By Robert Williams

Editor

Frazee High School band director Brian Selander is one of 131 candidates up for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year award.

This year’s program will name the 59th Minnesota Teacher of the Year. The program celebrates the tradition of excellence in teaching in Minnesota. Eligible candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade, Early Childhood Family Education and Adult Basic Education teachers, from public or private schools. 

An independent panel of leaders in the fields of education, business, government, nonprofit and philanthropy will read candidates’ portfolios over the next few weeks and narrow the list to a group of semifinalists.

Other area candidates include Katy VanHavermaet of Lake Park Audubon Public Schools and John Peter of Pelican Rapids Public Schools.

In March, the panel will convene again and review additional materials from the semifinalists to choose a group of finalists. The Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet is set for Sunday, May 7 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Organized and underwritten by Education Minnesota, the Minnesota Teacher of the Year program receives support from Education Minnesota ESI, Educators Lifetime Solutions, EFS Advisors, Harvard Club of Minnesota Foundation, SMART Technologies and Expedition Credit Union.