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TOPEKA — Four ceremonies will take place April 6-7, 2024, to recognize teachers nominated for the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year program. The announcement of semifinalists and finalists will be made at the ceremonies.
The mission of the KTOY program is to build and utilize a network of exemplary teachers who are leaders in the improvement of schools, student performance and the teaching profession.
This year, 120 educators from across the state were nominated for the Kansas Teacher of the Year distinction. Nominations are made in each of the state’s four congressional districts.
The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), sponsor of the KTOY program, appoints regional selection panels comprised of teachers, education administrators and higher education representatives to select semifinalists and finalists from each region.
Each panel selects six semifinalists – three elementary teachers and three secondary teachers. From those semifinalists, the panel in each region then selects one elementary finalist and one secondary finalist. The Kansas Teacher of the Year is selected from among the state’s eight regional finalists.
The 2025 KTOY regional award banquets will take place at the following locations:
Saturday, April 6, 2024
Region 4 Wichita Doors open at 10 a.m. followed by lunch at 11 a.m. at the Wichita Marriott Hotel, 9100 E. Corporate Hills Dr., Wichita.
Region 1 Salina Doors open at 4 p.m., followed by dinner at 5 p.m. at the Tony’s Event Center, 800 The Midway, Salina
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Region 2 Topeka Doors open at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch at 12 p.m. at the Hotel Topeka at City Center, 1717 SW Topeka Blvd., Topeka.
Region 3 Overland Park Reception at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. at the Overland Park Sheraton, 6100 College Blvd., Overland Park.
The 2025 KTOY regional finalists will gather in Wichita on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, for the announcement of the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year. The announcement will be made during the Dale Dennis Kansas Teacher of the Year Banquet.
Nominees for the 2025 KTOY program are the following:
REGION 1
Elementary:
- Chelsee Boe, Sullivan Elementary School, Ulysses USD 214
- Kaylee Brooks, Lyons Central Elementary School, Lyons USD 405
- Angela Brumbaugh, North Elementary School, Goodland USD 352
- Shannon Cooper, Marion Elementary School, Marion-Florence USD 408
- Shannon Downs, Roosevelt Elementary School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383
- Sara Greene, West Elementary School, Wamego USD 320
- Jessica Groff, Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, Hays USD 489
- Cassendra Hatzenbuehler, Riley Elementary School, Great Bend USD 428
- Mary Larkin, Syracuse Elementary School, Syracuse USD 494
- Catherine Leake, Nickerson Elementary School, Nickerson USD 309
- Jana Miller, Deerfield Elementary School, Deerfield USD 216
- Rochelle Napier, Plum Creek Elementary School, Buhler USD 313
- Kristin Peltier, Concordia Elementary School, Concordia USD 333
- Cari Pfizenmaier, Lincoln Elementary School, Clay County USD 379
- Brenda Rogers, Stanton County Elementary School, Stanton County USD 452
- Leslie Specht, McCandless Elementary School, Hutchinson USD 308
- Maegen Stucky, Roosevelt Elementary School, McPherson USD 418
- Megan Todd, Rock Creek Middle School, Rock Creek USD 323
- Sylvia Villa, Cottonwood Elementary School, Liberal USD 480
- Kelsey Wood, Cottonwood Elementary School, Salina USD 305
Secondary:
- Elizabeth Aldridge, Wamego High School, Wamego USD 320
- Whitney Aves, Hutchinson High School, Hutchinson USD 308
- Lindsey Baribeau, Rock Creek Middle School, Rock Creek USD 323
- John Clark, Buhler High School, Buhler USD 313
- Charles Dirks, Ulysses High School, Ulysses USD 214
- Michelle Ernst, Nickerson High School, Nickerson USD 309
- Andrea Flegler, Clay Center Community High School, Clay County USD 379
- Sarah Gerwitz, Comanche Middle School, Dodge City USD 443
- Michael Hall, Salina Central High School, Salina USD 305
- Jamie Meyer, Concordia Jr/Sr High School, Concordia USD 333
- Brian Nelson, Garden City High School, Garden City USD 457
- Marisol Pena, Seymour Rogers Middle School, Liberal USD 480
- Mackenzie Phrommany, Manhattan High School, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383
- Sergio Ramirez, Great Bend High School, Great Bend USD 428
- Christopher Rome, Marion High School, Marion-Florence USD 408
- Annette Sosa, Hugoton High School, Hugoton USD 210
- Jay Stout II, Goodland Jr/Sr High School, Goodland USD 352
- Christopher Strathman, McPherson High School, McPherson USD 418
- Michelle Towery, Stockton High School, Stockton USD 271
REGION 2
Elementary:
- Mary Beck, West Indianola Elementary School, Seaman USD 345
- Laura Cluke, Williams Science and Fine Arts Magnet School, Topeka USD 501
- Connie Coleman, Timmerman Elementary School, Emporia USD 253
