Release Date: Oct 19, 2009 2:00 PM  

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

(Dover, DE.) – Twenty of Delaware’s best educators representing each school district and all charter schools in the State have been nominated for the distinction of becoming Delaware’s Teacher of the Year for 2010. The nineteen women and one man were chosen by their schools and districts from nearly 9000 Delaware teachers statewide.

Delaware’s Teacher of the Year for 2010 will be announced by Governor Jack Markell at the annual awards dinner to be held on Tuesday, October 27, 2009 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in Dover. Funding for the award ceremony is made in part by a grant from ING and ING Direct.

All 20 nominees were selected during the 2009 calendar 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 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 in 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 2010 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; representative of the State Student Council Association; a representative of the Delaware State Education Association; a representative of the State Chamber of Commerce; the President of the State Board of Education; and the Chair of the Professional Standards Board.

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.

By action of the General Assembly, the State Teacher of the Year will receive a $5000 grant to use for the educational benefit of his or her students, as well as a personal grant of $3000. Additionally, all nominees will receive a $2000 grant.

 The candidates are as follows:

School District	Teacher	School	Grade/Subject
Appoquinimink	Tracy Taylor Calhoun	Townsend Early CH Ctr	Kindergarten
Brandywine	Mary E. Pinkston	Brandywine High School	Grades 9-12 Math
Caesar Rodney	Kathy DeLong	W. B. Simpson Elementary	Grade 5 ELA, Math, Science
Cape Henlopen	Kellyann Palladino-Ranieri	Rehoboth Elementary	Grades K-5 Art
Capital	Amy Bowen	North  Elementary	Grade 1
Christina	Andrew Beadenkopf	Christiana High School	Grades 9-12 Agri-Science
Colonial	Dawn Alexander	Southern Elementary	Kindergarten/1st Grade
Delmar	Christy Parsons	Delmar High School	Grades 9-12 Science
Indian River	Heather S. Moore	East Millsboro Elem	Grade 3
Lake Forest	Karen Williams	Lake Forest High School	Grades 11-12 Social Studies
Laurel	Andrea M. Sullenberger	Dunbar Elementary	Pre-K Special Ed
Milford	Tommi Barrett-Greenly	Morris Early Childhood	Grade 1
NCCVT	Patricia T. Creveling	Hodgson Vo-Tech High	Grades 9-12 Mathematics
POLYTECH	Brenda Porter	POLYTECH High School	Grade 9-12 Cosmetology
Red Clay	Natalie Brancati	North Star Elementary	Grade 3
Seaford	Mary Katharine Baldwin	Frederick Douglass Elem	Grade 4
Smyrna	Liliane Hemphill	Smyrna Elementary	Grades K-4 Art
Sussex Tech	Valarie Day	Sussex Technical HS	Grades 9-12 Spanish
Woodbridge	Ginger Brown	Woodbridge Elementary	Grade 2
Charter School	Jenny Aunet	Pencader Business & Finance Charter High School	Grades 9-12 Social Studies

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Delaware's Department of Education is committed to promoting the highest quality education for every Delaware student by providing visionary leadership and superior service.	Contact Info. Alison Kepner Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite #2 Dover, Delaware 19901 Phone: (302) 735-4035 Fax: (302) 739-4654 Email: akepner@doe.k12.de.us
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