Carrie Jones

Oct 22, 2025

The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Acadia Shops.

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MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—Michelle Bailey Brzezowski, a local educator won the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Maine Adult Education Association late last week.

“I am humbled and surprised,” Brzezowski said, Tuesday. “I love my job. I love helping our students find success and joy in learning, and supporting them to find their career path.”

It’s a major honor for a local educator.

“Michelle truly meets students where they are—both academically and personally. She designs lessons that reflect each learner’s test scores, prior educational experiences, and the amount of time they can realistically dedicate to their studies,” Director of MDI Adult and Community Education Lauren Koncinsky said.

There are over 60 adult education programs in the state but since adult educators are not counted in state reports, it’s hard to know how many teachers there are in Maine adult education programs.

“I do feel adult education is my dream job,” Brzezowski said. “It’s my happy place in education. We have adult students from all backgrounds and situations, and I grow daily from supporting them. I am learning right alongside them.”

The award is a big deal for both Michelle and for the Mount Desert Island Adult and Community Education Program.

That program is about opening doors.

Those doors can be about personal growth, job training, college preparation, or just learning for the sake of learning.

”We are a small program, but we know there are others who may need our programming. We help people finish high school, prepare to attend college, work on basic English and math literary, or explore new career paths,” Brzezowski said.

Brzezowski has been opening doors for people on Mount Desert Island and the region for years. She’s done it with enthusiasm and grace and a good amount of perseverance.

“Her flexibility is remarkable: she will meet a student off-site if transportation is a barrier, or connect with them online in the evening to ensure they don’t miss out. In recent years, as our MLL (multilingual learners) population has grown, Michelle has risen to the challenge with creativity and compassion, adapting her instruction to support English language learners with patience and skill. Her commitment ensures that every student feels seen, supported, and capable of moving forward,” Koncinsky said.

Nothing stops Michelle Bailey Brzezowski.

Anyone who has ever met her knows that.

This is even more true when it comes to taking care of people: students, friends, family. She is tireless and funny and smart and enthusiastic. She’s a fun dancer and she’s also the kind of person who takes care of her family, building them up, encouraging them to make them achieve their best.

The thing is?

Pretty much everyone Michelle meets becomes her family.

Brzezowski has been working in adult education since 2020 but before that (from 2017) she was a math and science teacher at Trenton Elementary School. Before that she taught at Mountain View School.

“In early 2024, Michelle stepped into the role of de facto director and carried those responsibilities through September 2025, all while continuing to provide her students with a truly top-notch educational experience,” Koncinsky said.

Brzezowski assisted her husband Pemetic School Technology Integrator Mike Brzezowski when he blended student innovation with community engagement. It was a groundbreaking, educational project that blended kids, chocolate, and Birch Bay Village. She was there when the Pemetic kids built guitars and presented them in Ellsworth. Her lemon tartlets won first place in the blueberry division at Island Connections’ Sugar Showdown. She has gone on countless Diver Ed cleanups of local waters.

All of those things—the learning, the participating, the giving—don’t begin to draw an in-depth portrait of Michelle Bailey Brzezowski. She’s impossible to describe. She lifts people up. Very simply that’s it. She lifts others for their own sake, not for her own. This is what MDI Adult and Community Education is all about, too.

”Balancing leadership duties with her teaching load is no small feat, yet Michelle managed it with grace, skill, and unwavering dedication. What makes her stand out most is her enthusiasm for learning. It’s contagious! Students, colleagues, and even community members are inspired by her energy, creativity, and commitment to education. Michelle is not only an outstanding teacher but also a leader who elevates everyone around her,” Koncinsky said.

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LINKS TO LEARN MORE

MDI Adult & Community Education

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All photos via Michelle Brzezowski unless otherwise noted.

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