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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, announced Friday that Jefferson County Middle School social studies teacher Maria Crowley is one of Oregon’s 16 2025-26 Regional Teachers of the Year!
The honor came during a surprise announcement at an all-school assembly Friday afternoon.
Here’s the rest of the announcement of Crowley’s honor:
Every day in Oregon classrooms, teachers offer their innovation, energy and content mastery in support of students across the state. The Oregon Teacher of the Year Program recognizes and honors teacher excellence, with the state Teacher of the Year serving as the face and voice of exemplary educators across Oregon.
Candidates for Oregon Teacher of the Year are exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled licensed public school educators in grades pre-K-12.
Crowley was nominated by a friend who remarked, “Ms. Crowley. Has been an integral component to Jefferson County schools for 20+/-years. Her devotion to the school, young adult development, community, etc. is unmatched.”
In her nomination, Crowley noted, “It just takes one breakthrough with one kid to affect the whole class, and it takes just one breakthrough with one class to affect the whole community.”
Crowley has gone above and beyond in her teaching role at JCMS. In addition to teaching countless students over her two decades in a 509J classroom, she is hard to miss at sporting events, always running either the scoreboard or the clock and cheering on her students. She serves as the social studies representative for the JCMS guiding coalition and has done so for several years.
One of her more recent projects is becoming the school’s attendance coordinator. In this role, she works closely with building leaders to improve attendance school wide. She develops initiatives and student-centered contests to encourage students to come to school every day. In her short time in this role, JCMS has seen a three percent decrease in the number of students who are chronically absent.
“Not only is she just fantastic and invested in the classroom, she pushes the kids above and beyond and has really high expectations,” JCMS ELA Teacher Lindsay Tarvin said. “I think it is so deserving. She is so passionate and her heart is so full and in the right place for the kids here in our building and our community and wanting the best for them. I can’t think of another person more deserving at this moment with how hard she works putting in 200% all the time.”
Regional Teachers of the Year are nominated by students, colleagues, administrators, friends or family members. Regional winners were identified through a local nomination, application and selection process facilitated by the 19 Education Service Districts around the state.
Applicants submitted testimonials and letters of support and were assessed by a diverse panel of regional representatives on the attributes of leadership, instructional expertise, commitment to equity, community involvement, understanding of educational issues, vision and professional development.
“We are thrilled to recognize this year’s Regional Teachers of the Year – outstanding educators whose tireless dedication, creativity, and compassion enrich the lives of students and communities across Oregon,” said Director of Oregon Department of Education Dr. Charlene Williams. “Each recipient embodies the values of innovation, leadership, and inclusivity, and we are proud to honor and learn from their inspiring work. These extraordinary teachers remind us that great education transforms lives and strengthens communities.”
Each Regional Teacher of the Year wins a $1,000 cash prize and is in the running for Oregon’s 2025-26 Oregon Teacher of the Year – to be announced in October.
Since 1995, when the Oregon Lottery began allocating revenue to public education, more than $10 billion has been transferred to school districts across the state. This past year, more than $1.5million of Oregon Lottery funding went to the Jefferson County School District, and over $2 million went to Jefferson County.
“This group of standout Oregon teachers bring their passion for education and leadership abilities to work every day,” said Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells. “Oregon Lottery is proud to celebrate the meaningful impact these educators have on our students and communities.”
Now that all 16 Regional Teachers of the Year have been announced, the full list of statewide winners is available on the Oregon Teacher of the Year website.
Do you know an outstanding teacher? Please nominate them as the 2026-27 Oregon Teacher of the Year by visiting oregonteacheroftheyear.org.
Thanks to ODE’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery, the 2025-26 Oregon Teacher of the Year will receive a $10,000 cash prize (with an additional $5,000 going to their school) and serves as a spokesperson and representative for all Oregon teachers.
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