7 Osseo Area Teachers Nominated For Minnesota Teacher Of The Year

The 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be chosen from a field of 167 candidates. Seven of those teachers work in the Osseo Area Schools district, including:

• Debra Amelse, instructional assistant, Basswood Elementary School
• Jessica Carr, first-grade teacher, Fernbrook Elementary
• Rich Johnston, sixth-grade teacher, Osseo Middle School
• Ann Kozarek, physical education teacher, Edinbrook Elementary
• Jaquinetta Mitchell, English teacher, Osseo Senior High
• Jennifer Paulson, second-grade teacher, Woodland Elementary
• Lisa Thompson, fifth-grade teacher, Basswood Elementary School

The number of total candidates is the third-most in the 54-year history of the award, and the most since 1981. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade and adult basic education teachers from public or private schools.

The 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be announced Sunday, May 6, at the Radisson Blu in the Mall of America. Over the coming weeks, a 25-member panel of community leaders will name a group of semifinalists and finalists.

Organized and underwritten by Education Minnesota, the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program receives support from Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, McDonald’s Restaurants of Minnesota, Radisson Blu Mall of America, SMART Technologies and United Educators Credit Union.

Image via Shutterstock