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.