Eight exceptional educators from across the state are semifinalists for 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year. On Thursday, July 23, 2026, the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Educate Maine officially announced these semifinalists, who will deliver keynote speeches, submit professional portfolios, and participate in an expert panel discussion about educational equity, teacher leadership, and education policy as part of the next phase of the Maine State Teacher of the Year selection process.

The semifinalists for 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year are: 


Androscoggin
Abigail (Reuscher) McCoy
Chemistry and Forensic Science Teacher
Lewiston High School, Lewiston Public Schools


Aroostook
Kathy Theriault
Mathematics Teacher
Wisdom Middle/High School, MSAD 33


Cumberland
Adrianne Shetenhelm
English and Alternative Education Teacher
Windham High School, RSU 14


Kennebec
Gretchen Livingston
Spanish Teacher
Cony Middle and High School, Augusta Schools


Oxford
Gina Welch
Pre-K Teacher
Crescent Park Elementary School, MSAD 44


Penobscot
Marcy Soucy
4th and 5th Grade Math and Reading Teacher
Fairmount School, Bangor School Department


Somerset
Jeremy Bourque
Digital Media Instructor
Somerset Career and Technical Center, MSAD/RSU 54


Waldo
Rachel Norgang
2nd and 3rd Grade Teacher
Monroe Elementary School, RSU 3

As members of the 2026 Maine County Teacher of the Year cohort, these educators embody the dedication, innovation, and classroom leadership synonymous with this recognition, according to Maine Dept. of Education, in a news release. Throughout their year of service, they act as ambassadors for their students, colleagues, and school communities, celebrating and elevating the teaching profession as a whole.

“Congratulations to the 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year semifinalists on this impressive and well-deserved recognition,” said Pender Makin, Maine Education Commissioner. “We are honored to champion you and your peers through this important program, which highlights the challenging and often underappreciated work of educators and the ways in which unwavering dedication in the classroom can be life-changing for students.”

“We are proud to celebrate and recognize these outstanding educators,” said Jodi Mezzanotte, M.Ed., Director of Educator Engagement at Educate Maine. “Their dedication, leadership, and commitment to their students, the teaching profession, and colleagues across the state reflect the very best of public education in Maine.”
 
The selection process for Maine State Teacher of the Year is rigorous and designed by educators to offer candidates an opportunity to reflect on their instructional practice. In January, each candidate was nominated for this recognition by a member of their community. Candidates first participated in the county selection process, in which a distinguished panel of teachers, principals, business leaders, and community members chose them from among hundreds of nominees as 2026 Maine County Teachers of the Year. These 16 teachers began the selection process for 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year in May, showcasing their instructional practices through a classroom video and written reflection. 

The Maine State Teacher of the Year finalists will be announced in the fall, with a grand reveal of the 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year in October. That teacher will represent Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program. 

The Maine Teacher of the Year program is administered by Educate Maine through a unique partnership with the Maine DOE, with support from the Maine County and State Teachers of the Year Association and the Maine State Board of Education. Funding for this program is generously provided by Bangor Savings Bank, Geiger, the Maine State Lottery, and Unum.

For more information about the Maine Teacher of the Year program, and to see a list of Maine County Teachers of the Year and Maine State Teachers of the Year, please click here.