Teacher of the Year

Dr. John W. Harris

The award ceremony will be held at the Sanford Barn on February 23rd, 2026 at 7:00 pm.

The Sioux Falls School District proudly partners with Vern Eide Motorcars to present this prestigious annual award, honoring excellence in teaching.

Thanks to Vern Eide's generous support, the Teacher of the Year receives a $4,000 award!

Nominations

Nominations are now closed.

*A classroom teacher is a person who has a class of their own & spends at least three or more hours per day, five days a week, for six or more calendar months during a school year in a classroom teaching students. School counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers are NOT eligible.

38th Annual Teacher of the Year Nominees

Nominees

Location

Subject

Jenna Albers

Roosevelt High School

English

Mary  Alexander

Lincoln High School

Special Education

Peggy Amdahl

Terry Redlin Elementary

Kindergarten

Emily Anderson

Lincoln High School

Math

Drew Balta

Lincoln High School

Band

Sarah Becker

Hawthorne Elementary

Librarian

Rhonda Begley

Discovery Elementary

5th Grade 

Holly Bickley

Edison Middle School

Math

Heidi Black

Harvey Dunn Elementary

Art

Cassie Blair

Jefferson High School

Biology

Kayla Bolton

Laura Wilder Elementary 

Special Education 

Jennifer Boyle

Harvey Dunn Elementary

Librarian

Terra Brost

Anne Sullivan Elementary 

4th Grade

Millie Brower

Robert Frost Challenge Center

4th Grade

Sonya Breyer

Susan B. Anthony

Special Education 

Dan Carlson

Lincoln High School

Band

Heather Conrad

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary

P.E.

