The 2012 Maine Teacher of the Year, Alana Margeson from Caribou High School, and the five finalists were honored at a banquet and awards ceremony Friday evening in Bangor. Margeson received the title of 2012 Maine Teacher of the Year in a surprise all-school assembly in September.
As well as accolades from family, friends, school and district administrators, legislators, and others, each teacher also received a technology package from SMART Technologies of Canada, a monogrammed day planner from Geiger in Lewiston, a cash honorarium from Hannaford, and an engraved pewter bowl from the Maine Department of Education and the State Board of Education. In addition to these, Margeson also received an IPod Touch from the Association of Computer Technology Educators of Maine (ACTEM) and a Governor’s Proclamation, declaring November 4, 2011 as Alana Margeson Day.
Shelly Moody, Maine’s 2011 Teacher of the Year, served as mistress of ceremonies. Marilyn Tardy spoke on behalf of the State Board of Education, Tap Fitzgerald and Donna Boyce represented Hannaford Supermarkets, Ross Bertran spoke on behalf of SMART Technologies, Peter Geiger shared congratulations, Yellow Light Breen spoke on behalf of Bangor Savings Bank and the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education, Crystal Priest represented ACTEM and Wanda Monthey represented the Maine Department of Education. Moody also shared a video message from Maine Senator Susan Collins, who is a Caribou native.
The Teacher of the Year program is managed by the Maine Department of Education in collaboration with the Maine State Board of Education and the Maine State Teacher of the Year Association. The program is fully funded by Hannaford Supermarkets, and Bangor Savings Bank this year will begin reimbursing the winner’s school district for the cost of substitutes while the Teacher of the Year is out of the classroom on official duties.
For more information on the Teacher of the Year program, please visit http://maine.gov/education/toy/ or contact Jennifer Pooler at Jennifer.pooler@maine.gov or 624-6638. Information and guidance on the 2013 selection process will be posted by mid-November.