Congin School art teacher Lynne Shulman is one of 14 nominees for the 41st Maine Teacher of the Year award, the latest in a long line on nominees from Westbrook. Along with 13 other nominees, Shulman was honored by Gov. John Baldacci in a ceremony at the State House in Augusta earlier this month.

“I’m so honored to have been chosen as Westbrook’s nominee for Teacher of the Year,” said Shulman. “I’m very fortunate to work in a district so supportive of the arts and a community so invested in art education.”

Shulman teaches art in grades three through five at Congin School and also three through eight in the gifted and talented art program at Congin and Wescott Junior High. Congin School Principal Peter Lancia said Shulman is “an amazing teacher” and yet another successful candidate from Westbrook, which over the years has had three teachers of the year and three state finalists.

“It’s nice to honor my colleague and friend,” said Lancia, himself the 2002 Maine Teacher of the Year. “Westbrook has always done very well in the teacher of the year program. I think she has an excellent chance.”

“She’s the best art teacher ever,” said fifth grader Giovanni Aceto, 11, who wrote a letter of recommendation for Shulman. “We do lots of projects with her and lots of fun activities.”

Selection committees in each school district choose nominees from all grade levels and all content areas. Each school chooses a teacher, then the district chooses the nominee for the state prize, according to Lancia. He said in April the state will choose 10 regional finalists, who will then undergo an intensive selection process that will include presentations, interviews, and school visits. Lancia said in July the state would choose finalists and in September, name the teacher of the year for 2007.

“This is a very special program honoring excellence in teaching and all Maine teachers,” said Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education. “After all, teaching is the noblest profession. It needs to be recognized as such.”

Congin art teacher Lynne Shulman, one of 14 candidates for Maine Teacher of the Year, stands in front of a student mural hanging in her classroom at the Congin School.

Copy the Story Link