Arkansas Department of Education leaders on Thursday announced 15 regional finalists for the state's 2020 Teacher of the Year award.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Arkansas Education Secretary Johnny Key will recognize the regional finalists and announce the four top contenders for the singular award at a special event Aug. 1 at the Governor's Mansion.
The 15 are:
• Cana Able, 10th and 11th grade English/language arts teacher, Academies of West Memphis, West Memphis School District.
• Catherine Beckham, 10th- through 12th-grade Orientation to Teaching I and II and Senior Internships teacher, Mountain Home High School Career Academies, Mountain Home School District.
• Jennifer Brown, kindergarten teacher at Walnut Ridge Elementary School, Lawrence County School District.
• Raelin Duck-Schroeder, ninth- through 12th-grade Pre-AP English, AP English, eneral English, drama, and teacher cadets program, Stuttgart High, Stuttgart School District.
• Lindsey Duncan, fourth-grade literacy teacher, Southside Elementary, Cabot School District.
• Mary Dunn, sixth-grade special education teacher, College Hill Middle School, Texarkana School District.
• Marcus Jones, 10th- through12th-grade English teacher, The Academies at Jonesboro High School, Jonesboro School District.
• Joel Lookadoo, ninth-grade algebra I, Lakeside Junior High School, Springdale School District.
• Clarissa Mays, ninth- through12th-grade EAST and computer science teacher, Arkadelphia High School, Arkadelphia School District.
• Brenda Nolan, kindergarten- through third-grade literacy and reading teacher, Hermitage Elementary School, Hermitage School District.
• Barry Reese, fifth- through eighth-grade history teacher, Lead Hill Elementary School and Lead Hill High School, Lead Hill School District.
• Cassidy Smith, third- through sixth-grade gifted and talented education teacher, Central Elementary School, Magnolia School District.
• Melissa Spence, first-grade teacher, Theodore Jones Elementary School, Conway School District.
• Dejah Stephens, fifth- and sixth-grade language arts and social studies teacher, Raymond F. Orr Elementary School, Fort Smith School District.
• Jeffrey Whitlow, fifth-grade teacher, Don R. Roberts Elementary School, Little Rock School District.
The Arkansas Teacher of the Year program is part of the National Teacher of the Year program, which recognizes teachers for their teaching and leadership skills.
The 2020 Arkansas Teacher of the Year, who will be announced this fall, is eligible to apply to become the 2020 National Teacher of the Year.
This year's regional finalists will each receive a $1,000 award that is made possible by a grant provided by the Walton Family Foundation.
The state's four top finishers to be announced Aug. 1 are selected from the 15 regional finalists. One of the four state semi-finalists will be named the 2020 Arkansas Teacher of the Year.
Metro on 07/20/2019