20 teachers finalists for 2021 Delaware Teacher of the Year
Twenty Delaware teachers have been nominated to be named Delaware’s 2021 State Teacher of the Year.
Selected from among the 9,000 public school teachers in the state, the candidates were nominated by their districts or the Delaware Charter School Network because of their ability to inspire students with a love of learning, demonstration of professional traits and devotion to teaching.
Already leaders among the colleagues in their buildings, each now has assumed a role representing educators in their districts or the charter network. In October, one will take over the state title from 2020 Delaware Teacher of the Year Rebecca Vitelli, a special education preschool teacher in the Colonial School District.
The 2021 District/Charter Teachers of the Year are:
Appoquinimink: Karen Speciale of Brick Mill Elementary (Spanish)
Brandywine: Judson Wagner of Brandywine High (physics and engineering)
Caesar Rodney: Beth Schmidt of Stokes Elementary (1st grade)
Cape Henlopen: Jorge Moreno Jaen of Milton Elementary (1st grade Spanish immersion)
Capital: Julie Eaby of Booker T. Washington Elementary (4th grade)
Charter Network: Melissa Tracy of Odyssey Charter (high school social studies)
Christina: Jeffrey Dombchik of Christiana High and MSHA (instrumental music/8-12)
Colonial: Khayree Bey of McCullough Middle (health/ physical education)
Delmar: Kate Hakeem of Delmar Middle (English learner)
Indian River: Brandon McCabe of Sussex Central High (agriculture structures and engineering)
Lake Forest: Amber Hobbs of North Elementary (kindergarten)
Laurel: Lindsay Parsons of North Laurel Early Learning Academy (prekindergarten)
Milford: Kimberly Webb of Lulu Ross Elementary (4th grade)
New Castle County Vo-Tech: Anthony Reid of Howard High School of Technology (mathematics)
POLYTECH: Cameron Sweeney of POLYTECH High (social studies)
Red Clay Consolidated: Kimberly Stock of McKean High (English/English learner)
Seaford: Kathi Adams of Blades Elementary (kindergarten immersion)
Smyrna: Holly Hufford of Smyrna Middle (agricultural science)
Sussex Tech: Kelli Gehrke of Sussex Tech High (digital publishing/design)
Woodbridge: Jessica Leone of Woodbridge Middle (agriculture)
