鶹ýalum Joshua Chard is Maine's 2024 Teacher of the Year
Maine’s 2024 Teacher of the Year is 鶹ý alum Joshua Chard.
Chard is a second and third-grade teacher at East End Community School in Portland and the drama director at Deering High School. He received his – K-6 Literacy from 鶹ýOnline, the University’s College of Professional Studies, in 2009.
Chard was among five 鶹ýalumni who were named the Maine County Teachers of the Year in May.
“Joshua Chard embodies the qualities that make Maine teachers amazing, and we’re thrilled to honor him as Maine’s 2024 Teacher of the Year,” Maine Education Commissioner Pender Makin, herself a 1996 鶹ýalum, said in a statement. “Today, we celebrate Joshua’s passion for teaching, his love for his students and public education, and his ability to make each and every person feel welcome and like they belong. Colleagues, parents, and community members describe Joshua as kind, loving, passionate, generous, and someone who finds joy in the uniqueness of each human.”
The (MTOY) initiative is a program of the and is administered by , a business-led organization working to advance educational attainment and readiness for work among all Mainers.
Chard told 鶹ýNews in July that relationships are at the heart of everything he does as a teacher. He said he decided to teach elementary school because of his own experiences as an adolescent
“My (fifth grade) teacher, Mrs. Breau, was the kind of teacher who sees children. Being seen and being celebrated by my teacher made me want to do the same for others when I grew up,” Chard said. “I am a successful teacher because of the amazing teachers who came before me.”
He credited 鶹ýwith providing rich discussions about teaching methods that further informed his thinking as a teacher.
“I was already a veteran educator when I began pursuing my degree (at UNE); experienced teachers benefit and grow from pushing their thinking in a rigorous academic environment,” he said.