Green Meadow 4th Grade Teacher Jaimee Kusche, right, with her students and EGTA President Dan Wagner after she was presented with the 2026 EGTA Teacher of the Year award on Friday morning.
Green Meadow 4th Grade Teacher Jaimee Kusche was named the 2026 Teacher of the Year by the East Greenbush Teachers Association on Friday morning. Mrs. Kusche was presented with the award by EGTA President Dan Wagner in a surprise announcement during the filming of GMTV, the Green Meadow morning show.
As GMTV was on the air, Mr. Wagner walked into the studio and handed Mrs. Kusche balloons and a bouquet of flowers. After the show ended, Mrs. Kusche walked back to her classroom through a hallway lined with students and staff who congratulated her with applause, high fives, and hugs.
“I’m incredibly thankful to be this year’s EGTA Teacher of the Year,” Mrs. Kusche said. “To be recognized by my colleagues is truly an honor. I feel fortunate to be in the same category as previous winners, many of whom I had as a student in the district. East Greenbush has so many wonderful teachers who are worthy of this honor. How lucky am I to be able to do a job I love each day in such a special community? Thank you for this recognition!”
Mrs. Kusche has taught in the East Greenbush Central School District for 21 years, spending all of that time in 4th grade at Green Meadow.
“Jaimee is an amazing teacher who truly dedicates herself to her students,” said Mr. Wagner. “It was amazing to see all of the kids cheering for Jaimee today when she was awarded Teacher of the Year, it was a true testament to her and proves that she is so deserving of this honor.”
In addition to her teaching duties, Mrs. Kusche is the advisor for GMTV, a live morning show anchored by students, and co-advisor of the Green Meadow Student Council.
She has also served as a mentor teacher to new teachers and a building level curriculum specialist for mathematics.
“Mrs. Kusche is an incredible teacher who brings so much more than just expertise to our school; she brings heart and a tireless energy that inspires us all,” said Green Meadow Principal Dan Garab. “It is wonderful to see her peers recognize her with such a well-deserved honor. We are lucky to have her on our team.”
Congratulations to Mrs. Kusche, our 2026 EGTA Teacher of the Year!
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EGTA Teacher of the Year Award
2026 Jaimee Kusche
2025 Christine Blake
2024 Chris Ciccone
2023 Allie Harling
2022 Beth Hart
2021 Audra Di Bacco
2020 All EGTA Members
2019 Maria Fontaine
2018 Scott Siver
2017 Wendy McAlonie
2016 Curtis Sankey
2015 Melissa Gilligan
2014 Nancy Boucher
2013 Monica Blanchfield
2012 Bob Halek
2011 Diana Prout
2010 Jean Decker
2009 Lisa Westman
2008 Linda Kaminski
2007 Peter Zilgme
2006 Christina Rogone
2005 Denise Nahal
2004 The Staff at CHS
2003 Sean Crall
2002 Larraine Gillette
2001 Nikki Carter-Piechnik
2000 Susan Owens
1999 Sally Sroka
1998 Virginia Congemi
1997 Kevin McCann
1996 Mary LaFleur
1995 Linda McCabe
1994 Lynda DeCelle
1993 Denise Poost
1992 Barbara Poole
1991 Kathy DeWeese
1990 Henry Kolakoski
1989 Robert Crosby
1988 Benedict Schaefer
1987 Elizabeth Lyman
1986 Shirley Howard
1985 Carlton Eno
1984 Louise Pearce
1983 Peter Citrolo
1982 Michael Angelo
1981 Marilyn Reeves
1980 Kileen Stone
1979 Edith Cosgrove
1978 Thelma Donahue
1977 Robert King
1976 Jean Burgess
1975 Raymond Gietz
1974 Elizabeth McMaster
1973 Alfred Viola
1972 Bernice Pechenik
1971 Paul Bourgeois
1970 Ruth Herr