Ten teachers selected as semi-finalists for the 2023 NH Teacher of the Year Award

CONCORD, NH -- The New Hampshire Department of Education is pleased to announce the 10 semi-finalists for the 2023 New Hampshire Teacher of the Year Award. 

The teachers were selected from 44 nominees and include educators from Atkinson, Dover, Durham, Goffstown, Hampton, Hollis, Hudson, Merrimack, Nashua and Stoddard.

The semi-finalists are:

•    Susan Bradford, third grade, James Mastricola Elementary School, Merrimack
•    Amanda Bridges, fifth grade, James Faulkner Elementary School, Stoddard
•    Christian Cheetham, ninth through twelfth grades, Alvirne High School, Hudson
•    Mikella Eichen, fourth grade, Atkinson Academy, Atkinson
•    Bonnie Heath, sixth through eighth grades, Hampton Academy, Hampton
•    Carmen Kosow, preschool and kindergarten, New Searles Elementary School, Nashua
•    Jennifer MacLeod, eighth grade, Hollis Brookline Middle School, Hollis
•    Curt McDermott, ninth through twelfth grade, Goffstown High School, Goffstown
•    Cathi Stetson, tenth through twelfth grades, Oyster River High School, Durham
•    Julie Verde, ninth through tenth grades, Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, Dover

This year’s Selection Committee includes First Lady Valerie Sununu, a former special educator, Ryan Terrell from the State Board of Education, Christine Brennan, Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Education, Sara Casassa, 2022 NH Teacher of the Year and Danielle Boutin, 2021 NH Teacher of the Year. 

“This group of impeccable educators exemplifies the spirit of New Hampshire’s talented, generous and motivated teachers,” said Frank Edelblut, commissioner of education. “Each one of them deserves to be recognized and praised for their dedication to the teaching profession, as we know they are making positive and deep impacts on the lives of youth.” 

The semi-finalists will next present to the selection committee their teaching story and personal thoughts on opportunities for the future of education in the Granite State. The selection committee will select finalists over the summer and visit their schools in September, with a final recipient selected by Oct. 1.

The 2023 Teacher of the Year will be New Hampshire’s entrant in the National Teacher of the Year program. The national program, run by the Council of Chief State School Officers, identifies exceptional teachers in the country, recognizes their effective work in the classroom, amplifies their voices, and empowers them to participate in policy discussions at the state and national levels.

Contact: Stacey MacStravic
stacey.a.macstravic1@doe.nh.gov (603) 271-3293