- Tricia Dwyre, Piper Prairie Elementary School, Piper USD 203
- Benjamin Eckelberry, Tecumseh North Elementary School, Shawnee Heights USD 450
- Tiffany Goracke, Linwood Elementary School, Basehor-Linwood USD 458
- Jennifer Gustafson, Humboldt Elementary School, Humboldt USD 258
- Mallory Koger, Overbrook Attendance Center, Santa Fe Trail USD 434
- Judy Lacey, Marais Des Cygnes Valley Elementary School, Marais Des Cygnes Valley USD 456
- Kelsey Mann, Spring Valley Elementary School, Geary County USD 475
- Kristin Oswald, Schwegler Elementary School, Lawrence USD 497
- Erin Scott, Baldwin Elementary Center, Baldwin USD 348
- Anna Stryker, Pauline Central Primary School, Auburn-Washburn USD 437
- Denise Thorpe, Horton Elementary School, South Brown County USD 430
- Dawn Torrain, Richard Warren Intermediate School, Leavenworth USD 453
Secondary:
- Elizabeth Anstine, Leavenworth Sr. High School, Leavenworth USD 453
- Erik Bailey, Baldwin Jr. High School, Baldwin USD 348
- Lori Byers, Billy Mills Middle School, Lawrence USD 497
- Stephanie Cannady, Central Heights High School, Central Heights USD 288
- Cassie Cowan, Seaman High School, Seaman USD 345
- Katie Deneault, Piper High School, Piper USD 203
- Sara Elliott, Fort Riley Middle School, Geary County USD 475
- Jeff Folger, Jackson Heights High School, North Jackson USD 335
- Michael Gossett, Basehor-Linwood Middle School, Basehor-Linwood USD 458
- Sara Jackman, Fort Scott Sr. High School, Fort Scott USD 234
- Diane Kimsey, Topeka High School, Topeka USD 501
- Susan Livingston, Emporia High School, Emporia USD 253
- Kathryn Louderback, Washburn Rural Middle School, Auburn-Washburn USD 437
- Sarah Tschauder, Atchison High School, Atchison USD 409
- Karen Withers, Shawnee Heights Middle School, Shawnee Heights USD 450
REGION 3
Elementary:
- Dandra Arter, Clear Creek Elementary School, De Soto USD 232
- Malinda Chappell, Sunflower Elementary School, Paola USD 368
- Cambria Fleming, Broadmoor Elementary School, Louisburg USD 416
- Melanie Golubski, Dayton Creek Elementary School, Spring Hill USD 230
- Susan Hartley, Edwardsville Elementary School, Bonner Springs USD 204
- Sharon Kenny, Cottonwood Point Elementary School, Blue Valley USD 229
- Mackayla Martin, Garnett Elementary School, Garnett USD 365
- Hannah Mastorakos, Welborn Elementary School, Kansas City USD 500
- Cara Mills, Sunflower Elementary School, Ottawa USD 290
- Amber Pagan, Nieman Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
- Laura Scoma, Wellsville Elementary School, Wellsville USD 289
- Nancy Smith, Heatherstone Elementary School, Olathe USD 233
- Mandy Soetaert, Nike Elementary School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231
- Jason Werner, Midland Trail Elementary School, Turner USD 202
Secondary:
- Aaron Batterbee, Gardner Edgerton High School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231
- Brianna Derley, Ottawa Sr. High School, Ottawa USD 290
- Daniel Freeman, Blue Valley North High School, Blue Valley USD 229
- Annam (Annie) Hasan, Shawnee Mission South High School, Shawnee Mission USD 512
- Ryan Mellick, Bonner Springs High School, Bonner Springs USD 204
- Andrew Proctor, De Soto High School, De Soto USD 232
- Jamie Roecker, Wellsville Middle School, Wellsville USD 289
- Kathryn Siefken, Louisburg High School, Louisburg USD 416
- Heather Simons, Paola Middle School, Paola USD 368
- Tyler Sisco, Washington High School, Kansas City USD 500
- Cecilia Stump, Turner High School, Turner USD 202
- Michelle Weltz, Spring Hill High School, Spring Hill USD 230
REGION 4
Elementary:
- Robyn Darbyshire, Rex Elementary School, Haysville USD 261
- Jessica Denner, Blackmore Elementary School, El Dorado USD 490
- Misty Faudel, Bentley Primary School, Halstead USD 440
- Mario Flores, Gammon Elementary School, Wichita USD 259
- Kelsi Gallardo, Garfield Elementary School, Augusta USD 402
- Katie Hartley, Lowell Elementary School, Winfield USD 465
- Julie Hines, Kinsley-Offerle Elementary School, Kinsley-Offerle USD 347
- Kimberly Lies, Andale Elem-Middle School, Renwick USD 267
- Lynsi Martinez, Circle Greenwich Elementary School, Circle USD 375
- Leslie McEntire, Maize South Intermediate School, Maize USD 266
- Margaret Meyer, Wheatland Elementary School, Valley Center USD 262
- Melissa Short, Discovery Intermediate School, Goddard USD 265
- Olivia Winegeart, Paul B. Cooper Elementary School, Derby USD 260
Secondary:
- Stanley Bergkamp, Maize Sr. High School, Maize USD 266
- Lacie Fair, Newton Sr. High School, Newton USD 373
- Shelia Fulton, Campus High School, Haysville USD 261
- Todd Hollis, Augusta Sr. High School, Augusta USD 402
- Kirsten Meireis, Andale High School, Renwick USD 267
- Mary Roseberry, Sedgwick High School, Sedgwick USD 439
- Sharon Rott, Kinsley Jr/Sr High School, Kinsley-Offerle USD 347
- Dawn Rush, El Dorado Middle School, El Dorado USD 490
- Jodi Schendel, Eisenhower High School, Goddard USD 265
- Erik Stone, Gordon Parks Academy, Wichita USD 259
- Ethan Wagoner, Derby Middle School, Derby USD 260
- Dixon Woodburn, Winfield Middle School, Winfield USD 465