Dynamic. Passionate. Exceptional. They are all words used to describe Christine Michaud, a second-grade teacher at St. Michael School in Augusta, who was named the Maine Catholic School Teacher of the Year. 

“She exudes the mission of Catholic education in all ways, from how she lives her life to how she treats the children in her classroom. She loves them dearly, and they know it. And I think that truly makes her special,” says Alanna Stevenson, principal of St. Michael School.

“Her passion for the mission of the Church, her commitment to her students, and her impact on the school community are truly exceptional,” says Shelly Wheeler, superintendent of Maine Catholic Schools. “This teacher lives her Catholic faith in a profound way, extending it into everything she does, both personally and professionally.”

The award was presented by Wheeler and Bishop James Ruggieri during a school assembly held April 27. As Wheeler shared some of the winning teacher’s attributes, tears came to Michaud’s eyes as she realized that she was the one being honored.
 

“This is an honor that is beyond my expectations,” she says. “I haven’t been a teacher for an extremely long amount of time, so it was not even a thought in my mind that it could possibly be me.”
 

In accepting the award, Michaud praised the supportive St. Michael School community.

“The children here, the parents here, and especially the teachers, my co-teachers, make teaching here just so much fun,” she says. “I feel very well supported and cared for and appreciated. So, what I give is out of my heart because I love it.” 

While Michaud says she was shocked to be chosen as the teacher of the year, family and friends who attended the celebration say it is well-deserved recognition.

“Christine is so deserving of this because she sees the best in everybody,” says Kristin Wollenberg, a longtime friend. “She’s so open and caring and approachable.”

“One of the things that she has always loved is just giving of herself to others,” says Jason, her husband. “She’s committed to her kids. She just loves them as if they were her own. And she gives her heart to everything she does.”

“The primary thrust of the New Testament is love without judgment, and that is Christine,” says Peter Precourt, a close friend.

Michaud began teaching at St. Michael School in 2020. She started out teaching music and then took on library responsibilities before becoming a full-time second-grade teacher.

“Second grade in particular is incredible because they are just sponges, and they love to come to school. I come to school every day, and I get a big hug from many of the students. You start to teach them something new, and the sheer joy of learning something that they didn’t know before is all over their faces. I just love watching them grow,” she says.

Despite the passion she now has for teaching, Michaud says it was not a lifelong aspiration. In fact, when she was in high school and a music teacher suggested that she consider pursuing that field, she says her answer was, ‘Why would I want to do that?’”

Her introduction to teaching came when Sister Carol Martin, PFM, a close family friend, convinced her and Wollenberg to become catechists at St. Francis Xavier Church in Winthrop.

“My son was probably in kindergarten at that point. My daughter was going into second grade, and she called me one day and, as Sister Carol does, in a relaxed manner, said, ‘Why don’t you teach catechism?’ I’m, like, ‘I’ve never done it before. I don’t know how to do it. I’m a convert to Catholicism. I’m new to the Church,’” she recalls.

Despite her hesitancy, she agreed, but let her friend take the lead.

“It was a lot of fun. We took our jobs very seriously as catechists and tried to share as much as we could with the children,” she says.

Michaud’s next teaching experience came after she was asked by a friend to give her daughter voice lessons. Michaud had participated in the University of 

Maine Singers while in college and agreed to share what she learned. Soon, she was teaching 10 students.

Already a volunteer in the Winthrop public schools, which her children attended, she next started substitute teaching.

She was then approached about teaching music at St. Michael School. Sue Olmsted, whom Michaud knew through the St. Francis Xavier Church choir, was retiring from the position and encouraged Michaud to apply.

“I wasn’t a certified teacher at that point and certainly wasn’t a certified music teacher, but she and I have done music ministry together for years, and she’s, like, you just need to do it. So, I applied, and I got the job, and I really loved it,” she says.

Michaud earned her teacher certification, and when the second-grade teaching position opened, she was approached about the job.

“I wasn’t certain whether I was going to take the role, but my husband encouraged me, so I did it, and I haven’t looked back,” she says. “I love teaching music, but I really, truly enjoy being a full-time classroom teacher, where I get to have the same students all year long,” she says.

Michaud says second grade is special because of the opportunity to teach the students about the sacraments.

“We do reconciliation. We do confirmation. We do first Eucharist,” she says. “It’s a very special year.”

Michaud says being able to bring Christ into the classroom is a large part of why she loves teaching at St. Michael School.

“It is very mission driven. People aren’t here for the money. They’re here because they want to teach at a Catholic school. They want to have faith be a part of the education and to know that they can share the love of Christ in every part of their day,” she says. “We pray every day. The kids love to share their prayer intentions. They love to pray for their families and friends. You can’t do that just anywhere. So it’s being able to pray with them and remind them that we’re not just here to teach academics; we are here to help you grow in your faith and to remind you that God loves you no matter what.”

Michaud’s second graders lead the school in praying the Rosary, and during Lent, they take turns with other grades in leading the Stations of the Cross. Each Lent, Michaud’s class also helps to promote Operation Rice Bowl, which raises money for Catholic Relief Services.

“We talk about what that means and how it is a help to others and how just giving a few coins over the period of Lent can add up to a lot. They distribute rice bowls and letters to all the students in the school. And they get to announce it in our morning meeting. They are also learning to count money in the second grade, so it ties into the curriculum,” Michaud says.

In addition to teaching second grade, Michaud is also choir director for students in grades 3-8. She organizes monthly student-led Masses at which the choir sings. And each Christmas, the choir performs for seniors at the nearby Howell House.

“The residents there are so excited and so grateful to see these kids and to hear them sing, and they sing along with us. That is a real gift to me: to watch it all unfold,” she says. “The students underestimate the power that they have in bringing joy and comfort to others.”

Along with Scott Vaillancourt from Prince of Peace Parish and Leon Griesbach of the Psalterium Institute, Michaud has also been key in reviving the annual Catholic School Choir Festival, held at the Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul in Lewiston.

“I do like to sing, so I like to bring song into the classroom. Kids love music,” she says.

In addition to her commitment to the school, Michaud is also an active member of St. Michael Parish. She is a cantor at St. Francis Xavier Church, where she also learned to play the piano and guitar. And she and her husband are members of the church’s Breakfast Club, which puts on monthly breakfasts.