Here's the list of candidates for Minnesota's teacher of the year

The 2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be announced during a presentation May 5 at the St. Paul RiverCentre, and there are a near-record 168 nominees. 

According to Education Minnesota, it's the third highest number of nominees in the 55-year history of the prestigious award, which celebrates public and private school teachers, from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade and Adult Basic Education teachers. 

The 168 nominees will be trimmed to a list of semifinalists and finalists by a 25-member panel of community leaders, according to Education Minnesota. 

Here are all 168 nominees, in alphabetical order by school districts they teach in. 

• Kristen Seeger, Albert Lea Area Schools
• Ericka Ableiter, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Jessica Bomstad Young, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• David Christensen, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Lynn Florman, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Cindy Houle, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Stacy Johnson, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Adriann Kell, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Amy Kinney, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Taylor Melius-Polzin, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Jaclyn Mingo, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Chelsea Regan, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Timothy Riordan, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Kari Slindee, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Brett Theisen, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Justine Wewers, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Alisha Galle, Austin Public Schools
• Karen Solum, Barnesville Public Schools
• Carin Hagemeyer, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Public Schools
• Joshua Coval, Bloomington Public Schools
• Kris Goodwin, Bloomington Public Schools
• Katie Juul, Bloomington Public Schools
• Lisa Leary, Bloomington Public Schools
• Cory Wade, Bloomington Public Schools
• June Dahlgren, Brainerd Public Schools
• Nicole Meints, Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools
• Elizabeth Davidson, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
• Erin Huber, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
• Amy Smalley, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
• Tina Fruechte, Caledonia Area Public Schools
• Megan Fritz, Centennial Schools
• Rachel Sandquist, Central Public Schools
• Jennifer Schneider, Central Public Schools
• Julie Frawley, Chisago Lakes Schools
• Pam Myers, Columbia Heights Public Schools
• Kim Davidson, Crookston Public Schools
• Marita Kendig, Crookston Public Schools
• Erica Uttermark, Crookston Public Schools
• John Fitzer, Delano Public Schools District
• Kristin Bergerson, Duluth Public Schools
• Jane Juten, Duluth Public Schools
• Diane Mozol, Duluth Public Schools
• Anna Edlund, Eastern Carver County Schools
• Pat Benincasa, Performing Institute of MN Arts High School Eden Prairie
• Deanne Herz, Eden Prairie Schools
• Penny Jeurissen, Eden Prairie Schools
• Lindsay Klaverkamp, Eden Prairie Schools
• Debra Larsson, Eden Prairie Schools
• Stacy Marek, Eden Prairie Schools
• Marcela Roos, Eden Prairie Schools
• Kathy Vehmeier, Eden Prairie Schools
• Geneva Fitzsimonds, Edina Public Schools
• Jill Uecker, Edina Public Schools
• Janel Weiland, Edina Public Schools
• Chelsie Cabak, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Lauren Generous, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Katie Johnson, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Sara Klingelhofer, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Heather Mortinson, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Tony Wolverton, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Missy Aukes, Fairmont Area Schools
• Jennifer Bartsch, Floodwood School District
• Betsy Saurdiff, Goodridge School District
• Stacy Dahl, Greenbush-Middle River School District
• Robyn Creary, DaVinci Academy of Arts and Science, Ham Lake
• Joe Beattie, Hastings Public Schools
• Jessica Hiedeman, Herman Norcross School District 
• Kathryn Enselein, Intermediate District 287
• Kelly Darrow, Inver Grove Heights Schools
• Deana Walsh, Inver Grove Heights Schools
• Briana Novak, Isle Public Schools
• Stephanie Olstad, Jordan Public Schools
• Brent Stinson, Kingsland Public Schools
• Tammy Teach, Lake Park-Audubon Schools 
• Phillip Lalim, Lakeview Public Schools
• Chad Bieniek, Lakeville Area Schools
• Ryan Rapacz, Lakeville Area Schools
• Jodie Sheets, Lakeville Area Schools
