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Hartford Public Schools is pleased to announce the nominees for 2025 Teacher of the Year. These teachers were nominated by their schools for their outstanding work in service of our students.

Each nominee will now undergo an intensive screening and interview process conducted remotely by a district-wide Teacher of the Year Committee made up of Hartford Public Schools directors, officials from the Hartford Federation of Teachers, and previous award winners. After its review, the committee will select three finalists. The finalists will be asked to complete a series of written essay questions and submit a videotaped lesson for the final evaluation.

The winner will be announced on Thursday, May 22, 2025 at an awards ceremony held at the Hartford Downtown Marriott Hotel. The Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony is funded solely by sponsorships and ticket sales.

Last year’s Teacher of the Year was Yasmin Ithier-Vicenty, a 2nd grade teacher from West Middle School with the 2024 HPS Teacher of the Year award.

All nominees must be tenured PreK-12 teachers in the Hartford Public Schools system who exhibit exemplary teaching skills, show commitment to the belief that all children can learn, and are active in community and humanitarian affairs.

This year’s nominees, listed in alphabetical order by their school name, are as follows:

Annie Fisher STEM Magnet School

Michael Gustave

Betances Learning Lab Magnet School

Brian Osterhout

Betances STEM Magnet School

Damaris Cabrera

Breakthrough Magnet School - North

Anne Fournier

Breakthrough Magnet School - South

Joshua Hinrichs

Bulkeley High School

Paul Zocco

Burns Latino Studies Academy

Michael Santee

Burr Middle School

Nasiba Shilu

Capital Preparatory Magnet School

Aziza Putman

Classical Magnet School

Sandra Morgana

Dwight Bellizzi Dual Language Academy

Lynn Kolasinski

Environmental Sciences Magnet School at Mary Hooker

Melissa Michalski

Expeditionary Learning Academy at Moylan School

Eileen Dowd

Global Communications Academy

Megan Dillon

Great Path Academy

Sara Heredia

Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy

Stacy Bartenstein

Hartford Pre-K Magnet School

Rachel Bell

Hartford Public High School

Caitlin Daly

Kennelly School

Michael Griffin

Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts - Upper School

Kerry McKeown-Plaza

Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts - Lower School

Jennifer Lay

M.D. Fox School

Julie Ann Clemens

McDonough Middle School

Megan Stovall

Milner Middle School

Ashantee Hyman

Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School

Danna Hotchkiss

Montessori Magnet School at Batchelder

Emily Hochheiser

Naylor School

Melissa Nolan

New Visions

Jose Zavala

Noah Webster Microsociety Magnet School

Makayla McKenzie

Parkville Community School

Roxanne Rideout

Pathways Academy of Technology & Design

Amanda Powell

Rawson School

Amber Riley-Wilson

Renzulli Gifted & Talented Academy

Darrell Cookman

Sanchez School

Keon Ruiter

S.A.N.D. School

Kimberly Daly

Sport & Medical Sciences Academy

Joshua Swabby

University High School of Science and Engineering

Andrew Eaton

Weaver High School

Kali Major

West Middle School

Jill Jacques

Wish Museum School

Kasey Banks



Hartford Public Schools is deeply grateful to its invaluable event sponsors: Voya Financial Advisors, the Hartford Federation of Teachers, Autumn Transportation, Shipman & Goodwin, LLC, Pullman & Comley, the Robert Patricelli Family Foundation, Downes Construction Group, Ricoh, and Parkville Market.

2024 Teacher of the Year Nominees

Pictured above: Last year's Teacher of the Year Nominees (2024)

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Autumn Transportation

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