Community Relations Coordinator
✆ (605) 367-7951
✉ Email DeeAnn Konrad
➢ IPC - Community Relations
Dr. John W. Harris
The award ceremony will be held Monday, 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 due by January 12th, 2026 at 5:00 pm.
*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.
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 |