• Stephen Booth, Laporte Public School District
• Katie Lieser, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Public Schools
• Michlyn Newman, Mahtomedi Public Schools
• Emily Seppmann, Mankato Area Public Schools
• Laurie Jensen, Martin County West Schools
• Michelle Breuer Vitt, Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis
• Emily Firkus, Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis
• Jessie Damsgard, Hiawatha Leadership Academy – Northrop, Minneapolis
• L. Jenifer Bates, Minneapolis Public Schools
• Donna Biggar, Minneapolis Public Schools
• Michelle Cauley, Minneapolis Public Schools
• Sharon DeLisle, Minneapolis Public Schools
• Vicki Lambert, Minnesota Correctional Facility – Stillwater 
• Kelly Fisher, Minnetonka Public Schools
• Brian Meyer, Moorhead Area Public Schools
• Jacob Hairrell, Mounds View Public Schools
• Bill Sucha, Mounds View Public Schools
• Kirstin Perales, North Branch Area Public Schools
• Peter Burnham, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Christa Edlund, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Jana Hedlund, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Dana Pederson, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Renee Holt, Northeast Metro 916 Intermediate School District
• Betsy Eernisse, Osseo Area Schools
• Lucas Staker, Osseo Area Schools
• Noël Nivala, Kaleidoscope Charter School, Otsego
• Lori Peglow, Owatonna Public Schools
• Mary Schroepfer, Owatonna Public Schools
•  Jory Magel, Pine City Public Schools
• Jaime Danks, Pipestone Area Schools
• Jamie Fenicle, Pipestone Area Schools
• Nancy Siebenahler, Pipestone Area Schools
• Susan Meyer, Plainview-Elgin-Millville Community Schools
• Molly Kalina, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools
• Jesse Smith, Proctor Public Schools
• Jordan Snesrud, Randolph Public Schools
• Colleen Crossley, Robbinsdale Area Schools
• Wilbur Winkelman, Robbinsdale Area Schools
• Deborah Roberge, Rochester Public Schools
• Lynette Faber, ROCORI Area Schools
• Julie Urness, Roseau School District
• Laurie Herman, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Schools
• Tamara Morett, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Schools
• Myriam Castro-Franco, Roseville Area Schools
• Jeffrey Davies, Roseville Area Schools
• Markie Crosby, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Eric Erickson, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Bernetta Green, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Sara Johnson, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Molly Keenan, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Benjamin Lathrop, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Janet Manor, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Paul Nelson, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Shannon Pettipiece, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Eugenia Popa, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Shari Roach, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Mark Westpfahl, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Lori Uphoff, Sauk Centre Public Schools
• Shelby Chollett, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools
• Nancy Davis, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools
• Tania Drexler-Gutierrez, Shakopee Public Schools
• Jessica Davis, South St. Paul Public Schools
• Luke Olson, South St. Paul Public Schools
• Kristen Spanjers, South St. Paul Public Schools
• Jessica Splittstoesser, South St. Paul Public Schools
• Scott Alton, South Washington County Schools
• Linnea Balderrama, South Washington County Schools
• Karen Buckeye, South Washington County Schools
• Linnea Gamache, South Washington County Schools
• Tark Katzenmeyer, South Washington County Schools
• Andrea Kleoppel, South Washington County Schools
• Anna Ohlsen, South Washington County Schools
• Kaarin Schumacher, South Washington County Schools
• Nora Nutt, SouthWest Metro Intermediate District 288
• Chris Ann Johnson, St. Cloud Area School District
• Steve Schmitz, St. Louis Park Public Schools
• Katie Macrafic, Triton Public Schools
• Laura Nelson, AFSA High School, Vadnais Heights
• Mandy Gallant, Wadena-Deer Creek Public Schools
• Julie Kirchner, Wayzata Public Schools
• Pat Merrick, Westbrook Walnut Grove Schools
• Annemarie Brockopp, Westonka Public Schools
• Deb Castner, Westonka Public Schools
• Laura Hensley, Westonka Public Schools
• Scott Lhotka, Westonka Public Schools
• Theresa Schmidt, Westonka Public Schools
• Maggie Clark, White Bear Lake Area Schools
• Mary Maloy, White Bear Lake Area Schools
• Dawn Maple, White Bear Lake Area Schools
• Theresa Pearson, Winona Area Public Schools

You can see past winners of the award right here.