Sunday Memo
February 4th, 2024
County Teacher of the Year Nominations!
Our Teachers Are Doing Great Things!
Abigail Svenson:
Congratulations! You have been nominated for 2024 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year! This is a tremendous acknowledgment of the excellent work you do in your classroom and school, as well as the impact you have on students, colleagues, and the community every day. You were nominated by Anita Hopkins. Here is something that was shared about you in the nomination: She has earned the respect of administrators, teaching colleagues, students, and families, as her remarkable qualities of initiative, compassion, and dedication are evident to all with whom she works. Compassion is at the core of Abby's teaching style. She takes the time to understand each student individually, recognizing their unique strengths and challenges. Abby creates a supportive and inclusive atmosphere where every student feels known, valued, and heard.
Emily Rice
Congratulations! You have been nominated for 2024 Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year! This is a tremendous acknowledgment of the excellent work you do in your classroom and school, as well as the impact you have on students, colleagues, and the community every day. You were nominated by Robert Carnicella. Here is something that was shared about you in the nomination: Ms. Rice is a rare teacher who makes school fun and scholastic. She engages each student in her class to teach them how to read, write, and complete mathematics. Ms. Rice is enthusiastic about teaching social studies to encourage her students to begin thinking about social justice.
Allyson Gilbert
Congratulations! You have been nominated for 2024 Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year! This is a tremendous acknowledgment of the excellent work you do in your classroom and school, as well as the impact you have on students, colleagues, and the community every day. You were nominated by Suzie Brawn. Here is something that was shared about you in the nomination: Ally sees each student as an individual and meets them where they are. She understands that each student has a unique potential, and she is dedicated to helping them meet it. She is a warm demander in the classroom but does so in a way that not only helps students be successful in her class, but in all future aspects of their lives.
Louis Dorogi
Congratulations! You have been nominated for 2024 Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year! This is a tremendous acknowledgment of the excellent work you do in your classroom and school, as well as the impact you have on students, colleagues, and the community every day. You were nominated by Bree Candland. Here is something that was shared about you in the nomination: Lou is a master of his craft in every sense, and he is a brilliant educator. He has such a palpable passion for the topics he teaches and is so very creative in how he lessons plans to give students the opportunity to not only learn but also to have so much fun in the classroom. I was always struck by how much his students were laughing next door. I'd pop my head in regularly just to be around his captivating teaching.
Kelly McCarthy
Congratulations! You have been nominated for 2024 Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year! This is a tremendous acknowledgment of the excellent work you do in your classroom and school, as well as the impact you have on students, colleagues, and the community every day. You were nominated by Megan Hayes Teague. Here is something that was shared about you in the nomination: Kelly is extraordinary at understanding and connecting with middle school students. She builds meaningful relationships with students and works hard to connect with students who need a champion. Kelly is a shining example of excellent teaching/teacher leadership in our district.
Here is the process:
Here is the process:
The following is information related to the process Now that you’ve been nominated for Sagadahoc County Teacher of the Year, we urge you to continue the application process. Check out this one-minute video to learn more about the Maine Teacher of the Year program. Learn more about the County Teachers of the Year, the process, and the expectations at www.mainetoy.org/candidates.
To be clear, it is a rigorous process, and the schedule is ambitious. However, teachers who have gone through the program report that the process is a great personal and professional development opportunity. Teachers earn up to 15 contact hours for the County process and have the opportunity to join a growing network of teacher leaders across the state serving as ambassadors for your students, schools, communities, and profession.
Moving forward, you may opt-in to continue in the process or opt-out with the knowledge that you have made an impact as a teacher. There are many reasons to consider opting into the process, and the 2023 County Teachers of the Year have shared some of their reasons in this video. After reading your nomination, we agree that you are deserving of this honor and recognition and urge you to opt in!
If you choose not to continue with the process, please complete the opt-out form so that we have confirmation of your intent.
If you choose to continue (thank you), we need your initial application materials by Monday, February 26, 2024, at 5:00 pm.
Congrats - You have been nominated. Now what? Join Maine County and State Teachers of the Year “Office Hours” to ask questions, find out what being a County Teacher of the Year means, and discover what wonderful opportunities are on the journey to becoming a County Teacher of the Year. Drop in for the full hour or ten-minutes - one or both sessions. The Maine County and State Teacher of the Year Association (MCSTOYA) is here for you!
Monday, February 12 @ 5:00 pm
Thursday, February 15 @ 7:00 pm
The Maine Teacher of the Year program includes the selection of sixteen (16) County Teachers of the Year (CTOY), one of whom is selected as the Maine State Teacher of the Year. The State Teacher of the Year represents Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program. The CTOY cohort year of recognition and service is from May to May.
If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Pooler at jen@educatemaine.org or Kaitlin Young at kaitlin@educatemaine.org or 207-205-0337.
Once again, congratulations on your nomination! We encourage you to continue with the process.
Best regards,
Child Development Services
We are in the process of beginning our work with the Department of Education and Child Development Services.