The Tennessee Department of Education announced the finalists for Teacher of the Year for 2015 in a press release today.
The finalists have a new perk for their achievement: the opportunity to serve on the inaugural Teacher Advisory Council with education commission Kevin Huffman.
“Seeking feedback and advice from our Teacher of the Year finalists is a critical step in ensuring that we are learning from and listening to teachers from all regions of our state,” Commissioner Huffman said.
The finalist from Shelby County is Karen Vogelsang, a teacher at Keystone Elementary. There are nine finalists overall, each from a region of the state. In the fall, three of those teachers will be considered “Grand Division” winners. The final state winner will be announced in the fall, and will advance to the National Teacher of the Year competition.