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CURRENT 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.  

Lachanda Garrison​ DC 2021 State Teacher of the Year
Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka American Samoa 2021 State Teacher of the Year
Lachanda Garrison​ DoDEA 2021 State Teacher of the Year
Angel Santiago New Jersey 2021 State Teacher of the Yeat
Anthony Swann Virginia 2021 State Teacher of the Year

2021

State Teachers of the Year

SCHOOL: Eden Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 4

SCHOOL: West Valley School

SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies/History, CTE

GRADE LEVEL: 9, 10, 11, 12

Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka American Samoa 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka

American Samoa

SCHOOL: Samoana High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, English Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 12

Sara Wyffels Arizona 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Sara Wyffels

Arizona

SCHOOL: Chandler High School/Chandler Online Academy

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Spanish Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 9,10,11,12

SCHOOL: Belle Point Alternative Center

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Mathematics and Business

GRADE LEVEL: 7,8,9,10,11,12

Jim Klipfel California 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Jim Klipfel

California

SCHOOL: Saugus High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Social Studies and Athletics

GRADE LEVEL: 9, 10, 11, 12

SCHOOL: Denver Center for International Studies at Baker

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Social Studies

GRADE LEVEL: 7, 10, 11, 12

Bonny Cruz Commonwealth of North Marianas Islands 2021 State Teachers of the Year

Bonny Cruz

Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands

SCHOOL: Koblerville Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 5

SCHOOL: Poquonock School

SUBJECT AREA: Early Childhood Education

GRADE LEVEL: Kindergarten

SCHOOL: McKean (Thomas) High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, English Language Learner, English Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 9, 10, 11, 12

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Lachanda Garrison​ DoDEA 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Lachanda Garrison

Department of Defense Education Activity

SCHOOL: Bahrain Elementary School, DoDEA Europe South

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 2

2021 FINALIST

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Alejandro Diasgranados*

District of Columbia

SCHOOL: Aiton Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, English Language Arts and Social Studies

GRADE LEVEL: 4, 5

SCHOOL: Yearling Middle School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Mathematics

GRADE LEVEL: 6

SCHOOL: Burgess Peterson Academy

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary

GRADE LEVEL: 4

SCHOOL: Adacao Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Reading, Language and Writing for English

GRADE LEVEL: 3, 4, 5

SCHOOL: Ala Wai Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 4

SCHOOL: Wood River Middle School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Spanish Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 6, 7, 8 

SCHOOL: Niles West High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Music

GRADE LEVEL: 9 ,10 ,11 ,12

SCHOOL: North Elementary

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary, Art

GRADE LEVEL: K, 1, 2, PreK  

SCHOOL: John F. Kennedy High School

SUBJECT AREA: Social Studies/History

GRADE LEVEL: 9, 10, 11, 12

SCHOOL: Winfield Early Learning Center

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary 

GRADE LEVEL: PreK

SCHOOL: Stonewall Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 5

Nathalie Roy

Louisiana

SCHOOL:Glasgow Middle School

SUBJECT AREA: Roman Technology, Classical Mythology, and Latin

GRADE LEVEL: 6, 7, 8

SCHOOL: Gerald E. Talbot Community School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 4

SCHOOL: City Springs Elementary Middle School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, English Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 7, 8

Jennifer Hedrington Massachusetts 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Jennifer Hedrington

Massachusetts

SCHOOL: Ferryway School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Math

GRADE LEVEL: 7

Owen Bondono Michigan 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Owen Bondono

Michigan

SCHOOL: Oak Park High School 9th Grade Learning Center

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, English Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 9

Qorsho Hassan Minnesota 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Qorsho Hassan

Minnesota

SCHOOL: Echo Park Elementary

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 4

Benjamin Austin Mississippi 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Benjamin Austin

Mississippi

SCHOOL: Petal High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Social Science/History

GRADE LEVEL: 9, 10

SCHOOL: Crestwood Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Physical Education and Health

GRADE LEVEL: K-5

SCHOOL: Polaris School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary & Secondary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: K-8

Paul Timm Nebraska 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Paul Timm

Nebraska

SCHOOL: Lyons-Decatur Northeast Public Schools

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Science

GRADE LEVEL: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

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Danielle Boutin New Hampshire 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Danielle Boutin

New Hampshire

SCHOOL: Ledge Street School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, English Language Learner

GRADE LEVEL: K-5

2021 NTOY

SCHOOL: Kermit R. Booker, Sr. Innovative Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Special Education

GRADE LEVEL: PK-5

SCHOOL: Loring Flemming Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 5

SCHOOL: New Mexico International School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Spanish Immersion

GRADE LEVEL: 1

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SCHOOL: Oceanside Senior High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Social Science

GRADE LEVEL: 9, 10, 11, 12

2021 FINALIST

Maureen Stover North Carolina 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Maureen Stover*

North Carolina

SCHOOL: Cumberland International Early College High

SUBJECT AREA: Biology, Earth and Environmental Science

GRADE LEVEL: 9, 10

Kristi Reinke North Dakota 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Kristi Reinke

North Dakota

SCHOOL: Jim Hill Middle School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Social Science

GRADE LEVEL: 6, 7, 8

SCHOOL: Ohio School for the Deaf

SUBJECT AREA: Deaf Education

GRADE LEVEL: 3, 4, 5

Jena Nelson Oklahoma 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Jena Nelson

Oklahoma

SCHOOL: Deer Creek Middle School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, English Language Composition and Academic Enhancement

GRADE LEVEL: 7, 8

SCHOOL: Irving Elementary

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 2

Marilyn Pryle

Marilyn Pryle

Pennsylvania

SCHOOL: Abington Heights High School

SUBJECT AREA: English Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 10

Ashley Adamson Rhode Island 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Ashley Adamson

Rhode Island

SCHOOL: Howard Hathaway Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 3

Sarah Schumacher Gams South Carolina 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Sarah Schumacher Gams

South Carolina

SCHOOL: Spring Hill High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, English

GRADE LEVEL: 10, 11, 12

SCHOOL: Mitchell Middle School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, Science, English Language Arts

GRADE LEVEL: 6

Kami Lunsford Tennessee 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Kami Lunsford

Tennessee

SCHOOL: Karns Middle School

SUBJECT AREA: Vocal, Choral, Music

GRADE LEVEL: 6, 7, 8

SCHOOL: David G. Burnet Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 1, 2

2021 FINALIST

SCHOOL: Meadowlark Elementary

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 6

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SCHOOL: Colchester High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, English Langage Learners 

GRADE LEVEL: 9, 10, 11, 12

Zahara O'Reilly-Bates USVI 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Zahra O'Reilly-Bates

Virgin Islands

SCHOOL: Ricardo Richards Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 4, 5, 6

SCHOOL: Rocky Mount Elementary

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Math, Reading

GRADE LEVEL: 5

Brooke Brown Washington 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Brooke Brown

Washington

SCHOOL: Washington High School

SUBJECT AREA: Secondary Education, English Language Arts, Ethnic Studies

GRADE LEVEL: 12

Erin Anderson West Virginia 2021 State Teacher of the Year

Erin Anderson

West Virginia

SCHOOL: Tennerton Elementary School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 5

SCHOOL: Milwaukee German Immersion School

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, German Immersion

GRADE LEVEL: 3

SCHOOL:  Evansville Elementary School 

SUBJECT AREA: Elementary Education, Multi-Subject

GRADE LEVEL: 4, 5