2024 STATE TEACHERS OF THE YEAR
Each year, CCSSO celebrates State Teachers of the Year from U.S. states, territories, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education by providing them with a robust year-long professional learning and engaging program. Each of these teachers represents a creative, tenacious passion for students and the teaching profession.
2024
State Teachers of the Year
Jeff Norris
Alabama
SCHOOL: Oak Mountain Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Mathematics
GRADE LEVEL: 6
Cat Walker
Alaska
2024 NTOY FINALIST
SCHOOL: Dimond High School
CONTENT AREA: Science and Career Tech Education
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Marcella Fitisone
American Samoa
SCHOOL: Tafuna High School
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts
GRADE LEVEL: 12
Efrain Casillas
Arizona
SCHOOL: Desert Oasis Elementary School
CONTENT AREA: Music
GRADE LEVEL: 5-8
Beau McCastlain
Arkansas
SCHOOL: De Queen High School
SUBJECT AREA: Television Production
GRADE LEVEL: 10-12
Casey Cuny
California
SCHOOL: Valencia High School
CONTENT AREA: English
GRADE LEVEL: 10-12
Jessica May
Colorado
SCHOOL: Turner Middle School
CONTENT AREA: ELA, SEL, & FACS
GRADE LEVEL: 6-8
Roque Castro Indalecio
Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
SCHOOL: Marianas High School
CONTENT AREA: Chemistry and Environmental Science
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Kiana Foster-Mauro
Connecticut
SCHOOL: Nathan Hale Arts Magnet School
CONTENT AREA: Elementary Multi-Subject
GRADE LEVEL: 4
Cory Hafer
Delaware
SCHOOL: Middletown High School
CONTENT AREA: Engineering, Science
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
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Kerrie A. Gill
Department of Defense Education Activity
SCHOOL: SHAPE Middle School
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts
GRADE LEVEL: 6-8
Beth Barkley
District of Columbia
SCHOOL: Cardozo Education Campus
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts, Human Rights and Social Action
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Christy Todd
Georgia
2024 NTOY FINALIST
SCHOOL: Rising Starr Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Music Technology Community for Creativity Program
GRADE LEVEL: 6-8
SCHOOL: John F. Kennedy High School
CONTENT AREA: Science and STEM
GRADE LEVEL: 11-12
Jackie Freitas
Hawai'i
SCHOOL: Leilehua High School
CONTENT AREA: Natural Resources
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Trent Van Leuven
Idaho
SCHOOL: Mackay Junior and Senior High School
CONTENT AREA: Career Technical Education
GRADE LEVEL: 8-12
Briana Morales
Illinois
SCHOOL: Gordon Bush Alternative School for Education
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts
GRADE LEVEL: 6-12
Eric Jenkins
Indiana
SCHOOL: Franklin Community High School
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Ann Mincks
Iowa
SCHOOL: Hoover High School
CONTENT AREA: English Language Learners, English Language Arts
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Taylor Bussinger
Kansas
SCHOOL: Prairie Trail Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Social Studies
GRADE LEVEL: 8
Kevin Dailey
Kentucky
SCHOOL: Ballyshannon Middle Schools
CONTENT AREA: Social Studies
GRADE LEVEL: 8
Kylie Altier
Louisiana
SCHOOL: McKinley Elementary School
CONTENT AREA: Reading, Math, Social Studies, Science
GRADE LEVEL: 1
Joshua Chard
Maine
SCHOOL: East End Community School
CONTENT AREA: Early Learning and Theater
GRADE LEVEL: 2-3
Mary Kay Connerton
Maryland
SCHOOL: Annapolis High School
CONTENT AREA: Physical Education and Wellness
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
De'Shawn C. Washington
Massachusetts
SCHOOL: Maria Hastings Elementary School
CONTENT AREA: Fourth Grade Inclusion
GRADE LEVEL: 4
Candice C. Jackson
Michigan
SCHOOL: Mann Learning Community
CONTENT AREA: Mathematics and Science
GRADE LEVEL: 3
Michael Houston
Minnesota
SCHOOL: Harding High School
CONTENT AREA: Mathematics
