HPS Selects 3 Finalists for 2020 Teacher of the Year
After an intensive screening and interview process, Hartford Public School’s 2020 Teacher of the Year choice is down to three District Teacher of the Year Finalists.
A special districtwide committee selected Shakira Perez, an 8th and 12th Grade English teacher at Classical Magnet School; John Tusch, an English and Computer Science teacher at Global Communications Academy; and Benjamin McLane, a 5th Grade teacher at Wish Museum School. The finalists are asked to complete a series of written essay questions as part of their final evaluation.
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| Shakira Perez Classical Magnet School |
John Tusch Global Communications Academy |
Benjamin McLane Wish Museum School |
| Read more about this English teacher, here. | Read more about this English and Computer Science teacher here. | Read more about this 5th grade teacher here. |
The selection committee is made up of Hartford Public Schools academic professionals, officials from the Hartford Federation of Teachers, and former winners of the event. Thirty-seven schools, each submitting one nominee, are participating in the competition. The winner will be announced on Thursday, May 21, 2020.
All nominees must be tenured PreK-12 teachers in the Hartford Public Schools system. They must exhibit exemplary teaching skills, show commitment to the belief that all children can learn and must be active in community and humanitarian efforts. Last year’s winner was Narciso Moquete, a 4th Grade teacher at SAND School.
Here are this year’s nominees:
| School/Location | Candidate name |
| Annie Fisher STEM Magnet School | Alicia McKernan |
| Betances Learning Lab Magnet School | Erica Ellison |
| Betances STEM Magnet School | Suela Bruko |
| Breakthrough Magnet School North | Valerie Michaels |
| Breakthrough Magnet School South | Patrick Habersang |
| Bulkeley High School | Belinda Perez |
| Burns Latino Studies Academy | Teresita Hernandez |
| Burr School | Erin Tingley |
| Capital Preparatory Magnet | Brittany Halleck |
| Classical Magnet | Shakira Perez |
| Dwight Bellizzi School | Courtney Proto |
| Environmental Sciences Magnet at Mary Hooker | Elisa Berggren |
| Expeditionary Learning Academy at Moylan | Joseph Parker |
| Global Communications Academy | John Tusch |
| Great Path Academy at Manchester Community College | Steven Wolf |
| Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy | Angela Kumm |
| Hartford Pre-K Magnet School | Jessica Costa |
| Hartford Public High School | Frank Giannini |
| Kennelly School | Jason Kahn |
| Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts | Renata Tavares |
| MD Fox School | Rose Alvarado |
| McDonough Middle School | Joshua Hinrichs |
| Milner Middle School | Tynisha Tyson |
| MLK Middle School | Julie Medina |
| Naylor School | Barrett Marlan |
| Parkville Community School | Colleen Signori |
| Pathways Academy of Technology & Design | Matthew Stroop |
| Rawson School | Amber Riley-Wilson |
| Renzulli Gifted & Talented Academy | Adrienn Olmstead |
| Sanchez Elementary School | Timothy Bojanowski |
| SAND School | Lindsay Tinker |
| Sport & Medical Sciences Academy | Cynthia Petrillo |
| University High Magnet | Nicole Silenok |
| Weaver High School | Cecilia Chang |
| Webster MicroSociety Magnet School | Abigail Sutcliffe |
| West Middle School | Toni Johnson |
| Wish Museum School | Benjamin McLane |
Congratulations to all of our amazing nominees.
Hartford Public Schools is grateful to its invaluable event sponsors:
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Lead sponsors VOYA Financial Advisors, Inc., Co-lead sponsor Sonitrol New England, Pullman & Comley, the Hartford Federation of Teachers, Autumn Transportation, Downes Construction Company, Newfield Construction, Ricoh, Inc., Bears Restaurant Group, the Church & Main Deli, City Steam Brewery Café.