Home Press Release 77 teachers are candidates for Minnesota Teacher of the Year

77 teachers are candidates for Minnesota Teacher of the Year

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For more information, contact:

DOUG DOOHER
651-292-4820 (work)
651-245-6141 (cell)


CHRIS WILLIAMS
651-292-4816 (work) 
651-247-5539 (cell)

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Jan. 26, 2022 – The 2022 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be chosen from a field of 77 candidates. These candidates have accepted their nominations and completed the required materials to become eligible for the honor.

This year’s program will name the 58th Minnesota Teacher of the Year. The program celebrates the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota. Eligible candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade, Early Childhood Family Education and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or private schools.

An independent panel of leaders in the fields of education, business, government, nonprofit and philanthropy will read candidates’ portfolios over the next few weeks and narrow the list to a group of semifinalists. In March, the panel will convene again and review additional materials from the semifinalists to choose a group of finalists. Because of safety precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the scheduled Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet, set for May 1 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, could be postponed.

Organized and underwritten by Education Minnesota, the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program receives support from Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, SMART Technologies and United Educators Credit Union.

The candidates for 2022 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, listed by their school districts or operating entities, are:

Kayla Host, Aitkin Public Schools
Kevin Gentz, Albert Lea Area Schools
Mary Betland, Anoka-Hennepin School District
Megan Rafferty, Anoka-Hennepin School District
Stacy Bauer, Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis
Lauren Trovarello, Aspen Academy Charter School, Savage
Jenna Fitzgerald, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City Public Schools
John Schneider, Austin Public Schools
Janelle Field, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Public Schools
Angela Fritzlar, Bloomington Public Schools
Niccole Goulet Jordan, Bloomington Public Schools
Beth McCoy, Bloomington Public Schools
Teri Roder, Bloomington Public Schools
Erin Karlgaard, Brainerd Public Schools
Jacki Kyllonen, Cedar Mountain Schools
Ariane Kokes, Columbia Heights Public Schools
Andrea Adrian, Crookston Public Schools
Debra Hannu, Duluth Public Schools
Nathan (Nate) Gabel, Eden Prairie Schools
Emily Larson, Eden Prairie Schools
Kassy Miller, Eden Prairie Schools
Leif Voltz, Elk River Area School District
Heather Stromberg, Fairmont Area Schools
Jennifer Hogan, Farmington Area Schools
Michael Bare, Fergus Falls Public Schools
Shelley Schoeneck, Fergus Falls Public Schools
Jessica Linman, Herman Norcross Community School
Karin Brinkhoff, Hopkins Public Schools
Sarah Gleason, Hopkins Public Schools
Scott Stillman, Hopkins Public Schools
Rachel Volkmann, Hopkins Public Schools
Jon Fila, Intermediate District 287
Ryan Rasmussen, Jordan Public Schools
Kristin Wishy, Kasson Mantorville Public Schools
Traci Raknerud, Lake Park Audubon Public Schools
Michelle Mitchell, Mahtomedi Public Schools
Pam Gabrielsen, Mankato Area Public Schools
Kevin Armbrust, Milaca Public Schools
Edward Barlow, Minneapolis Public Schools
Aberdeen Rodriguez, Minneapolis Public Schools
Diane Daniels, Minnetonka Public Schools
Stacy Schroeder, Moorhead Public Schools
Brad Hubred, Moose Lake Community School
Emily Dalen, Morris Area School District
Courtney Hess, Mounds View Public Schools
Ariana Lynch, Mounds View Public Schools
Tracy Wilk, Northeast Metro 916 Intermediate School District
Heather Olivier, Northfield Public Schools
Sarah Lancaster, Onamia Public Schools
Lauren Hoof, Osseo Area Schools
Mark Langlois, Owatonna Public Schools
Tyler Blom, Proctor Public Schools
Eric Zuccola, Robbinsdale Area Public Schools
Caroline Young, Rockford Area Schools
Ira Sanders, Roseville Area Schools
Amy Westland, Roseville Area Schools
Janice Bisch, Saint Paul Public Schools
Emily Manson, Saint Paul Public Schools
James Schreiner, Sauk Centre Public Schools
Trisha Bemboom, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools
Tina Douvier, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools
Jacci Lissick, Shakopee Public Schools
Claire Troxel, South St. Paul Public Schools
Younna Eiden-Giel, South Washington County Schools
MacKenzie Hildahl, South Washington County Schools
Kiersten Jaeger, South Washington County Schools
Andrea Welvaert, South Washington County Schools
Paul Houck, Southwest Metro Intermediate District 288
Maggie Lee, Spring Lake Park Schools
Tom Muschler, St. Charles Public Schools
Holly Becker, Wadena-Deer Creek Public Schools
Anne Bolsem, West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools
Mara Drill, Westonka Public Schools
Lyndsay Geyen, Westonka Public Schools
Jodie Rasicot, Westonka Public Schools
Kendall Gonzalez, White Bear Lake Area Schools
Julie Hebb, Willow River Area Schools