Education

Four Maine educators have been announced as state finalists for 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year by the Maine Dept. of Education including Gina Welch, a Pre-K Teacher at Crescent Park Elementary School and 2000 UMF graduate; Abby McCoy, a Chemistry and Forensic Science Teacher at Lewiston High…

Fallon Smith ‘26 is ready to get to work. She started her first week of school as a Math and STEM teacher at T.W. Kelly Dirigo Middle School, where she is looking forward to putting her classroom experience and education to use with her own students. After years of…

FARMINGTON, ME  (September 2, 2026)—The University of Maine at Farmington has announced that Katherine Yardley, a longtime UMF College of Education, Health and Rehabilitation faculty member, dean and co-provost who has helped lead Farmington’s academic excellence in its teacher preparation programs for 39 years, is retiring effective Sept. 2, 2026.

The Maine Dept. of Education has just announced that eight of the 16 Maine County Teachers of the Year have been named as semifinalists for the 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year. Two of those semifinalists are UMF alumnae, including Gina Welch, a Pre-K teacher at Crescent Park…

Maine teachers have a deep community connection and that goes especially for the recently named 2026 Maine County Teachers of the Year. This year’s recipients, one from every Maine county, include two outstanding University of Maine at Farmington alumnae—Rachel Norgang from Waldo County and Gina Welch from Oxford County.

“The University of Maine at Farmington has empowered me to deepen my knowledge, strengthen my leadership skills, and further my commitment to ensuring all students feel a sense of belonging and access to meaningful educational opportunities.” Erika Bickford, a kindergarten teacher and 2026 graduate of UMF’s M.S.Ed. in Special…

Alice Skiff, from Newcastle, Maine, is graduating with a UMF Bachelor’s degree in Special Education, and she remembers the first time she heard about inclusion—the practice of educating all students together in general education classrooms, regardless of ability. She was in middle school in the…

“My time at UMF has been a transformative journey that rooted my professional and personal practices in growth, presence, and possibility.” Hannah Comfort is a 2026 graduate of UMF’s Master’s in Educational Leadership program with a concentration in Administration. During her time…

“UMF is a place where you are never just a number; everyone from every department is genuinely rooting for you and wants to see you succeed.” Sarah Reynolds is a 2026 graduate of UMF’s Masters of Science in Educational Leadership with…

“Between academic learning and outdoor sport adventures I felt at home.” Meet Ayla Bodach-Turner, a 2026 graduating senior from Montpelier, Vermont, earning a B.S. in Early Childhood Education (Dual Certification, birth–3rd grade) with a minor in Coaching. A member of the UMF ski…