Molly Seifert speaking at a podium after being named the 2027 Kentucky Teacher of the Year.

Molly Seifert, an English teacher at Beechwood High School (Beechwood Independent) with more than 25 years of experience in the classroom, was named the 2027 Kentucky Teacher of the Year during a ceremony in Frankfort on Sept. 9. Photo by Joe Ragusa, Kentucky Department of Education, Sept. 9, 2026

(FRANKFORT, KY) – Molly Seifert, an English teacher at Beechwood High School (Beechwood Independent) with 26 years of experience in the classroom, was named the 2027 Kentucky Teacher of the Year during a ceremony in Frankfort on Sept. 9.

“I’m shocked. I am so humbled,” Seifert said. “I am so grateful that the folks chose me for this award and I promise my fellow educators that I will represent all of our students’ needs and all of our teachers’ needs to the best of my ability.”

Seifert is in her 21st year as an educator at Beechwood High School, spending time as a high school English teacher in Owen and Campbell counties prior to her employment in Beechwood Independent.

Seifert also earned the 2027 Kentucky High School Teacher of the Year honor. Katherine Berner, a library media specialist at Baker Intermediate School (Clark County), was named the 2027 Kentucky Middle School Teacher of the Year. Kellie Moses, a general music and choir teacher at Garth Elementary School (Scott County), earned the 2027 Kentucky Elementary School Teacher of the Year award.

Seifert’s role at the school goes far beyond her English classrooms, too. She has coached the school’s speech and debate team since she started teaching in the district in 2006, earning several state and national honors along the way and earning an induction into the Kentucky High School Speech League Hall of Fame in 2019.

“There’s really no other extracurricular opportunity where kids truly get to speak their truth, and I try to do that in my classroom as well as in competitive speech and debate,” Seifert said. “So that, to me, is really important.”

Seifert also serves as the theater director at Beechwood High School. She said with her interest in theater at an early age, helping kids learn how to perform has brought her great joy.

“So, I wanted to continue doing it and bring that great joy to other people,” Seifert said.

Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said each of the 2027 Teacher Achievement Award nominees, who were all honored during the Kentucky Teacher of the Year ceremony, were selected because they have the respect and admiration of their colleagues and their students.

“They are experts in their field and advance growth for students of all backgrounds and abilities They build collaborative relationships with colleagues, students and families to create a school culture of success,” Fletcher said. “They deliberately connect the classroom to the community. They are lifelong learners and teacher leaders, using vibrant learning experiences both in and out of the classroom.”

Also in attendance were Kentucky Board of Education Chair Lu S. Young, Kentucky Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Thomas Tucker, Education Professional Standards Board Chair Amber Snell and 2026 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Michelle Gross.

Seifert said she seeks vibrant learning experiences, whether it’s through theater, speech or with the literature she teaches in the classroom.

“Vibrancy in that regard is … acting out Macbeth instead of silently reading Macbeth, like giving the children a horse on a stick to hop across the room when it’s time for Macbeth to ride in on his horse … giving another student an opportunity to be the so-called light board operator when there’s a storm in Macbeth and somebody’s over there flicking the light switch,” she said. “So just … physically getting them up and doing things when we’re doing literature to make that engaging, because that’s part of my curriculum and I have to teach it.”

And with her senior-level English classes, she tailors the nonfiction parts to what students are planning to do once they graduate, having students write a career-based research paper and giving them the time to investigate their interests.

“They really buy into it because they feel that this is valuable,” Seifert said.

Seifert said she’s blessed to work with so many phenomenal educators in her school and loves working with students.

“I thoroughly enjoy being with the kids all day. They bring me not only great joy, but also great energy,” Seifert said. “I’m so blessed to work in a building where these kids are so kind and they’re so good.”

Seifert will represent Kentucky in the National Teacher of the Year competition.

All Teacher Achievement Award recipients receive cash prizes. Seifert receives $10,000 for being the overall Kentucky Teacher of the Year and will have the opportunity to do a six-month sabbatical with KDE. As part of the sabbatical, they will be able to travel around the state to connect with other teachers as an ambassador of the teaching profession.

KDE received 600 teacher nominations this year. Judging was conducted by a qualified panel of veteran educators from across the state.

Nominees were interviewed and judged based on their teaching philosophies, teaching experiences and involvement in their respective communities. Judges also considered letters of recommendation from peers, students, families, administrators and others.

Katherine Berner, Molly Seifert and Kellie Moses hold glass trophies and smile.

Molly Seifert, center, an English teacher at Beechwood High School (Beechwood Independent), was named the 2027 Kentucky Teacher of the Year during a ceremony in Frankfort on Sept. 9. Katherine Berner, left, a library media specialist at Baker Intermediate School (Clark County), was named the 2027 Kentucky Middle School Teacher of the Year. Kellie Moses, right, a general music and choir teacher at Garth Elementary School (Scott County), earned the 2027 Kentucky Elementary School Teacher of the Year award. Photo by Myles Young, Kentucky Department of Education, Sept. 9, 2026

2027 Kentucky Middle School Teacher of the Year Katherine Berner

Berner, a library media specialist at Baker Intermediate School (Clark County), has a special focus on bringing vibrant learning experiences to students through unique projects in her classroom.

As a library media specialist, Berner teaches four classes every day where students do projects, different kinds of hands-on activities, book check-outs and reading.

She started teaching 6th-grade language arts in 2008 at Clark Middle School, then became a library media specialist at Baker Intermediate School in 2020.

Berner also encourages students to get more involved in extracurricular activities. She co-directs the school’s theater program. Over the 13 years she’s been involved in the theater program, she’s seen it grow from about 30 students auditioning for plays to about 100 students.

Berner said she wanted to be a teacher because she saw the difference her parents made in young people’s lives at a church camp where she grew up. She wants to make a difference in students’ lives and encourage a love of reading for them.

“One of the goals that I always have for myself is that I remember what it’s like to be in the classroom and I remember those teachers that really challenged me,” Berner said. “So, I try to bring in as many students as possible and make them feel safe and make them feel welcome in the room so they’re more willing to try different things and more willing to give learning a chance.”

2027 Kentucky Elementary School Teacher of the Year Kellie Moses

Moses is currently in her 24th year teaching music at Garth Elementary (Scott County), where she has spent her entire teaching career.

Moses has worn many hats in her 24 years with Scott County Schools, including as a K-5 music educator for Garth Elementary, as a choral director for Garth Elementary for 4th- and 5th-grade ensembles, a string and percussion director for Garth Elementary, and as an interim assistant choral director at Scott County High School for 9th- through 12th-grade ensembles.

Moses has worked to design and implement general music curriculum for K-5 students, integrate core content strands and culturally responsive pedagogy, and establish after-school ensemble initiatives designed to remove barriers for historically underrepresented students, leading to increased diverse student participation.

“I have had the privilege of teaching at the same Title I school for my entire 24-year career. Throughout that time, I have remained deeply committed to creating a learning environment where every student feels valued, capable and connected,” she said.

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