Morgan Cuthbert of Freeport, a teacher at Frank H. Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth, is the Cumberland County Teacher of the Year.

Cuthbert is one of 15 county winners who will be considered for the distinction of Maine Teacher of the Year in October. All counties except Piscataquis will have a candidate.

Cuthbert, a teacher for 15 years, teaches seventh-grade mathematics and science. He earned a certificate of advanced study and master’s in teaching and learning from the University of Southern Maine, and a bachelor’s in psychology from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Rhonda Birkbeck and her son, Duncan, nominated Cuthbert for the award.

“From the first day of seventh grade our child’s life was changed,” Rhonda Birkbeck wrote. “Morgan soon became more than a teacher. He became a mentor, a guide, an ever-constant presence in the shifting tides of learning and social challenges that come with middle school. He led each child, at his own pace, as they challenged the boundaries of their learning. At the same time that he encouraged their academic growth, he was also a steadfast support as they faced personal growth and challenges. He encouraged them to be individuals, working together.”|

Cuthbert, 39, grew up in Brunswick and graduated from North Yarmouth Academy in 1994. He has called Freeport home since 2007. He and his wife, Christina, have two sons, Colby, 5, and Evan, 2. He was named a Milken Educator in 2011. The distinction was established by Lowell Milken in 1987 to celebrate and empower outstanding educators.

Cuthbert answered questions about his teaching career for the Tri-Town Weekly.

Q: What brought you to Freeport, and what do you like about living there?

A: My wife and I wanted to raise our family in Maine. We love Freeport’s family-friendly culture and wonderful outdoor resources, such as Wolfe’s Neck Farm, countless nature trails, South Freeport village and ocean access. You will often see us running through Freeport village with our double stroller with the kids packed inside. (Honk and wave!)

Q: You’ve taught for 15 years. Have they all been in Yarmouth? What have you learned in that time that makes you a better teacher?

A: I have taught at Greely Middle School, TASIS (The American School in England), Mahoney Middle School in South Portland and have now been at Frank H. Harrison Middle School in Yarmouth for eight years. My experiences at each of these schools have made me the teacher that I am today. One of the main things that I have learned over the years is that sharing my day-to-day life stories/memories with the students, and relating these experiences to science, makes my classroom lessons feel more relevant and meaningful to them. It also allows the students to see that I am a real person and not just their teacher in a classroom. My curriculum focuses on ecology and life science, which is easily relatable to personal experiences such as stories about digging in clamflats or sharing how a disease or disorder has affected my family. These personal connections help make the lessons tangible and applicable for my students.

Q: How does your bachelor’s in psychology help you in the classroom?

A: I had all intentions of going pre-med entering college; however, I found that I gravitated to my psychology professors. The way they taught through classroom discussion and student-led discussions was incredibly engaging and motivating. I try to structure my lessons in a similar way. My students know my expectations are for them to provide evidence for their thoughts and question each other’s thinking.

Q: How quickly are the fields of mathematics and science changing at the middle-school level, or are they?

A: Change in education is good. Students and parents push you to be the best you can. I find myself always asking what is next. In Yarmouth, we are driving toward greater outreach and partnership with the community; we are trying to bring the community more directly into the classroom and also draw the students out into their local town. For example, I recently won a grant from the Yarmouth Education Foundation to start an upweller shellfish nursery at the Yarmouth Town Landing. We will be working with Dr. (Brian) Beal of the University of Maine at Machias and the town of Yarmouth to restore the softshell clam population in Yarmouth. This undertaking will expose the students to a local ecological issue and allow them to become part of the solution. Becoming more aware of issues in their community helps students become more aware citizens and critical thinkers.

Q: What does this award mean to you?

A: I feel incredibly honored to have been nominated and chosen as the 2016 Cumberland County Teacher of the Year. I am also very grateful for the many wonderful mentors I have had in the years in education, as well as the great support by my administrators and fellow seventh-grade teachers in Yarmouth. They push me to do my best everyday and provide me with a great trust and support to do what is best for our children.

Morgan Cuthbert of Freeport, who teaches in Yarmouth, is Cumberland County Teacher of the Year.