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This story has been up to date with extra finalists.
For the previous two weeks, state schooling officers have been making shock visits to Colorado’s 2025 Instructor of the 12 months finalists.
The finalists embrace a Denver historical past trainer, a Boulder music trainer, a Highlands Ranch English trainer, an Aurora educator who helps college students really feel a way of belonging, a Summit County center faculty trainer, and a fifth grade trainer in Colorado Springs.
There are seven finalists complete, of which six have been introduced. The Colorado Division of Schooling stated it is going to announce the seventh finalist subsequent week. The winner shall be chosen subsequent month.
Every 2025 Instructor of the 12 months finalist will obtain $1,500 from the state division and the Boettcher Basis, and their colleges will every obtain a $500 donation from Boettcher.
The eventual winner will symbolize Colorado within the nationwide Instructor of the 12 months competitors. They may even serve on the Commissioner’s Academics Cupboard, which is a statewide advisory panel, and act as an envoy for the career for the subsequent 12 months.
The 2024 Colorado Instructor of the 12 months is Jessica Could, a shopper and household research trainer at Turner Center Faculty in Berthoud.
The six finalists introduced thus far are:
Janet Damon, historical past trainer, DELTA Excessive Faculty, Denver Public Colleges
“Her classes deal with inquiry, analysis, digital storytelling, and culturally sustaining studying. She designs studying to assist college students assume critically about challenges of their lives,” the Colorado Division of Schooling stated in a press launch about Damon, who has been educating for greater than 25 years. “Her college students think about new options to issues in our state and create podcasts to advocate for points like homelessness, gun violence, incarceration, inflation, immigration, racism, well being disparities, and drug dependancy in Colorado.”
Tera Johnson-Swartz, English trainer, STEM Faculty Highlands Ranch, Douglas County Faculty District
“She makes a speciality of constructing significant relationships together with her college students whereas additionally offering classes remembered past her classroom,” the division stated of Johnson-Swartz, who has been an educator for 2 years. “She tells her college students from day one which educating wasn’t a profession she needed to take, however one she needed to, humbly and with all her coronary heart.”
Amy Okimoto, connections coordinator, Summit Elementary Faculty, Cherry Creek Faculty District
“Amy is an unbelievable educator whose dedication to social-emotional studying and restorative practices has made a big effect at Summit Elementary,” Cherry Creek Superintendent Christopher Smith stated in a press launch. “Her management in scholar teams and her dedication to fostering a supportive group exemplify the values we maintain pricey.”
Wanda Vásquez García, music trainer, Escuela Bilingüe Pioneer, Boulder Valley Faculty District
“We’re extremely fortunate that Ms. Vásquez García discovered a love for music at such a younger age, an impressive community of help from each her dad and mom and her mentors on the Dominican Republic Nationwide Symphony Orchestra, and that she has chosen to take a position all of it within the subsequent era of musicians within the Boulder Valley Faculty District,” Boulder Valley Superintendent Rob Anderson stated in a press launch.
Ashley Smith, Summit Center Faculty, Summit Faculty District
“Ashley Smith, who has been educating for 18 years, is understood for creating meticulous lesson plans that cater to numerous studying kinds, guaranteeing each scholar can interact with the fabric in a significant means,” the state schooling division stated in a press launch. “She is a frontrunner within the faculty, mentoring different academics and constructing sturdy and constructive relationships with each scholar she works with.”
Anthony Williams, fifth grade trainer, Wildflower Elementary Faculty, Harrison Faculty District 2
“He’s a Harrison Faculty District 2 graduate, and our college students see themselves in Anthony,” district Superintendent Wendy Birhanzel stated in a press launch. “Anthony goes above and past to point out up for college students and take an curiosity of their pursuits. He attends their occasions, cheers them on of their endeavors, and may be discovered teaching and mentoring D2 college students outdoors of the classroom. He has earned credit score with our college students by displaying up for them, so that you higher imagine they present up for him every day within the classroom.”
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org .
