UMF in the News: Two UMF alumnae named as Maine County Teachers of the Year announced as semifinalists for 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year by Maine DOE

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 Elementary School representing Oxford County , and Rachel Norgang, an elementary teacher at Monroe Elementary School representing Waldo County.

As members of the 2026 Maine County Teacher of the Year cohort, these educators embody the dedication, innovation, and classroom leadership synonymous with this recognition. Throughout their year of service, they act as ambassadors for their students, colleagues, and school communities, celebrating and elevating the teaching profession as a whole.

According to the Maine Dept. of Education, hundreds of people from school communities across the state—including students, parents, colleagues, and administrators—nominated more than 500 educators for the Maine Teacher of the Year program. Both Welch and Norgang were nominated by the parents of current and former students.

The Maine State Teacher of the Year finalists will be announced in the fall, with a grand reveal of the 2027 Maine Teacher of the Year in October. That teacher will represent Maine in the National Teacher of the Year program.