2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year field narrowed to 27 semifinalists
For more information, contact:
DOUG DOOHER
651-245-6141 (cell)
CHRIS WILLIAMS
651-292-4816 (work)
651-247-5539 (cell)
ST. PAUL, Minnesota. March 7, 2024 – The field of possible candidates for this year’s Minnesota Teacher of the Year honor has been narrowed to 27.  An independent selection panel of 18 community leaders chose the semifinalists from an initial field of 159 candidates from across the state.Â
The panel will review the semifinalists’ portfolios again and review semifinalist video submissions in mid-March. The panel will select about 10 finalists from among the group.
The current Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Michael Houston, will announce his successor at the Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet, scheduled for May 5 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.
Education Minnesota, the statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade, Early Childhood Family Education and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or private schools.
The Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program also receives support from the following organizations: Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, SMART Technologies and Expedition Credit Union.
Semifinalists for 2024 Minnesota Teacher of the Year are listed alphabetically by last name below, including the district and school:
Deena Bayer, Anoka-Hennepin School District, Blaine High School
Rachel Betterley, St. Louis County Schools, North Woods School
Rebecca Buck, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District, Gideon Pond Elementary
Tracy Byrd, Minneapolis Public Schools, Washburn High School
Susanne Collins, Roseville Area Schools, Edgerton Elementary School
Sarah Dallum, Bloomington Public Schools, Valley View Elementary School
Jon Fila, Intermediate District 287, Northern Star Online
Sarah Gleason, Hopkins Public Schools, Meadowbrook Elementary School
Marie Hansen, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District, Burnsville High School
Angela Hase, Moorhead Area Public Schools, Moorhead High School
Ryan Hennessey, Osseo Area Schools, Maple Grove Senior High School
Laura Jensen, Hopkins Public Schools,Hopkins North Middle School
Jason Jirsa, Minneapolis Public Schools, Washburn High School
Jennifer Johnson, Shakopee Public Schools, Eagle Creek Elementary School
Heather LaRue, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools, Hamilton Ridge Elementary School
Hawley Mathieson, Edina Public Schools, Highlands Elementary/Normandale Elementary
Michelle Morse-Wendt, Mounds View Public Schools, Turtle Lake Elementary School
Joe Osowski, St. Michael-Albertville Schools, St. Michael-Albertville High School
Jenny Peterson, Robbinsdale Area Public Schools, Robbinsdale Transition Center
Tom Powers, Anoka Hennepin School District, Rum River Elementary
Amy Spinello, Eastern Carver County Schools, Integrated Arts Academy
Jacqueline Stoffel, Bemidji Area Schools, Bemidji High School
Bianca Suglia, Edina Public Schools, Normandale French Immersion School
Jean Voigt, St. Cloud Area Schools, Kennedy Community School
Donghong Wang, Hopkins Public Schools, Eisenhower Elementary/Xinxing Chinese Immersion
Jamie Williams, Saint Paul Public Schools, Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet School
Ellen Wu, Hopkins Public Schools, Alice Smith Elementary
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
