CONCORD, New Hampshire (May 18th, 2023) 92 nominees recently gathered at the Department of Education to share and demonstrate their remarkable skills in a motivating and pleasant environment. The goal of the gathering was to discover New Hampshire’s Teacher of the Year for 2024.

The selection committee’s goal was stated by Valerie Sununu, the First Lady of New Hampshire and a member of the group: “We are here to illuminate your importance and let you know that you hold value in this space.”

The Department received an astounding record-breaking total of 322 nominations this year. 92 educators from all throughout the state were chosen from among these after submitting a demanding application. In order to reduce the number of candidates, the nominees had the chance to network with one another and interact with the individual members of the Teacher of the Year Selection Committee at the event.

How did they choose it? 

The selection of a Teacher of the Year is a significant method to honor the many remarkable and committed teachers working in New Hampshire’s schools, according to Frank Edelblut, the state’s commissioner of education. The record number of nominees speaks highly of the quality of education in New Hampshire and the outstanding teachers who work here. The applicants’ good contributions and the vigor they bring to the classroom were acknowledged by Edelblut.

People see you and recognize you every day, said Christine Brennan, deputy commissioner of education, in agreement. You are the ones who put in the most effort to ensure that our children’s education is successful.

The selection committee will carefully examine each application over the coming weeks and pick a group of semi-finalists. These semi-finalists will next take part in a formal presentation and go through a committee interview procedure. The committee will ultimately choose a group of finalists, who will then be visited at their respective schools for interviews with various people and classroom observations. In the fall, the winner of the Teacher of the Year award will be revealed.

The 2023 Teacher of the Year for New Hampshire, Christian Cheetham, praised the nominees present and said, “There are so many wonderful teachers in this room. Your abilities as a teacher and as a person, as well as the difference you are making in your student’s lives and the community, are evident from the fact that you were nominated. Congratulations.”

Below is a list of the 92 nominees for New Hampshire’s 2024 Teacher of the Year:

– Theresa Andolina Berlin Middle High School

– Jennifer Atkins Cardinal Lacroix Academy

– Justin Ballou Hollis Brookline High School

– Tory Barber Three Rivers Middle School

– Catherine Baylus Laconia Middle School

– Hannah Blair Fuller Elementary School

– James Boccia Pinkerton Academy

– Eric Bowman Contoocook Valley Regional High School

– Emily Broadley Fuller Elementary School

– Rita Budakoti Keene Middle School

– Ryan Burgess Manchester Central High School

– Heather Burkett Hampstead Central School

– Lisa Cole Highland-Goffe’s Falls School

– David Coulon Highland-Goffe’s Falls School

– Nicole Cruz Manchester Memorial High School

– Karen Cyr-Condon Southside Middle School

– Derek Dane Gilbert H. Hood Middle School

– Kayla Dantos Bakersville Elementary School

– Jacqueline DeFreze Rye Elementary School

– Sean Donahue McKelvie Intermediate School

– Kimberly Dorman Colebrook Academy and Elementary School

– April Doss Thorntons Ferry Elementary School

– Alicia Doucet Southside Middle School

– Justine Dube Parker-Varney Elementary School

– Elizabeth Duclos Pembroke Hill School

– Caitlin Duffy Woodman Park School

– Nicholas Ellis Nashua High School North

– Stephanie Erickson Wilton Lyndeborough Cooperative Middle High School

– Lindsay Fontaine Pembroke Academy

– Holly Fougere Kennett High School

– Suzanne Fraher Northwest Elementary School

– Sarah Fredrick Monadnock Regional Middle High School

– Jacob Gagnon Walpole Elementary School

– Jennifer Gagnon Northwest Elementary School

– Abigail Gemme Manchester Central High School

– Sarah Gerome Bishop O’Neil preschool/Bakersville Elementary School

– Sara Getchell Henry Wilson Elementary School

– Martha Gomez Manchester Memorial High School

– Michelle Gwinn Rye Elementary School

– Tina Hamelin Colebrook Academy and Elementary School

– Emily Henderson Benjamin Franklin Elementary School

– Erin Hollingsworth Gilmanton School

– Sarah Jackes Pembroke Hill School

– Anna Jennison Beech Street School

– Ian Kaplan Keene Middle School

– Karen Kearney Matthew Thornton Elementary School

– Elizabeth Kennedy Green Acres Elementary School

– Johanna Kress Fuller Elementary School

– Jennifer Lambert Groveton Elementary School

– Matthew Leese Keene High School

– Tammy Leonard Hollis Brookline High School

– Kelly Lewis Loudon Elementary School

– Erica Livingstone McDonough Elementary School

– Caitlin Lomando Mt. Pleasant School

– Samantha Lyford Centre Elementary School

– Cortney MacDonald Bicentennial Elementary School

– Sean Malone Nashua High School North

– Caroline Masterson Merrimack High School

– Erica McMahon Henry Wilson Elementary School

– Jennifer Menken Hooksett Memorial School

– Corinne Moher Pembroke Academy

– Nicole Moody Fairground Elementary School

– Gerrit Morse The Founders Academy

– James Norby Jaffrey-Rindge Middle School

– Mariana O’Connor New Searles Elementary School

– Gregory Parker Manchester Memorial High School

– Maureen Patt Broad Street School

– Robin Peringer Nashua High School South

– Joseph Perry Manchester School of Technology

– Kathy Peters Fuller Elementary School

– Stacey Pominville Virtual Learning Academy Charter School

– Robert Pooler Hollis Upper Elementary School

– Tina Proulx Parkside Middle School

– Kate Robichaud The Founders Academy

– Elizabeth Ross Golden Brook Elementary School

– Natalie Sears Manchester Central High School

– Diane Shaffer Highland-Goffe’s Falls School

– Kryslin Shields Highland-Goffe’s Falls School

– Beth Sibley Jonathan Daniels School

– Stephanie Simpson Gossler Park School

– Amanda Starck Hampstead Central School

– Rachel Stevens Winnisquam Regional Middle School

– Sarah Strauss Clark-Wilkins Elementary School

– Scott Thibodeau Pembroke Academy

– Julia Thissell Peter Woodbury School

– Debra Todd Northwest Elementary School

– Nicole Tommila Dr. George S. Emerson Elementary School

– Michael Torgersen Webster Elementary School

– Allison Vanagel Manchester High School West

– Andrea von Oeyen Oyster River Middle/High Schools

– LeeAnn Wells Lamprey River Elementary School

– Craig Wilkins Belmont High School

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