Wheaton News

Social studies teacher Megan Bobola Philbrook ’14 arrived at work in a fire truck with the siren blaring. A large crowd erupted in cheers as Philbrook was told she had been named the 2026 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year.

Nominated by two former students for the award, she was given a sash with her new title and several bouquets of flowers before walking a red carpet to the school, high-fiving students along the way. The entire community—students, parents, family members, coworkers, school and town administrators—reveled in her accomplishment.

“I was just blown away and surprised to be nominated,” said Philbrook. “But this was a beautiful celebration for them to acknowledge that I was the winner.”

Known for her creativity and enthusiasm, Philbrook works with students from fifth through eighth grade at Andover Elementary/Middle School, where she has taught since 2017.

“My teaching philosophy is rooted in hands-on, active strategies with a lot of movement in the classroom,” she said. “I do not believe in excessive amounts of lecturing, so we do a lot of projects, simulations and recreations of history—inquiry-based learning that enables students to engage with the material.”

Some projects have included making papier-mâché globes, creating an ancient Roman play, and simulating the Vietnam War. Philbrook’s innovative and immersive approach to teaching can be traced back to her education at Wheaton College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education.

A native of Pembroke, N.H., a rural community in central New Hampshire, Philbrook quickly found herself at home at Wheaton. “The small-town rural feel of Norton was very similar to where I was raised, so it was an easy progression,” she said.

Philbrook believes she was well-positioned for success in her teaching career due to the considerable amount of fieldwork required at Wheaton. “It was a very comprehensive education program. The first-hand experience of student teaching, including a lot of observation hours, made sure that I was prepared,” she said.

Scott Gelber, professor of education, served as Philbrook’s advisor at Wheaton and recalled that she quickly earned the trust of her two supervising teachers while student-teaching at Attleboro High School.

“They allowed her to plan virtually all of the lessons she taught that spring,” he said. “Megan’s ability to use technology far exceeded the standard for a pre-service teacher.

“From the start, Megan exhibited an unflagging commitment to putting in the long hours necessary to plan original activities that relied on multiple primary sources,” Gelber said. “Megan was a bright, responsible and extremely hardworking student.”

After receiving the Teacher of the Year award, Philbrook proudly shared the news with Gelber. “I really appreciate my time at Wheaton, which was a great experience overall,” she explained. “I think that all the other education majors that graduated with me in 2014 are still teaching and that is such a testament to how well prepared we were.”

Philbrook began her teaching career in Manchester, N.H., teaching at the middle school level, after she was unable to land a position at a high school. “I figured I’d try it [teaching middle school], and it worked out beautifully,” she said.

After three years of teaching in New Hampshire’s largest city, where the classrooms were at maximum capacity, Philbrook looked for a position in a smaller town with smaller class sizes. She found it in Andover. “I love middle school. They are curious. They’re fun and funny and they’re just a wonderful group of kids.”

Selected from more than 100 nominees for the award, Philbrook is thankful for all who participated in the extensive process. The selection committee interviewed some of her students and coworkers, parents of students, community members and school administrators. They also watched Philbrook teach a lesson and conducted a final interview with her. “It’s been a lengthy process of distinguishing myself against other teachers,” she acknowledged.

As the state’s representative, Philbrook will have access to professional development opportunities and domestic travel, and will advance to a national competition against Teachers of the Year from all 50 states and several territories. “It could open so many doors for me in my career,” she said.

In her 12th year of teaching, she plans to continue for the foreseeable future, but believes that a switch to administrative work could happen later in her career. “I’m not ready to leave the classroom yet,” said the married mother of two, ages 7 and 2, who enjoys coaching her son’s soccer team. “At some point, my leadership skills would probably work well in running my own school as a principal, but I’m only in my 30s, so I’m not ready for that yet.”