Education Minnesota Teacher of the Year candidates announced 

Education Minnesota has announced their candidates for 2024 Teacher of the Year. In total there are 159 candidates which represents the third-largest field since 2000.

The program celebrates the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota, and eligible candidates include teachers from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, Early Childhood Family Education and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or private schools.  

An independent panel of leaders in the fields of education, business, government, nonprofit and philanthropy will read candidates’ portfolios over the next few weeks and narrow the list to a group of semifinalists, and then a group of finalists. 

The winner of the Teacher of the Year will then be announced at the Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet on May 5 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. 

Area teachers nominated for the award include: 

Ben Lofgren – Hawley Public Schools

Stephanie Frisk – Win-E-Mac Schools

Stacy Dahl – Greenbush-Middle River School District

Krista Saxton – Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools

Susan Wagner – Crookston Public Schools

Jacqueline Stoffel – Bemidji Area Schools

Katherine Melgaard – Marshall County Central School

A complete list of candidates can be found on the Education Minnesota website at educationminnesota.org.