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A man who teaches social studies at an alternative high school in Lapeer County is Michigan’s newest top teacher.
Corey Rosser was named Michigan Teacher of the Year Tuesday in a surprise announcement at Quest High School. The school is part of the North Branch Area Schools just north of metro Detroit.
Rosser was one of 10 Michigan teachers named in February by the Michigan Department of Education as regional teachers of the year for the 2025-26. About 500 teachers were nominated for the state’s highest teacher recognition award.
“Corey is incredibly gifted at connecting with students who have struggled in a traditional program,” North Branch Superintendent Jim Fish Tuesday said in a news release from the MDE. “The relationships he builds with students are instrumental in guiding them to believe in themselves and their future.”
Quest High, which has around 40 students, opened in 2004, and Rosser has worked there since its opening.
“His approach of truly getting to know them on an individual basis, understanding their goals and the challenges they have faced, is crucial to the program,” Principal Doug Lindsay said in the MDE release.
Rosser “focuses on developing a relationship with his students and providing them the necessary support to achieve their goals” as soon as students join the program, Lindsay said.
Rosser said during the ceremony following the surprise announcement by State Superintendent Michael Rice that “I think you could throw a pebble down our hallway and probably find a teacher more deserving than me,” according to the release.
“I work with so many amazing people here … Really, to me this is all about a culmination of what our students have been working toward. We’ve had 580 or so graduates over 20 years. Any teacher knows they all remember you. They create a really special place to learn and a really special place to teach.”
After he was named a regional teacher of the year, Rosser told The County Press that if selected as the top educator in Michigan this year, he would advocate for alternative education students.
Rosser and the other nine regional teachers of the year will serve this year on the Michigan Teacher Leadership Advisory Council, lending a teacher voice to the most pressing issues facing the state’s education system.
He will attend monthly meetings of the State Board of Education as a non-voting member and serve on the Governor’s Educator Advisory Council. He will also be Michigan’s nominee for the 2025 National Teacher of the Year award.
Here are the other nine regional teachers of the year:
- Susan Solomon, an elementary teacher at JKL Bahweting Anishnabe Public School Academy in Sault Ste. Marie.
- Thomas Schultz, a science teacher at Charlevoix Middle/High School in Charlevoix Public Schools.
- Sarah Kresnak, an elementary teacher at Discovery Elementary School in Kentwood Public Schools.
- Heather Wolf, a social studies teacher at Shepherd High School in Shepherd Public Schools.
- Becky Manore, a Spanish teacher at Grand Ledge High School in Grand Ledge Public Schools.
- Lindsey Cook, an elementary teacher at Sonoma Elementary School in Harper Creek Community Schools.
- Deidra LaPointe, an elementary teacher at Luther C. Klager Elementary School in Manchester Community Schools.
- Stephanie Jaskolski, an English language arts teacher at Woodhaven Upper Elementary in Woodhaven-Brownstown School District.
- Susan Kelsey-Brewton, a science teacher at Hope Academy in Detroit.
Lori Higgins is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at lhiggins@chalkbeat.org.
