Local Teachers Selected As Finalists For Minnesota Teacher Of The Year

The field of candidates for this year’s Minnesota Teacher Of The Year has been narrowed to 43, and two of those finalists are from the Lakeland viewing area: Kelliher Public Schools art teacher Eric Carlson and Bertha-Hewitt Public Schools second grade teacher Angie Hurtig.

A selection of 23 community leaders chose the semifinalists from an initial field of 167 candidates from across the state. The panel will review the semifinalist’s portfolios again in late March. The field will then be narrowed down to 10.

The current Minnesota teacher of the year, Corey Bulman, will announce his successor at a banquet May 6^th at the Radisson Blu Mall of America in Bloomington, MN.

The full list of semifinalists for 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year are listed below. The list includes their district, school, subject area and grade taught:

• Heather Anton, Waconia Public Schools, Southview Elementary, elementary, 1
• Courtney Bell , Minneapolis Public Schools, North Academy of Arts and Communication, social studies, 9-12
• Dani Berry, Intermediate District 287, Epsilon, math, 7-12
• Holly Bowen-Bailey, Duluth Public Schools, Ordean East Middle School, English, 6-8
• Eric Carlson, Kelliher Public Schools, Kelliher Public School, visual arts, K-12
• Ethan Cherin, Saint Paul Public Schools, St. Paul Central High School, social studies, 9-12
• Elizabeth Dorsing, Anoka-Hennepin School District, Blaine High School, math, 9-12
• Kari Eloranta, Mounds View Public Schools Mounds View eALC, language arts 10-12+
• Amanda Gislason, Owatonna Public Schools, McKinley Elementary, visual arts, K-5
• Scott Glew, Elk River Area Schools, Salk Middle School, social studies, 8
• Laurie Halvorson, Saint Paul Public Schools, Como Park Elementary, elementary, 5
• Kelly Holstine, Shakopee Public Schools, Tokata Learning Center, English, 9-12
• Justin Hudalla, Saint Paul Public Schools, Battle Creek Middle School, global studies, 8
• Angie Hurtig, Bertha-Hewitt Public Schools, Bertha-Hewitt Public School, elementary, 2
• Molly Keenan, Saint Paul Public Schools, Harding High School, social studies, 10-12
• Rebecca Kittelson, Wayzata Public Schools, Sunset Hill Elementary, elementary, 2
• Adam Kuehnel, State of Minnesota, Minnesota Correctional Facility–Faribault, English language arts, adult basic education
• Alyssa Kuhlman, Minneapolis Public Schools, Burroughs Community School, elementary, 2
• Shirley Land, Saint Paul Public Schools, Galtier Community School, Pre-K
• Alyssa Larsen, Waconia Public Schools, Waconia High School, human geography and world history, 10-12
• Tim Leistikow, Fridley Public Schools, Fridley High School, English, 11-12
• Kathryn Mackin, Mahtomedi Public Schools, Mahtomedi Middle School, language arts, 6
• Stephanie Maybee, Inver Grove Heights Community Schools, Salem Hills Elementary, music, K-5
• Shaylee McComb, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale Public Schools, Weaver Elementary, music, K-5
• Jay Meiners, Lakeview Public Schools, Lakeview High School, science, 9-12
• Melissa Mills, Lakeville Area Public Schools, Crystal Lake Education Center, early childhood special education, birth-3
• Jaquinetta Mitchell, Osseo Area Schools, Osseo Senior High, English, 9-10
• Patrick Moriarty, Roseville Area Schools, Roseville Area High School, band, 10-11
• Jennifer Naslund, Westonka Public Schools, Shirley Hills Primary School, elementary, 4
• Malia Norton, Medford Public Schools, Medford Elementary, elementary, 2
• Kathryn Oberg, Louis Park Public Schools, Peter Hobart Elementary, elementary, 5
• Melissa Oberg, Cook County Schools, Cook County School, special education, 6-12
• Claudia Powers, Mounds View Public Schools, Irondale High School, special education, 9-12
• Sarah Ryan, Rochester Public Schools, Century High School, language arts, 11-12
• Bill Sucha, Mounds View Public Schools, Irondale High School, band, 9-12
• Renee Swanson, High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul, biology, 9-12
• Lisa Thompson, Osseo Area Schools, Basswood Elementary, elementary, 5
• Sheena Tisland, Red Wing Public Schools, Red Wing High School, language arts, 9
• Ashley Topp, Anoka-Hennepin School District, Blaine High School, English, 9-12
• Jacob Toufar, Shakopee Public Schools, Shakopee East Junior High, technology education, 7-9
• Gregory Truso, Anthony-New Brighton School District, Wilshire Park Elementary, elementary, 2
• Greg Ueland, Roseville Area Schools, Roseville Area High School, social studies, 9 and 12
• Sara Windschitl, Metro Deaf School in St. Paul, elementary, 1

Education Minnesota, the statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade 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, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Radisson Blu Mall of America, SMART Technologies and United Educators Credit Union.