{"id":1503,"date":"2026-05-26T14:10:42","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T14:10:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1503"},"modified":"2026-05-26T14:10:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T14:10:42","slug":"apex-friendship-middle-teacher-named-wake-county-teacher-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/raleighmovingnews.com\/?p=1503","title":{"rendered":"Apex Friendship Middle teacher named Wake County Teacher of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"
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APEX, N.C. (WNCN) \u2014 An Apex middle school teacher is the Wake County Public School System 2026 Teacher of the Year, district officials said.<\/p>

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Matin Maani, a seventh grade social studies teacher at Apex Friendship Middle School, received the award during a banquet honoring the finalists last week, according to district officials.<\/p>\n

The following day, according to district officials, a celebration was held at Apex Friendship Middle to honor Maani.<\/p>\n

District officials credited Maani with having a classroom \u201cbuilt on empathy, curiosity, and mutual respect.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe cares so much about the students, he\u2019s all about making them better and making every lesson engaging,\u201d said Jeremy Thomas, a fellow Apex Friendship Middle seventh grade social studies teacher, in a statement.\u00a0\u201cHe wants to see that every day when his students walk out of his classroom that they\u2019re just a little bit better.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Matin<\/figure>\n
Matin Maani (Wake County Public School System)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n

According to district officials, Maani feels his teaching style changed after a student challenged his understanding of meaningful engagement in difficult conversations during a lesson on the Holocaust.<\/p>

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\u201cI have since learned that meaningful engagement with such topics requires the student\u2019s emotional readiness to be attended to in addition to the mind,\u201d Maani said in a statement. \u201cThere is an interconnectedness between the heart and intellect that cannot be ignored.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maani is also the co-chair of the school\u2019s Equity Committee, a member of the School Improvement Team, and an advisor to the Apex Friendship Middle chess club, according to district officials.<\/p>\n

According to district officials, Maani holds a Bachelor in Science in Middle Grades Language Arts and Social Studies Education from North Carolina State University, where he is a member of the Middle Grades English Language Arts and Social Studies Alumni Panel and the Community of Practice Participant Middle School Social Studies Teachers.<\/p>\n

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Looking for more positive news in your day? Check out The Bright Side \u2600\ufe0f<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

District officials said Maani received the following:<\/p>\n