Here's the list of candidates for Minnesota's teacher of the year
There are 168 teachers up for the award this 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.
