Michelle Gross, a mathematics teacher at Spencer County Middle School, was named the 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year during a ceremony in Frankfort on Tuesday evening.
“Wow this is such an honor,” Gross said after being named. “Thank you for the honor. I thank you all for the work you all put into this.”
Gross has 22 years of experience teaching math, including 20 years in Spencer County. She teaches 7th-grade math classes, and a gifted and talented class called The Academy where students pick a subject area to dig into deeper.
“I want to build a culture of learning throughout state of Kentucky that’s rooted in community,” Gross said. “I want to see every voice uplifted. I want it expand beyond a single classroom or a single year.”
Gross was among nine educators, three each who were finalists in elementary, middle and high school categories, who were honored as 2026 Kentucky Teacher Achievement Award Winners.
Kara Byrn Dowdy, an English teacher at Mayfield High School (Mayfield Independent) and Melanie Howard, a special education moderate and severe disabilities teacher at Corbin Primary School (Corbin Independent), were also named finalists for the 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year honor, after winning their respective category.
“This is a day of celebration to recognize the work and accomplishments of nine exemplary educators,” Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said. “They represent more than 40,000 fellow teachers who give of themselves every day to help our students achieve success.
“I want to be the first person today to say thank you to these nine exceptional teachers for all you do, not just on behalf of the Kentucky Department of Education, but on behalf of your students, your schools, your communities and the education profession. We appreciate you and your dedication to each and every student!”
Also in attendance were Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, a former teacher herself, Kentucky Board of Education members and 2025 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Jennifer Montgomery.
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