Tanner Cook

George McGovern Middle School 

Social Studies 

Cindy Cummins

Lincoln High School

English & Yearbook

Darcy Cunningham

Anne Sullivan Elementary

1st Grade

Eva Delgado

Edison Middle School

Spanish Science 

Kristine  Dillon

Marcella Lebeau Elementary

English Learner Teacher

Heidi Dooley

Robert Frost Elementary

Kindergarten

Kristine  Dykstra

John Harris Elementary

1st Grade

Joey Edberg

Jefferson High School

English

Allison Engel

Susan B. Anthony Elementary

2nd Grade

Megan Erickson

Eugene Field A+ Elementary 

All Grades

Brooke  Estep

John Harris Elementary 

Kindergarten

Kim  Euchner

R.F. Pettigrew Elementary

Special Education

Grace Feterl

Jefferson High School

Math

Cristen Fitzler

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary 

Special Education

Elsa Flores

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary 

3rd Grade

Danielle Goscicki

Terry Redlin Elementary

Special Education 

Vanessa Graning

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary 

Kindergarten

Nicole Groen

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary 

English Specific Skills

Eliana Gutierrez

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary

3rd Grade

Emmanuel Gyasi

Hawthorne Elementary

5th Grade

Patty Hansen

Memorial Middle School

Social Studies 

Bryar Hansen-Legesse

Terry Redlin Elementary

3rd Grade

Justina Hayzlett

John Harris Elementary

2nd Grade

Amy Heinert

Ben Reifel Middle School 

Librarian

Kimberly  Herr

John F. Kennedy Elementary

Special Education

Evelin Hernandez

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary

2nd Grade

Steve Hirsch

Jefferson High School

Home Maintenance, Wood Tech

Meilssa  Hittner

Jefferson High School

Science

Shannon Hohwieler

John Harris Elementary

Kindergarten

Brandi  Ivey

Robert Frost Challenge Center

2nd Grade

Holly Johnson

Rosa Parks Elementary

Kindergarten

Catherine (Cathy)  Kayl

Terry Redlin Elementary

2nd Grade

Brittney Kempf

Susan B. Anthony Elementary

Music

Jessica Knigge

Robert Frost Elementary

1st Grade

Elizabeth "Betsy" Kringen

Anne Sullivan Elementary 

4th Grade

Shayla Kruse

George McGovern Middle School

Science 

Cassa Kuhl

Cleveland Elementary

1st Grade

Esperanza Langle

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary

2nd Grade

Adrian  Ledesma

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary

1st Grade

Sarah Leonard

Roosevelt High School

Psychology

Stephanie  Lettau

Jefferson High School

Math

Wendy Long

Edison Middle School 

Math

Emma Lux

John Harris Elementary

3rd Grade

Stacy Marnach

Cleveland Elementary

4th Grade

Ann Matthies

Rosa Parks Elementary 

4th Grade 

Rickie McCaulsky

CTE Academy

Automotive & Diesel Mechanics

Yubeth Medina-Olaya

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary School

4th Grade

Laureen Mehlert

CTE Academy

Aviation & Media

Carmen Meyer

Lincoln High School

Special Education 

Allison Mickelson

Eugene Field A+ Elementary 

Music & Drama

Jennifer Morales

Rosa Parks Elementary

3rd Grade Spanish

Tyler Murphy

Patrick Henry Middle School

Science 

Kaytlyn Mulford

Marcella LeBeau Elementary

Kindergarten

Barb Newitt

Roosevelt High School

Physics 

Kelsey Nicholson

Robert Frost Elementary

3rd Grade

Kristopher Ohrlund

Roosevelt High School

Orchestra 

Mandie Petersen

Harvey Dunn Elementary

1st Grade

Jon Peterson

Robert Frost Elementary

P.E.

Wilfredo Petit

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary

4th Grade

Anne Powers

John Harris Elementary 

4th Grade

Lauren  Rhoda

R.F. Pettigrew Elementary

4th Grade

Eric Rice

Lincoln High School

Math

Katie (Kathryn)  Rick

Community Campus Structured Teach - Axtell Park

18-21 Transition

Marissa  Rippentrop

Robert Frost Challenge Center

5th Grade

Jamie Rockvam

Susan B. Anthony Elementary

3rd Grade

Molly Rost

Harvey Dunn Elementary

Kindergarten

Yenny Ruiz

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary

3rd Grade

Lily Satterlee

Eugene Field A+ Elementary 

Kindergarten

Carrie Savey

Eugene Field A+ Elementary

Special Education 

Bethany Schaefers

Washington High School

Biology 

Allison Smith

Washington High School

Biology 

Amanda  Stafford

Memorial Middle School

Social Studies 

Justin Stanford

Discovery Elementary

4th Grade

Robyn Starks-Holcomb

Roosevelt High School

Vocal Music

Kayla State

Marcella LeBeau Elementary

Special Education 

Amber Sundvold

Edison Middle School

Vocal Music

Erika Tarquino

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary

4th Grade

Julia Thompson

Eugene Field A+ Elementary 

Kindergarten

Maria Toscano

Sonia Sotomayor Elementary 

Kindergarten

Meagan Turbak

Edison Middle School

Art

Beth Versteeg

Eugene Field A+ Elementary 

Librarian 

Stacy Warwick

Cleveland Elementary

Kindergarten

Grace Werner

Lincoln High School

Science 

Molly Wilson

Laura Wilder Elementary

Art

Ashley Winterton

Marcella LeBeau Elementary

3rd Grade

Susan Wick

Robert Frost Elementary

1st Grade

Sarah Yee

Anne Sullivan Elementary

Librarian 

Sue Zueger

Memorial Middle School

English 

To be considered for Regional and State Teacher of the Year, the District Candidate should:

  • Have a superior ability to inspire students of ALL backgrounds and abilities to learn;

  • Be an exceptionally skilled and dedicated classroom teacher;

  • Have the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues;

  • Play an active and useful role in the community as well as in the school; and

  • Be poised, articulate, and have the energy to withstand the demanding schedule that would accompany selection as the South Dakota Teacher of the Year.

District Teacher of the Year becomes a nominee for his or her district’s Regional Teacher of the Year Award. If the District TOY is selected as the Regional TOY, he or she becomes a nominee for the South Dakota TOY. If chosen as the South Dakota TOY, he/she then becomes a candidate for the National TOY.

Past Winners

Teacher

School

Year

Bruce Rekstad

Washington High School

2025

Susan Thies

Garfield Elementary

2024

Katie Ellwein - Distinguished Educator Award

Laura B. Anderson Elementary

2024

George Hawkins

Jefferson High School - PBL Academy

2023

Laura Wiebelhaus - Distinguished Educator Award

Eugene Field A+ Elementary

2023

Ashley Kracke

R.F. Pettigrew Elementary

2022

Nick Opdahl - Distinguished Educator Award

CTE

2022

Ann Robertson

Whittier MS

2021

Janelle Revier

CTE Academy

2020

Lynn Thomason

Lincoln High School

2019

Kimberly Dobson

Horace Mann Elementary

2018

Stefanie Hage

John Harris Elementary

2017

Janet Swier

Washington High School

2016

Gretchen Johnson

Cleveland Elementary

2015

DeeAnn Konrad

DeeAnn Konrad

Community Relations Coordinator

(605) 367-7951
✉ Email DeeAnn Konrad
➢ IPC - Community Relations