Maine teacher who won $1M award resolves shoplifting charge

EDGECOMB, Maine – A shoplifting charge against a Maine teacher who won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize will be dropped if she meets terms imposed by a court.

The plea arrangement requires Nancie Atwell to stay out of trouble for two years, undergo a psychological evaluation and complete 100 hours of community service. The Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/1VV9kn8 ) reports that the deferred disposition was formalized Monday.

Atwell founded The Centre for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb. She was selected from a pool of 1,300 applicants for the first Varkey Foundation award in 2015.

In April, she was charged with shoplifting a $14.99 blouse. The charge will be dropped if she meets the court terms that include proving she’s donating the prize money.

She has called the theft charge a misunderstanding.

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Information from: Portland Press Herald, http://www.pressherald.com

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