Statewide, teachers are looking to be at the top of the class by being chosen as the 2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

This year marks a record number of candidates being considered for the honor. Teachers accepted their nominations and completed required materials to become eligible. The number of candidates in 2019 is the third-most in the 55-year history of the award.

Candidates are instructors who teach pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and adult basic education teachers from public or private schools.

One of these candidates includes Woodson Kindergarten Center teacher Alisha Galle. Galle taught at Woodson for 13 years (the entirety of her teaching career) and cares for the youngest learners in the Austin Public Schools District.

There were 27 nominations from within the district for this year’s award, according to a previous story. Galle stood out in the district for her dedication to establishing a secure foundation for students to learn in the district, according to her nomination.

The 2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be announced on Sunday, May 5 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. For the next couple weeks, a 25-member panel of community leaders will name a group of semi-finalists and finalists.

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, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, SMART Technologies and United Educators Credit Union.

---

The candidates for 2019 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, listed by their school districts, are:

• Kristen Seeger, Albert Lea Area Schools
• Ericka Ableiter, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Jessica Bomstad Young, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• David Christensen, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Lynn Florman, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Cindy Houle, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Stacy Johnson, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Adriann Kell, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Amy Kinney, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Taylor Melius-Polzin, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Jaclyn Mingo, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Chelsea Regan, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Timothy Riordan, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Kari Slindee, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Brett Theisen, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Justine Wewers, Anoka-Hennepin Schools
• Alisha Galle, Austin Public Schools
• Karen Solum, Barnesville Public Schools
• Carin Hagemeyer, Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Public Schools
• Joshua Coval, Bloomington Public Schools
• Kris Goodwin, Bloomington Public Schools
• Katie Juul, Bloomington Public Schools
• Lisa Leary, Bloomington Public Schools
• Cory Wade, Bloomington Public Schools
• June Dahlgren, Brainerd Public Schools
• Nicole Meints, Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Schools
• Elizabeth Davidson, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
• Erin Huber, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
• Amy Smalley, Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District
• Tina Fruechte, Caledonia Area Public Schools
• Megan Fritz, Centennial Schools
• Rachel Sandquist, Central Public Schools
• Jennifer Schneider, Central Public Schools
• Julie Frawley, Chisago Lakes Schools
• Pam Myers, Columbia Heights Public Schools
• Kim Davidson, Crookston Public Schools
• Marita Kendig, Crookston Public Schools
• Erica Uttermark, Crookston Public Schools
• John Fitzer, Delano Public Schools District
• Kristin Bergerson, Duluth Public Schools
• Jane Juten, Duluth Public Schools
• Diane Mozol, Duluth Public Schools
• Anna Edlund, Eastern Carver County Schools
• Pat Benincasa, Performing Institute of MN Arts High School, Eden Prairie
• Deanne Herz, Eden Prairie Schools
• Penny Jeurissen, Eden Prairie Schools
• Lindsay Klaverkamp, Eden Prairie Schools
• Debra Larsson, Eden Prairie Schools
• Stacy Marek, Eden Prairie Schools
• Marcela Roos, Eden Prairie Schools
• Kathy Vehmeier, Eden Prairie Schools
• Geneva Fitzsimonds, Edina Public Schools
• Jill Uecker, Edina Public Schools
• Janel Weiland, Edina Public Schools
• Chelsie Cabak, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Lauren Generous, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Katie Johnson, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Sara Klingelhofer, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Heather Mortinson, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Tony Wolverton, Elk River Schools ISD 728
• Missy Aukes, Fairmont Area Schools
• Jennifer Bartsch, Floodwood School District
• Betsy Saurdiff, Goodridge School District
• Stacy Dahl, Greenbush-Middle River School District
• Robyn Creary,  DaVinci Academy of Arts and Science, Ham Lake
• Joe Beattie, Hastings Public Schools
• Jessica Hiedeman, Herman Norcross School District
