Twenty Delaware teachers are finalists to be named Delaware’s 2017 Teacher of the Year.
Selected from among the 9,000 public school teachers in the state, the candidates were nominated by their districts or the Delaware Charter School Network because of their ability to inspire students with a love of learning, demonstration of professional traits and devotion to teaching. Already leaders among the colleagues in their buildings, each now has assumed a role representing educators in their districts or the charter network. And in October, one will take over the state title from 2016 Delaware Teacher of the Year Sandra Hall, a fourth grade teacher from Smyrna School District.
The 2017 District/Charter Teachers of the Year are:
- Appoquinimink: Olivia Suchanec, 6th grade social studies at Meredith Middle
- Brandywine: Wendy Turner, 2nd grade gifted and talented at Mt. Pleasant Elementary
- Caesar Rodney: Melissa Rapp, 9th grade social studies at Caesar Rodney High
- Cape Henlopen: Melissa Dawson, 1st grade at Rehoboth Elementary
- Capital: Michele Johnson, gifted and talented/library media specialist at Towne Point Elementary
- Christina: Kristin Roberts, K-2nd grade special education at Bancroft Elementary
- Colonial: Sarah Bateman, 4th grade general and special education at New Castle Elementary
- Delmar: Kristen Jones, middle school technology at Delmar Middle
- Indian River: Melissa Grise, 4th grade general and special education at Clayton Elementary
- Lake Forest: Heather Melvin, 1st grade at Lake Forest North Elementary
- Laurel: Erin Brennan, 2nd grade at North Laurel Elementary
- Milford: Julie Hickman, 5th grade at Mispillion Elementary
- NCCVT: Jermaine Williams, culinary arts at St. Georges Technical High
- POLYTECH: Dennis Haley, computer engineering technology at POLYTECH High
- Red Clay: Holly Golder, 8th and 12th grade social studies at Cab Calloway School of the Arts
- Seaford: Nikki Bean, 1st grade at Blades Elementary
- Smyrna: Jennifer McCutchan, 7th and 8th grade music at Smyrna Middle
- Sussex Tech: Vincent Colombo, science at Sussex Tech
- Woodbridge: James Weiler, English language arts at Woodbridge High
- Charter: Emily Eveland, 2nd grade English immersion at Las Americas ASPIRA Academy
Earlier this week, the nominees spent a day learning from and speaking with past State Teachers of the Year and Department of Education leaders. Find more photos here.
