AUGUSTA – Education Commissioner Susan A. Gendron has announced the Maine teachers who have been named as finalists for the national 2005 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the nation’s highest honor for mathematics and science teachers in grades kindergarten through 12. Teachers are honored in two categories: secondary (grades seven through 12) mathematics and secondary science.

The science teaching finalists are Steven Mark DeAngelis of Maranacook Community High School in Readfield and Jeffrey Jay Steinert of Edward Little High School in Auburn.

Both teach high school physics. DeAngelis is a teacher mentor in the Northern New England Co-mentoring Network and a fellow of the Maine Governor’s Academy for Mathematics and Science Leadership and is a recipient of a Radio Shack Teacher Award. Steinert has received program grants from Bates College and Toshiba. He works with the Upward Bound Program and is the founder of the Central Maine Physics Alliance.

Math teaching finalists are Brendan Murphy of Carrabec High School in North Anson and Megan Louise Southworth from Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast.

Three of Murphy’s classes are broadcast to other schools over the state ATM (video) network. Murphy is a consultant for the College Board in many areas. Southworth teaches eighth-grade math and is a teacher mentor in the Northern New England Co-mentoring Network, a curriculum trainer for the Connected Mathematics Project and is a teacher leader in her district.

The National Science Foundation administers the awards program on behalf of the White House. National awards will be announced in April of 2006. National awardees receive $10,000 and a trip to Washington, D.C., where they participate in recognition events, meet with government officials and learn together with other awardees.

The 2006 program begins this fall and will recognize elementary mathematics and science teachers. Students, parents, administrators and other colleagues are encouraged to nominate great teachers of mathematics and/or science by going to www.paemst.org.


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