Nearly 100 nominees for New Hampshire’s 2024 Teacher of the Year are celebrated

CONCORD, NH — The search is on for New Hampshire’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, with 92 nominees visiting the Department of Education on Tuesday to share and promote their exceptional skills in a positive and uplifting forum.

“We are here to shine a light on you and let you know that you are important and that you have value in this space,” said Valerie Sununu, New Hampshire’s First Lady and member of the selection committee. 

The Department had a record number of 322 nominees this year. Of those nominations, 92 educators hailing from every corner of the state advanced in the selection process by completing a rigorous application. Today, the nominees had the opportunity to network with each other and meet with individual members of the Teacher of the Year Selection Committee as it works to narrow the field of applicants. 

“Selecting a Teacher of the Year is an exceptional way to celebrate the many outstanding and dedicated educators within New Hampshire schools,” said Frank Edelblut, education commissioner. “The record number of nominees reflects well on the state of education and our great educators working here in New Hampshire.” He thanked the applicants for their positive contributions and energy they bring to the classroom.

“People see you and they recognize you every day. You are the ones who are working tirelessly to make education work for our students,” echoed Christine Brennan, deputy commissioner of education.  

In the coming weeks, the selection committee will review each application and identify a group of semi-finalists. The semi-finalists will then make a formal presentation and respond to questions as part of an interview process with the committee. A group of finalists will later be chosen by the committee, and visits will be made to each of the schools to observe the teacher in class and interview other individuals. A finalist will be chosen this fall. 

“There are so many great teachers in this room,” Christian Cheetham, New Hampshire’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, told the group. “The fact that you were nominated says a lot about you as a teacher and as a person and the impact that you are making in your schools and your community. 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