Candidates Announced for 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

131 teachers are candidates to become the 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

According to Education Minnesota, this year’s program will name the 59th Minnesota Teacher of the Year. The program aims to celebrate excellence in education in Minnesota, where candidates represent public and private school teachers in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, Early Childhood Family Education, and Adult Basic Education.

The initial group of candidates includes several from the Lakeland viewing area:

• Linsey Strand, Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools
• Tanya Bergman, Little Falls Community Schools
• Aaron Schmidtbauer, Pierz Schools
• Charissa McDonald, Roseau Public School District

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 to be named in February. In March, the panel will convene again and review additional materials from the semifinalists to choose a group of finalists.

The Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet is set for May 7 in St. Paul.