MDI’s Christiane Cullens Nominated for Teacher of the Year

Mount Desert Island High School's Christiane Cullens has been nominated as Maine's 2014 Teacher of the Year. She joins 13 other nominees.

Ms. Cullens has taught English to Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors at Mount Desert Island High School  for the past thirteen years. She is a Nationally Certified Master Teacher and attended Bard College, University of Southern Maine and UMaine Orono.

From the Department of Education's website

The Maine Teacher of the Year is an outstanding teacher who best represents the thousands of excellent educators in Maine. He or she serves as an advocate for the teaching profession, education and students.

To be considered for nomination, a teacher must hold at least a four-year degree and be employed by a Maine public school, including a public charter school; or be employed by a publicly supported secondary school (a private school that enrolls 60 percent or more publicly funded students, sometimes referred to as “the academies” or “the Big 11”).

Any teacher, parent, student, or community member may nominate a teacher by contacting the building principal, who then convenes a committee to complete the nomination papers.

The 2014 semifinalits (maximum 6) will be announced April 4th at a ceremony at the State Capital, Hall of Flags, and the 2014 State Teacher of the Year will be announced in September 2013.

The 2013 Teacher of the Year was Shannon Shanning, a special education teacher at Bruce M. Whittier Middle School in Poland.

The 2014 nominees are:

• — Anne Carney, St. Albans Consolidated School
• — Susan Carpenter O’Brien, George B. Weatherbee School, Hampden
• — Christiane Cullens, Mount Desert Island High School
• — Mary Graziano, Hartland Consolidated School
• — Kerri LeSieur, Biddeford Primary School
• — Karen MacDonald, King Middle School, Portland
• — Joshua Pietras, Penquis Valley High School, Milo
• — Suzen Polk-Hoffses, Milbridge Elementary School
• — Susan Ray, Sacopee Valley Middle School, Hiram
• — Cynthia Raymond, Hall-Dale Middle School, Farmingdale
• — Laurie Rodrigue, Cony High School, Augusta
• — Nancy Sargent, Cumberland and Oxford Canal School, Westbrook
• — Marsha Snyder, Thornton Academy, Saco
• — Tracie Wagenfeld-Hallissey, Willard School, Sanford