Two Plymouth Public Schools educators are being recognized this month for their work in science education, with a Plymouth South High School teacher receiving a national honor and the district’s science curriculum coordinator earning a state award.
Jessica Meade, a teacher at Plymouth South High School, was named an outstanding educator in biomedical science by Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a national nonprofit that develops hands-on STEM curriculum for schools.
And earlier this month, the district’s science curriculum coordinator, Alison Riordan, was named 2026 State Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers (MAST).
Riordan and Meade helped launch biomedical science programs at Plymouth’s high schools in 2015, when only a handful of schools in the state were using PLTW curriculum, Riordan said.
More than 40 schools now use that curriculum, growth that Riordan attributed to Meade’s work as a PLTW community lead. In addition to her role as one of two biomedical science teachers at Plymouth South, Meade provides training and mentorship for other teachers in the state who use PLTW curriculum.
“I can honestly say with certainty that Jess has played a role” in the program’s expansion, Riordan said. “That’s part of the reason why Jess received this award.”
Plymouth South High School Principal Patricia Fry, Riordan, and class of 2026 graduate Zack Hogge nominated Meade for the award, and she was among 10 biomedical teachers nationwide to receive the honor.
“She has the rare ability to make every student feel like a scientist from day one,” Fry said in a statement. “She fosters a culture where mistakes are treated as essential steps in the scientific process rather than setbacks.”
PLTW recognizes educators who “inspire, engage, and empower their students by creating transformative learning experiences in their schools,” according to the PLTW’s website.
“She has taught me the importance of balance, encouraging me to take a step back, think critically, and approach challenges or difficulties thoughtfully and calmly,” Hogge said of Meade in a statement.
Riordan, who has been the district’s science curriculum coordinator since 2008, will be recognized for her own work advancing science education across Massachusetts at a MAST banquet today.
She said she’s consistently seized opportunities to support science educators across the state, whether serving on MCAS committees or presenting to other education leaders.
During a sabbatical from 2024 to 2025, Riordan helped start the OpenSciEd Massachusetts Community, an organization focused on helping schools implement hands-on science curriculum. In 2022, she was inducted into the Massachusetts Science Educators’ Hall of Fame.
“They couldn’t have picked a better person for that science leader award,” Superintendent Christopher Campbell said at a school committee meeting Monday night. “We are really super excited and proud to have Alison as a part of our team.”
Emily Spatz can be reached at emily@plymouthindependent.org.