Albany County honors Aimee Gray as 2026 Teacher of the Year
Aimee Gray won ACSD#1’s top teaching honor after turning PE and health into a place where students felt safe, challenged and ready to show up.
A student who was not even enrolled in Aimee Gray’s class still came regularly, a small but revealing sign of the culture she built in Albany County School District No. 1. That steady pull on students, along with her focus on resilience, discipline and healthy habits, helped Gray earn the district’s 2026 Teacher of the Year honor during a staff recognition ceremony held Thursday, May 7.
Gray teaches secondary physical education and health at Whiting High School, where she was first selected as the school’s Teacher of the Year before advancing to district-level consideration. Whiting is ACSD#1’s alternative high school for grades 9 through 12, and any student in those grades may apply to attend at any time during the school year. In a setting built around students who may need a different path, Gray stood out for creating a classroom where young people felt supported enough to participate and challenged enough to keep improving.
District nomination materials show the award is based on much more than popularity. ACSD#1 says candidates are judged on content expertise, the ability to advance student learning, relationships with students, families and colleagues, community partnerships, leadership, innovation and communication. Gray’s recognition fits that standard closely. Colleagues described her as someone who meets students where they are while still pushing them to grow, balancing academic expectations with a classroom environment that helps young people feel capable and welcome.
The honor also says something about what Albany County families appear to value in their schools right now. In a district where public education is under close scrutiny statewide, Gray’s recognition highlights student wellness, connection and day-to-day school culture alongside academic performance. For parents, that means a teacher who helps a teenager feel like they belong can matter as much as any test score.
ACSD#1’s Human Resources department serves more than 800 employees, making districtwide recognition a meaningful marker of standing inside one of the county’s largest public institutions. The district has used the same recognition pathway before, honoring Laramie Middle School STEM teacher Garrid Halsey as District Teacher of the Year for the 2024-2025 school year before he later received the Milken Educator Award in December 2025. Gray’s selection continues that pattern of elevating teachers whose influence reaches well beyond one classroom.
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