--“Top” teacher to be announced Tuesday--

(Dover, DE.) – Nineteen of Delaware’s best educators representing each school district in the State have been nominated for the distinction of becoming Delaware’s Teacher of the Year for 2008.  The fourteen women and five men were chosen by their school districts from nearly 9000 Delaware teachers statewide.

Delaware’s Teacher of the Year for 2008 will be announced by Lieutenant Governor John C. Carney Jr. at the annual awards dinner to be held on Tuesday, October 23, 2007, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Inn and Conference Center in Dover.

All 19 school districts selected their Teacher of the Year candidate during the 2006-2007 school year.  Basic nomination criteria included having a superior ability to inspire students with a love of learning, demonstrating professional traits, and possessing a strong sense of dedication and devotion to teaching.

After being nominated, each district teacher was asked to submit a detailed portfolio exemplifying their teaching philosophy with examples of their work.  The portfolio was then reviewed by five “readers” from Delaware’s Department of Education (DOE).  Working independently, each reader assigned a numerical value to each portfolio.  The next step in the selection process was to conduct a formal observation of each candidate, which was scheduled for late September.  Two observers, a former State or district Teacher of the Year and a member of the DOE staff, visited each candidate’s classroom to conduct the observation.

Finally, based on the scores assigned to the portfolios as well as classroom observations, another independent panel of judges selected the one teacher who will serve as the 2008 Teacher of the Year. This panel consisted of: the current State Teacher of the Year; the President of the State Congress of Parents and Teachers; the President of the State Student Council Association; the President of the Delaware State Education Association; a representative of the State Chamber of Commerce; a member of the State Board of Education; and the Chair of the Professional Standards Board or if necessary, their designees.

The teacher chosen to become the State Teacher of the Year will become Delaware’s entrant in the national program sponsored by the Council of Chief State School officers and Scholastic, Inc.

The State Teacher of the Year will also take on the important task of representing all teachers in Delaware.  The individual will address community groups, business leaders, legislators, and educational organizations in an effort to inform the public about the status of Delaware schools.

All candidates, listed alphabetically by school district, school and grade/subject taught, are as follows:

Delaware’s Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.