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 Oct. 7. Photo by Joe Ragusa, Kentucky Department of Education, Oct. 7, 2025
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 Oct. 7.
“Wow this is such an honor,” Gross said. “… 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 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.
“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, Kentucky Board of Education members and 2025 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Jennifer Montgomery.
Gross said she loves teaching math not only because she is good at math, but also because she loves helping students see how the subject connects to the real world.
One project that Gross leads is the ratios recipe project. Students pick a recipe and use math to scale it up for a crowd or scale it down to feed just a few people. Then they actually cook the food, either for their family or their class.
Gross also started a class initiative called the Dream Homerama project where each January, math students design and build a model of their dream house. They start by researching architecture and design concepts, then gather inspiration.
Using the math they learn in class, students draw their house to scale on blueprints. Then they design it digitally and build 3D models using whatever materials they want.
Gross said she enjoys seeing students getting creative with it by using materials such as popsicle sticks, LEGOs, cardboard and foam board.
Each year, students have the opportunity to present their houses in front of architects, contractors, interior designers, real estate agents and community members. Students present what the inside of their houses look like, explaining how they used math to determine design features and how much paint they would use.
“It has become a big deal over the past few years,” Gross said. “I love looking at being creative and looking at ways kids can use the math they’re learning, but in a way that would make sense to them or a way that they might use in the future.”
She said last year’s Dream Home presentation drew more than 100 local professionals and community members from across the Louisville area.
Michelle Gross, center, a mathematics teacher at Spencer County Middle School, was named the 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year during a ceremony in Frankfort on Oct. 7. Kara Byrn Dowdy, right, an English teacher at Mayfield High School (Mayfield Independent) and Melanie Howard, left, 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. Photo by Myles Young, Kentucky Department of Education, Oct. 7, 2025
2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year High School Finalist Kara Byrn Dowdy
Dowdy is an English teacher and department chair at Mayfield High School (Mayfield Independent) with 21 years of experience in the classroom.
In 2013, Dowdy established the Different Abilities program to raise awareness and funds for students with special needs.
“I didn’t want teachers in those classrooms to feel like they couldn’t have something that a student needed,” Dowdy said. “Just because you have one student one year doesn’t mean the same student with the same diagnosis is going to need the same resources (in the future), and it can get very expensive.”
The largest event for the Different Abilities program is an annual dodgeball tournament that has raised thousands of dollars and includes several ways for those with special needs to participate, whether that be playing in the tournament or helping run the event.
“I want them to feel like they are a part of something,” Dowdy said.
Different Abilities was conceived not too long after Dowdy gave birth to twins, one of whom was diagnosed with autism.
Dowdy said she wants to bring excitement into the classroom, which helps get students engaged and helps bring more people into the teaching profession by showcasing how passionate the work can be.
“I’m like a cheerleader in the classroom,” she said. “I want to encourage students to be the best that they can be. It might sound a little corny, but I’m like that teacher who plays music in the hallways, and I’m that teacher who’s going to greet you at the door and compliment your haircut and your new shoes.”
2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Elementary School Finalist Melanie Howard
Howard is a dedicated special education moderate and severe disabilities (MSD) educator at Corbin Primary School (Corbin Independent).
Howard is currently in her 21st year as an elementary special education MSD educator, including the last seven years at Corbin Primary.
“I would like to share this nomination and this award with all MSD teachers. I feel like we are often not looked upon as regular elementary, middle or high school teachers, but we do some of the most important work in our school systems,” Howard said.
Howard said she is a huge advocate for special needs students and always works to give them recognition for the small milestones that can easily go unnoticed. She said any moment in the classroom is a teaching moment, as they are learning life skills that can hopefully carry over to their behavior outside of the classroom.
Howard said she had always known she wanted to be a special education teacher – specifically an MSD educator – as she comes from a family of educators, with many in special education.
“I feel like I was truly called to be an MSD teacher; there is nothing else I want to teach or expect to teach until I retire. I have been in this position at different grade levels, and it is where I thrive,” she said.
Howard said she is more dedicated than ever to being a lifelong learner and is constantly seeking new ways to improve and advocate for the resources her students need.
“My passion for fighting for my students has pushed me to grow both personally and professionally,” she said.
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