principal: Thomas Sullivan
Superintendent: Douglas Smith
Vicki Grotton is the PreK teacher at the Glenburn School. In collaboration with the University of Maine, Mrs. Grotton designed the PreK program and has served as the teacher since its start in 2011. Prior to that she spent nine years as a 6th grade teacher at the Glenburn School. Mrs. Grotton holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from the University of Maine and is currently enrolled in the Master’s in Elementary Education program at UM. Vicki is an active volunteer in her community of Glenburn.
Somerset County Teacher of the Year: Jennifer Dorman
School: Skowhegan Area Middle School
Subject: English Language Arts
Grades: 7-8
District: MSAD 54
Principal: Zach Longyear
Superintendent: Brent Colbry
Mrs. Dorman serves as a Special Education teacher and Reading Interventionist at Skowhegan Area Middle School. She has held this position since 2006. From 1993 to 2006, she was the K-6 Special Education teacher for the district of MSAD 54 instructing students identified with disabilities in the subject areas of Reading, Writing, Spelling and Math. Mrs. Dorman holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and a Master of Arts in Education from Lesley University. She also serves as a course instructor for the Maine Education Consortium.