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Louise Smith
Mississippi
SCHOOL: Gautier Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Instrumental Music
GRADE LEVEL: 7-8
Greg Kester
Missouri
SCHOOL: Potosi High School
CONTENT AREA: Social Studies
GRADE LEVEL: 10-12
Kevin D. KickingWoman
Montana
SCHOOL: Browning High School
CONTENT AREA: Blackfeet Song/Dance, Blackfeet Language, Blackfeet History
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Scott Phillips
Nebraska
SCHOOL: Aurora Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Mathematics
GRADE LEVEL: 7
Laura Jeanne Penrod
Nevada
SCHOOL: Southwest Career and Technical Academy
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts, Special Education
GRADE LEVEL: 12
Elizabeth Duclos
New Hampshire
SCHOOL: Pembroke Hill School
CONTENT AREA: Elementary Multi-Subject
GRADE LEVEL: 3
Joe Nappi
New Jersey
2024 NTOY FINALIST
SCHOOL: Monmouth Regional High School
CONTENT AREA: Social Studies, History Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Psychology
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Roy Biñas Basa
New Mexico
SCHOOL: Twin Buttes Cyber Academy
CONTENT AREA: Natural Science and Career Technical Education
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Zachary Arenz
New York
SCHOOL: Flower City School #54
CONTENT AREA: Music
GRADE LEVEL: 1-5
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Kimberly S. Jones
North Carolina
SCHOOL: Chapel Hill High School
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Sheila Peterson
North Dakota
SCHOOL: Wachter Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Physical Education, Peer-to-Peer
GRADE LEVEL: 6-8
Mark L. Lowrie
Ohio
SCHOOL: Gahanna Lincoln High School
CONTENT AREA: Broadcast Journalism
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Traci D. Manuel
Oklahoma
SCHOOL: Booker T. Washington High School
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts
GRADE LEVEL: 5-12
Mandy Vance
Oregon
SCHOOL: Cedar Ridge Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Sports Management, Academic Success, Creative Science
GRADE LEVEL: 6-8
Ryan Hardesty
Pennsylvania
SCHOOL: Highland Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Social Studies
GRADE LEVEL: 7-8
Aimée Couto
Rhode Island
SCHOOL: Emma G. Whiteknact Elementary School
CONTENT AREA: Elementary Multi-Subject
GRADE LEVEL: 1
Renee' Atkinson
South Carolina
SCHOOL: Aynor High School
CONTENT AREA: English Language Arts, AP/IB English Language Arts, AP/IB Literature
GRADE LEVEL: 10-12
George J. Hawkins
South Dakota
SCHOOL: Sioux Falls Jefferson High School
CONTENT AREA: Social Studies
GRADE LEVEL: 11-12
Missy Testerman
Tennessee
2024 NTOY
SCHOOL: Rogersville City School
CONTENT AREA: English as a Second Language
GRADE LEVEL: K-8
SCHOOL: Stafford Elementary School
CONTENT AREA: Science, Social Studies
GRADE LEVEL: 5
Astral S. Battiste
U.S. Virgin Islands
SCHOOL: Pearl B. Larsen PK-8
CONTENT AREA: Language Arts, Math, Reading, Social Studies, Science
GRADE LEVEL: Kindergarten
Carly Maloney
Utah
SCHOOL: Viewmont High School
CONTENT AREA: English, Psychology, Student Government and English Language Development
GRADE LEVEL: 10-12
Aziza Malik
Vermont
SCHOOL: Champlain Elementary School
CONTENT AREA: Elementary Multi-Subject
GRADE LEVEL: 4-5
Jeffery Wayne Keller
Virginia
SCHOOL: John Handley High School
CONTENT AREA: History
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
Blaire Penry
Washington
SCHOOL: Auburn Online School and Olympic Middle School
CONTENT AREA: Career Technical Education
GRADE LEVEL: 6-12
Sharon Cole
West Virginia
SCHOOL: Ceredo-Kenova Elementary School
CONTENT AREA: Elementary Multi-Subject
GRADE LEVEL: 2
Brian Michael Collins
Wisconsin
SCHOOL: Unity High School
CONTENT AREA: Biology, Zoology, AP Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, Ecology, Ornithology
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12
John Patrick Corbin
Wyoming
SCHOOL: Cody High School
CONTENT AREA: Social Studies
GRADE LEVEL: 9-12