Andrea Beardsley – Hancock County Teacher of the Year

Ellsworth High School's Andrea Beardsley, has been named Hancock County's Teacher of the Year, and is in the running for Maine Teacher of the Year!

Beardsley, has been teaching for over 25 years, mostly at Ellsworth High School. She is a science teacher, and is currently teaching anatomy, physiology and advanced chemistry. When I asked her how she felt about being Hancock County's Teacher of the Year, she replied that she was "Very surprised and excited" She didn't know who had nominated her, but subsequently found out that it was Nicole Glinko, who was a former student.

This is the first year that they allowed nominations by the public for Teacher of the Year, and the first year, that they have designated "County Teachers of the Year".

Beardsley hopes that as the Hancock County Teacher of the Year, she will be able to stress all the positive things going on at Ellsworth High School, and throughout Hancock County. There has been talk to use the network of County Teachers of the Year to help advocate for students, teachers and education throughout the entire state.

Beardsley is a peer coach, and mentor teacher. She wants to promote teacher leadership within the educational system. Rather than teachers turning to administration to advance up the "career ladder" she would like to see them stay as teachers, and be recognized, and interact with the students within the classroom setting.

Andrea Beardsley is married to Andrew Beardsley, who teaches English at Ellsworth High School and is also the Coach of the Cross Country and track teams. The Beardsleys have five children, Tyler, who is a graduate of Ellsworth High School, Brayden who is graduating with the Class of 2014, a daughter Bronwyn who is 11, and two other boys, Biruk, 10 and Eden 7.

There were 376 teachers nominated for Teacher of the Year. From the State Website

The Maine County Teachers of the Year and State Teacher of the Year serve as advocates for the teaching profession, education and students. Selecting a Teacher of the Year is an exceptional way to celebrate the many outstanding, dedicated, and professional educators teaching in Maine schools. The Teacher of the Year Program does not attempt to single out any individual as the best teacher in Maine; rather the Maine Teacher of the Year represents the thousands of excellent educators in Maine.

 

The full list of the 16 County Teachers of the Year are as follows:

Aroostook: Kara Beal, Valley Rivers Middle School, Fort Kent

Androscoggin: Gordon “Skip” Crosby, Poland Regional High School, Poland

Cumberland: Sarah Brokofsky, Westbrook Middle School, Westbrook

Franklin: Sarah Reynolds, Cascade Brook School, Farmington

Hancock: Andrea Beardsley, Ellsworth High School, Ellsworth

Kennebec: Daniel Crocker, Hall Dale Middle School, Farmingdale

Knox: Kristi Todd, Union Elementary School, Union

Lincoln: Cordelia “Cory” Chase, Boothbay Regional Elementary, Boothbay

Oxford: Jeffrey Bailey, Mountain Valley High School, Rumford

Penobscot: Victoria Grotton, Glenburn School, Glenburn

Piscataquis: Dyan McCarthy-Clark, SeDoMoCha Middle, Dover-Foxcroft

Sagadahoc: Eric Varney, Morse High School, Bath

Somerset: Jennifer Dorman, Skowhegan Area Middle School, Skowhegan

Waldo: Phyllis Frkuska-Heeren, Drinkwater Elementary, Northport

Washington: Ann Luginbuhl, Charlotte Elementary, Charlotte

York: Kate Smith, Central Elementary, MSAD 35, South Berwick

The week of June 2nd, the 16 finalists will be narrowed down to 8 semifinalists, and then on August 31, 4 finalists will be announced. In mid-October, the 2015 State Teacher of the Year will be announced.