Brian Grindrod of Wilbur Cross High School has been selected as one of 10 finalists for National Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. This honor recognizes exceptional teaching at the K-12 level.
Nine thousand teachers were nominated this year by students, parents, fellow teachers and community members. The 2026 National Teacher of the Year will be announced at the end of September.
Mr. Grindrod is a social studies teacher at Wilbur Cross High School, where he has served since 2014. His teaching philosophy is built on the foundations of project-based learning (PBL), where students move beyond traditional textbooks to engage directly with the mechanics of democracy through authentic, real-world challenges.
A cornerstone of Mr. Grindrod’s instructional approach is his deep involvement with the Center for Civic Education. He is a tireless advocate for the curriculum entitled We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution, which utilizes PBL strategies to coach students as they master constitutional principles and prepare for rigorous mock congressional hearings. His students participated in the We the People National Finals in 2023. He also serves as a mentor for Project Citizen, a project-based program that guides students as they identify pressing community issues and propose public policy solutions.
Beyond the classroom, Mr. Grindrod was recently named a Civic Virtue Fellow by the National Constitution Center, a role that allows him to contribute to national efforts in inquiry-based civic education. He serves as Advanced Placement coordinator for Wilbur Cross, early college liaison to Southern Connecticut State University, and a member of the NHPS Leadership Pipeline. Brian holds a bachelor of arts in history from the University of Connecticut, a master of arts in secondary education from Sacred Heart University, and a master of science in counselor education from Central Connecticut State University. He is currently completing his School Administrator Certificate from Sacred Heart University.