KSDE Newsroom

Announcement made during Saturday ceremony in Salina

Erin Pittenger, an elementary teacher at St. George Elementary School, Rock Creek Unified School District 323, and Gretchen Elliott, an art teacher at Smoky Valley High School, Smoky Valley USD 400, were named Region 1 finalists for the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year award program during a ceremony Saturday, April 1, in Salina.  

Announcement made during Sunday ceremony in Overland Park

OVERLAND PARK — Michelle Tapko, a sixth-grade teacher at Roesland Elementary School, Shawnee Mission Unified School District 512, and Taylor Bussinger, a social studies teacher at Prairie Trail Middle School, Olathe USD 233, were named Region 3 finalists for the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year award during an awards ceremony Sunday, March 26, in Overland Park.

Announcement made during Sunday ceremony in Topeka

TOPEKA — Fonda Telthorst, a music teacher at Piper Prairie Elementary School, Piper Unified School District 203, and Cherryl Delacruz, a mathematics teacher at Highland Park High School, Topeka USD 501, were named Region 2 finalists for the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year award during a ceremony Sunday, March 26, in Topeka.

Announcement made during Saturday ceremony in Wichita

WICHITA — Melissa Haney, a science teacher at Explorer Elementary School, Goddard Unified School District 265, and Joanna Farmer, an agriculture teacher at Southeast High School, Wichita USD 259, were named Region 4 finalists for the 2024 Kansas Teacher of the Year award during an awards ceremony Saturday, March 25, in Wichita.

Brian Skinner: ‘Education is being able to connect with each of your students on an individual level’

“Overall, education is not something that can be put in a box, and it is not just a list of strategies for someone to implement,” said Brian Skinner, an interrelated special education English teacher at Newton High School, Newton Unified School District 373. “Education is being able to connect with each of your students on an individual level, being able to build them to a place where they can see a realistic and successful future, and teaching the skills that will support adult learning and living. It’s about impacting a life for the better.”

Kendal Norberg, a fourth-grade teacher at Broadmoor Elementary School, Louisburg Unified School District 416, and Jessica Gazzano, an arts and publications teacher at Woodland Spring Middle School, Spring Hill USD 230, were named Region 3 finalists for the 2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year award during a virtual ceremony Sunday, March 27.

Pamela Munoz, a kindergarten teacher at McCarter Elementary School, Topeka Unified School District 501, and Jaimie Swindler, a special education teacher at Ottawa Senior High School, Ottawa USD 290, were named Region 2 finalists for the 2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year award during a virtual ceremony Sunday, March 27.

Mallory Keefe, a preschool teacher at Cheney Elementary School, Cheney Unified School District 268, and Brian Skinner, an interrelated special education and English teacher at Newton Senior High School, Newton USD 373, were named Region 4 finalists for the 2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year award during a virtual ceremony Saturday, March 26.

Carly Torres, a fifth-grade teacher at Wiley Elementary School, Hutchinson Unified School District 308, and Erica Huggard, a biology, anatomy and physiology teacher at Emporia High School, Emporia USD 253, were named Region 1 finalists for the 2023 Kansas Teacher of the Year award during a virtual ceremony Saturday, March 26.

Tabatha Rosproy gives speech, will attend gala on Thursday

Tabatha Rosproy stood on a stage in Wichita in September 2021, wiping away tears. It was time to turn the reigns of Kansas Teacher of the Year over to a new person and a new team.