WORCESTER — Tuesday, February 10, 2026 — Burncoat Middle School music teacher Andrea Cook was recently named the 2026 Central Massachusetts Middle School Music Educator of the Year by the Central District Massachusetts Music Educators Association (CDMMEA).
The CDMMEA Middle School Music Educator of the Year Award was presented during the association’s Senior Festival Concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on January 17, which also saw a school-district record 36 WPS students perform.
“There's so many people who are doing amazing things in the classroom, so it's really humbling to be recognized for it,” Cook said of the award.
“This award is a well-deserved recognition of Ms. Cook’s impact on students and music education in Worcester,” said Superintendent Brian E. Allen. “Through her leadership, creativity, and collaboration, Ms. Cook plays an important role in Burncoat Middle School’s arts community, which continues to inspire students every day.”
Cook has been with Worcester Public Schools since 2010, joining Burncoat Middle School’s staff in 2017. She teaches general music, chorus, and a music magnet class, and has helped shape district-wide music education by developing curriculum maps in general music, music theory, and chorus.
Cook has also created a ukulele curriculum that offers students a simple introduction to learning a musical instrument, often sparking an interest in music in her students that grows into a desire to explore more complex instruments.
"When I approached the middle school classroom, I wanted to do a lot of hands-on work with students, so I created a ukulele curriculum that's now district wide. It's really engaging and fun work with the students. It has expanded into rock drumming, and guitars and electric bass, and pianos and marimbas. We get to do really amazing stuff with an easy access point for students,” Cook said.
Cook credits her colleagues in WPS, and in the H-Wing of Burncoat Middle School in particular, for continuing to inspire her while working together to positively impact music and arts education in the City of Worcester.
Photo Caption: Andrea Cook stands outside of her classroom in the H-wing of Burncoat Middle School on February 3, 2026. (Kyle Prudhomme/WPS)
“I think there's nothing more fulfilling than getting to live in this little hallway - the H-wing. My colleagues Kellie Shea, Justine Penucci, Meredith Lord, are some of the best colleagues that I've had the pleasure of working with,” Cook said.
“It’s really special to see our students work together as a team, and for us as adults to do the same. That teamwork extends outward as we develop strong skills, share them with colleagues, and learn from one another. We’re getting to watch the arts in Worcester grow into something new, which is incredibly exciting.”
The Central District Massachusetts Music Educators Association (CDMMEA) is a regional affiliate of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association (MMEA) and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), dedicated to promoting music education in Central Massachusetts. CDMMEA hosts annual Junior (grades 7–9) and Senior (grades 9–12) festivals, providing audition-based performance opportunities in band, orchestra, jazz, and chorus.
Story note: Following auditions on February 7, 2026, 26 students from Burncoat Middle School were accepted to the Central Districts Junior Festival.
Photo Caption: Burncoat Middle School music teacher Andrea Cook plays the ukulele alongside students during a class on December 3, 2025. (Kyle Prudhomme/WPS)