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Wilton teacher a top-three candidate for Teacher of the Year

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Brenda
Brenda LaVerdiere

WILTON – A teacher at Academy Hill School has advanced to the final stage for consideration of the Teacher of the Year award.

Brenda LaVerdiere, a 4th grade teacher at AHS, is one of three finalists for the honor, which is awarded annually through a partnership between the Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine. It marks the second time in as many years that a Mt. Blue Regional School District teacher has advanced to the final stage. Sarah Reynolds of Cascade Brook School did it last year.

LaVerdiere has held her position at AHS since 1999, with 37 years of teaching in the Mt. Blue district. LaVerdiere began teaching in 1978 as a Title I teacher and has done a 3-4 Loop and 3-4 Multi-Age classroom structure throughout her career. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and a Masters in Education from the University of Maine.

In addition to teaching in the classroom, LaVerdiere is one of the main organizers for the Kids Can Club, an after school program that seeks to connect in-class academic principles with out-of-class activities, such as baking or commercial arts.

LaVerdiere was named the County Teacher of the Year in May. All 16 award-winners are then considered for the Teacher of the Year award, with three advancing to the final stage of the process. All three finalists are interviewed and a school visit is conducted. The Maine Teacher of the Year will be announced in October.

The other two finalists are Talya Edlund of Pond Cove Elementary School in Cape Elizabeth and Mia Morrison of Foxcroft Academy in Dover-Foxcroft.

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7 Comments

  1. A wonderful teacher whose professionalism and true interest in my children will always be remembered!

  2. Great job, Brenda. Though we haven’t directly worked together, I’d heard/read articles about great activities you were doing with students, before I even came to work for the district ten years ago. And – you’re still adapting and creating. Best wishes!

  3. Brenda, Congratulations …..hope you make it all the way ! I remember what a great teacher you were back when I was around ! And obviously you still are !!!!! It’s so special that you still LOVE your students and your job !!!!

  4. A wonderful person that not only teaches, but cares about each and every student. Your innovative style of teaching is amazing. Congratulations my friend. You truly deserve this honor.

  5. I am an inspired teacher… inspired by my family, inspired by my community, inspired by my colleagues and by my friends. But, most importantly, I am always inspired by my students and their fresh perspective of the world. In their eyes, anything is possible. They dream about becoming NFL quarterbacks, nurses, doctors, business people, protectors of helpless animals and fire fighters. It is so wonderful to witness and nurture these worthy goals of the future. Like all teachers, I work hard to understand each of my students so that I can design the best instruction for every young learner. Every day, as I step into my classroom, I am acutely aware that in my hands lies the potential to change lives. I have the training, the passion, the experience and the desire to meet the needs of every child for whom I have been given this awesome responsibility and I take this responsibility to heart.
    Over the past several months, as I have navigated my way through the various phases of the Teacher of the Year competition, I have received much encouragement and support from my family, my friends, my colleagues, and my community. Throughout this amazing journey I have experienced a myriad of emotions ranging from disbelief and then total elation to fear of the unknown at each new level, and back to being elated and immersed in disbelief once again.
    I thank everyone who has supported me throughout this process. Your kind words and sentiments have been, and continue to be, very much appreciated. I am humbled by all of this recognition. Whether I make it all the way to the 2016 Maine Teacher of the Year or not, I know that I live in one of the best counties in the state, something for which I am grateful every day!

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