• Kathryn Enselein, Intermediate District 287
• Kelly Darrow, Inver Grove Heights Schools
• Deana Walsh, Inver Grove Heights Schools
• Briana Novak, Isle Public Schools
• Stephanie Olstad, Jordan Public Schools
• Brent Stinson, Kingsland Public Schools
• Tammy Teach, Lake Park-Audubon Schools
• Phillip Lalim, Lakeview Public Schools
• Chad Bieniek, Lakeville Area Schools
• Ryan Rapacz, Lakeville Area Schools
• Jodie Sheets, Lakeville Area Schools
• Stephen Booth, Laporte Public School District
• Katie Lieser, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle Public Schools
• Michlyn Newman, Mahtomedi Public Schools
• Emily Seppmann, Mankato Area Public Schools
• Laurie Jensen, Martin County West Schools
• Michelle Breuer Vitt, Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis
• Emily Firkus, Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis
• Jessie Damsgard, Hiawatha Leadership Academy – Northrop, Minneapolis
• Jenifer Bates, Minneapolis Public Schools
• Donna Biggar, Minneapolis Public Schools
• Michelle Cauley, Minneapolis Public Schools
• Sharon DeLisle, Minneapolis Public Schools
• Vicki Lambert, Minnesota Correctional Facility – Stillwater
• Kelly Fisher, Minnetonka Public Schools
• Brian Meyer, Moorhead Area Public Schools
• Jacob Hairrell, Mounds View Public Schools
• Bill Sucha, Mounds View Public Schools
• Kirstin Perales, North Branch Area Public Schools
• Peter Burnham, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Christa Edlund, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Jana Hedlund, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Dana Pederson, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District
• Renee Holt, Northeast Metro 916 Intermediate School District
• Betsy Eernisse, Osseo Area Schools
• Lucas Staker, Osseo Area Schools
• Noël Nivala, Kaleidoscope Charter School, Otsego
• Lori Peglow, Owatonna Public Schools
• Mary Schroepfer, Owatonna Public Schools
• Jory Magel, Pine City Public Schools
• Jaime Danks, Pipestone Area Schools
• Jamie Fenicle, Pipestone Area Schools
• Nancy Siebenahler, Pipestone Area Schools
• Susan Meyer, Plainview-Elgin-Millville Community Schools
• Molly Kalina, Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools
• Jesse Smith, Proctor Public Schools
• Jordan Snesrud, Randolph Public Schools
• Colleen Crossley, Robbinsdale Area Schools
• Wilbur Winkelman, Robbinsdale Area Schools
• Deborah Roberge, Rochester Public Schools
• Lynette Faber, ROCORI Area Schools
• Julie Urness, Roseau School District
• Laurie Herman, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Schools
• Tamara Morett, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Schools
• Myriam Castro-Franco, Roseville Area Schools
• Jeffrey Davies, Roseville Area Schools
• Markie Crosby, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Eric Erickson, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Bernetta Green, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Sara Johnson, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Molly Keenan, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Benjamin Lathrop, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Janet Manor, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Paul Nelson, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Shannon Pettipiece, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Eugenia Popa, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Shari Roach, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Mark Westpfahl, Saint Paul Public Schools
• Lori Uphoff, Sauk Centre Public Schools
• Shelby Chollett, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools
• Nancy Davis, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools
• Tania Drexler-Gutierrez, Shakopee Public Schools
• Jessica Davis, South St. Paul Public Schools
• Luke Olson, South St. Paul Public Schools
• Kristen Spanjers, South St. Paul Public Schools
• Jessica Splittstoesser, South St. Paul Public Schools
• Scott Alton, South Washington County Schools
• Linnea Balderrama, South Washington County Schools
• Karen Buckeye, South Washington County Schools
• Linnea Gamache, South Washington County Schools
• Tark Katzenmeyer, South Washington County Schools
• Andrea Kleoppel, South Washington County Schools
• Anna Ohlsen, South Washington County Schools
• Kaarin Schumacher, South Washington County Schools
• Nora Nutt, SouthWest Metro Intermediate District 288
• Chris Ann Johnson, St. Cloud Area School District
• Steve Schmitz, St. Louis Park Public Schools
• Katie Macrafic, Triton Public Schools
• Laura Nelson, AFSA High School, Vadnais Heights
• Mandy Gallant, Wadena-Deer Creek Public Schools
• Julie Kirchner, Wayzata Public Schools
• Pat Merrick, Westbrook Walnut Grove Schools
• Annemarie Brockopp, Westonka Public Schools
• Deb Castner, Westonka Public Schools
• Laura Hensley, Westonka Public Schools
• Scott Lhotka, Westonka Public Schools
• Theresa Schmidt, Westonka Public Schools
• Maggie Clark, White Bear Lake Area Schools
• Mary Maloy, White Bear Lake Area Schools
• Dawn Maple, White Bear Lake Area Schools
• Theresa Pearson, Winona Area Public Schools