PCHS’ Hennessey one of three finalists for 2019 Maine Teacher of the Year

GUILFORD — Three Maine teachers have been announced as state finalists for the 2019 Maine Teacher of the Year.

Among the three is 2018 Piscataquis County Teacher of the Year Joseph Hennessey who teaches American, World, AP Literature and Composition and Camden Conference Seminar for grades 11-12 at Piscataquis Community High School. He has been teaching for six years.

Hennessey

Joining Hennessey is 2018 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year Shana Goodall of Orono High School and 2018 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year Connie Russell who is a grade 2 teacher at the Mabel I. Wilson School in Cumberland.

The finalists were chosen from the 2018 Maine County Teachers of the Year honored earlier this year. Among the 16 county honorees was former SeDoMoCha Elementary School art teacher Anthony Lufkin, who taught for four years at the school in Dover-Foxcroft a decade ago, as Lufkin earned Knox County honors. He now teaches at Friendship Village School, Prescott Memorial School and Union Elementary

The Maine Teacher of the Year program honors outstanding teachers who represent the thousands of excellent educators in Maine. Maine’s Teacher of the Year serves as an advocate for the teaching profession, education and students and represents Maine in the national Teacher of the Year program.

Each educator was nominated by a member of their community for their exemplary service in education, and dedication to their students. They were selected by a distinguished panel of teachers, principals and business community members from a pool of hundreds of other nominated teachers in their communities.

The three teachers are in the running for 2019 Maine Teacher of the Year, an honor awarded each year to one educator in Maine. In October Maine’s 2019 Teacher of the Year will be selected after a school site visit and final interview.

Maine Teacher of the Year is a program of the Maine Department of Education, administered by Educate Maine.