UMaine COEHD graduates among 2024 Maine County Teachers of the Year

Two University of Maine College of Education and Human Development alumni have been named 2024 Maine County Teachers of the Year.

Emilie Throckmorton is the Penobscot County Teacher of the Year and Ashley Cirone is this year’s Washington County Teacher of the Year. They were among 16 educators honored last week at a ceremony in the Hall of Flags at the Maine State Capitol during Teacher Appreciation Week. The event was hosted by the Maine Department of Education and Educate Maine, which administer the Maine Teacher of the Year and Maine County Teachers of the Year program.

Throckmorton is an English language arts teacher and graduation coach at Bangor High School. She holds both a Master of Education and a Certificate of Advanced Study degree in literacy education from the UMaine College of Education and Human Development. Cirone, a kindergarten teacher at Harrington Elementary School, earned an M.Ed. in special education from the college in 2013.

County Teachers of the Year serve as ambassadors for teachers, students and schools for the next year. More than 600 educators were nominated this year by members of their school communities. A panel of teachers, principals and business-community members within each county then selected the 16 recipients. Being selected puts the teachers in contention for the 2025 Maine Teacher of the Year honor, which will be announced in the fall.