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Hartford Public Schools is pleased to announce the nominees for 2024 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 23, 2024 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 Melanie Zamorski, an English teacher at Sport and Medical Sciences Academy.

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:

School/Location

Candidate Name

Betances Learning Lab Magnet School           

Yvette Chevalier

Breakthrough Magnet School - North

Alexandra Tomaszewsky

Breakthrough Magnet School - South

Casey Tye

Bulkeley High School

Jacqueline Rankin

Burns Latino Studies Academy

Suzanne Rodriguez

Burr Middle School

Leslie Barrett

Capital Preparatory Magnet School

Orson LaRose

Classical Magnet School

John Lacy

Dwight Bellizzi School

Nicole D'Angelo

Environmental Sciences Magnet at Mary Hooker

Wendy Rivera

Expeditionary Learning Academy at Moylan

Jennifer Baez

Global Communications Academy

Kathryn Adams

Great Path Academy

Daniella Sullivan

Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy

Anne Leonard-Blake

Hartford PreK Magnet School

Julie Holt

Hartford Public High School

Barbara Maidelis

Kennelly School

Sean Palzere

Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts – Upper School

Richard Rader

Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts – Lower School

Lori Ann Hickey

McDonough Middle School

Melissa Cabiya

M.D. Fox School

Margaret Smith

Milner Middle School

Nini Greenidge

Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School

Kelly Rothfuss

Montessori Magnet School at Batchelder     

Michael Kirk

Naylor School 

Jacqueline Vicenty-Ithier

Noah Webster MicroSociety Magnet School

Brittany Estey

Parkville Community School  

Nicholas Hochfeld

Pathways Academy of Technology & Design

Rosalie Generis

Renzulli Gifted & Talented Academy 

Antonio Ruiz

Sanchez School            

Raquel Vargas

S.A.N.D. School            

Denice Garrett

Sport & Medical Sciences Academy   

Pamela Tillinghast

STEM Magnet School at Annie Fisher

Briana Bernabucci

STEM Magnet School at Betances      

Angela Blake

University High School of Science & Engineering    

Michael Fromerth

Weaver High School   

Samantha Midili-Gomez

West Middle School   

Yasmin Ithier-Vicenty

Wish Museum School

Erin Tingley

Hartford Public Schools is 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, Adams & Knight, Dressler Law & MegaEducation, Bears BBQ Restaurant Group, and Parkville Market.

2023 TOY NomineesPictured above: Last year's Teacher of the Year Nominees (2023)

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HFT logo

Autumn Transportation

Shipman and Goodwin logo

Pullman & Comley logo

Patricelli logo

Downes logo

Adams and Knight logo

Bears logo

Parkville market logo