Former ACGC Teacher Hired at DaVinci Academy

A former Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City teacher who faced controversy over publicly accessible photographs from an adult stage performance is now teaching fifth grade at DaVinci Academy of Arts and Science in Ham Lake.

The school’s staff directory lists Thomas Dougherty-Rosengren as a fifth-grade teacher. DaVinci told Alpha News that he started August 10.

Rosengren previously taught sixth grade and directed theater at ACGC. Education Minnesota confirms he withdrew from consideration for the 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year award.

Alpha News reports the withdrawal followed controversy over photographs showing Rosengren participating in a sexually themed adult performance. The reporting does not allege that students were involved or that the photographs were taken at school.

DaVinci declined to say whether administrators knew about the photographs or Rosengren’s departure from ACGC before hiring him, citing Minnesota personnel-data laws.