11 selected as Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalists
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, Minn., April 10, 2017 – Eleven teachers from across the state have been named finalists in the 2017 Minnesota Teacher of the Year program. An independent selection panel of 23 leaders in the areas of education, business, government and non-profits selected the finalists from a group of 37 semifinalists. There were 132 Teacher of the Year candidates for this program year.
The selection panel meets again May 6 to conduct individual interviews with each of the 11 finalists and to cast votes for the 2017 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. Click here for a look at how the selection process works.
The 2016 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Abdul Wright of Best Academy in Minneapolis, will announce this year’s honoree at a banquet at the Radisson Blu Mall of America May 7. Banquet tickets can be purchased on the Education Minnesota website.
Education Minnesota, the 86,000-member statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers from public or private schools. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program also receives support from the following organizations: The SMARTer Kids Foundation, the Radisson Blu Mall of America, the Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, United Educators Credit Union, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors and Education Minnesota ESI.
The 2017 Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalists (listed alphabetically, with school, district, subject and grade[s] taught) are:
Alison Alowonle, Excelsior Elementary, Minnetonka, elementary, grades 4-5
Corey Bulman, Mound Westonka High School, Mound Westonka, English, grades 9, 11-12
Greta Callahan, Bethune Community School, Minneapolis, elementary, kindergarten
Adrian Davis, Roosevelt High School, Minneapolis, music, grades 9-12
Michael Houston, Harding High School, St. Paul, math, grades 9-12
Scott Noet, Owatonna Junior High, Owatonna, social studies, grade 7
Charity Przepiora, Roseville Area High School, Roseville, language arts, grades 10-12
Teresa Stadem, Richfield College Experience Program, Richfield, English, grades 9-12
Sarah Swan McDonald, Northfield High School, Northfield, social studies, grades 9-12
Ong Xiong, Phalen Lake Hmong Studies Magnet, St. Paul, elementary, kindergarten
Mary Zilge, Cherry View Elementary, Lakeville, vocal music, grades kindergarten-5