PTA Congratulates the 2008 State Teachers of the Year

Congratulation letter from PTA National President Jan Harp Domene

Every year since 1952, the Council of Chief State School Officers has honored exceptional educators from all over the United States and its territories with the Teacher of Year Awards.  Though the criteria for the State Teacher of the Year award varies from state to state, every Teacher of the Year honoree demonstrates exemplary abilities in the classroom as well as a special talent for communicating their message to broad audiences.  Listed below are all of the 2008 State Teachers of the Year.  A National Teacher of the Year (chosen from this group by a coalition of 14 national education organizations, including PTA) will be introduced in April; by tradition, this announcement is made to the nation by the President of the United States. More information about the Council of Chief State School Officers can be found at www.ccsso.org.

2008 State Teachers of the Year

• Alabama
  Pamela Harman
  Spain Park High School, 4700 Jaguar Drive, Hoover, AL 35242; Earth Science, 11-12; pharman@hoover.k12.al.us
• Alaska
  Raymond J. Voley
  Kenny Lake School, HC 60, Box 224, Copper Center, AK 99573; History/Technology, 6-12; rvoley@crsd.k12.ak.us
• American Samoa
  Patricia T. Fuiava
  Manu'a High School, Ta'u, AS 96799; English, 9-12; invictus91345@yahoo.com
• Arizona
  Robert Patrick Kelty
  Puente de Hazho Elementary School, 3401 North 4th Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86004; Elementary, 2-3; rkelty@fusdl.org
• Arkansas
  Paul T. Gray Jr.
  Russellville High School, 2203 South Knoxville Avenue, Russellville, AR 72802; Social Studies/Geography, 10-12; paul.gray@rsdmail.k12.ar.us
• California
  Lewis Chappelear —  2008 National Teacher of the Year Finalist
  James Monroe High School, 9229 Haskell Avenue, North Hills, CA 91343; Engineering/Design, 9-12; lhc8767@lausd.net 
• Colorado
  Seth Berg
  Telluride High School, 725 W Colorado Avenue, Telluride, CO 81435; Math/Science & DAC, K-12; sberg@telluride.k12.co.us
• Connecticut
  Joan Hurley
  University of Hartford Magnet School, 196 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06107; Elementary, 3; jhurley@crec.org
• Delaware
  Courtney Fox
  Mount Pleasant Elementary, 500 Duncan Road, Wilmington, DE 19809; Elementary, 1; courtney.fox@bsd.k12.de.us
• Department of Defense Education Activity
  Cathleen Marziali
  Naples Elementary School, PSC 808 Box 39, FPO, AE 09618; Spanish/Italian Immersion, K-1; cathy.marziali@eu.dodea.edu
• District of Columbia
  Kathleen Sheehy
  Hyde Elementary School, 3219 O Street NW, Washington, DC 20007; Elementary, 1; kathleen.sheehy@dc.gov
• Florida
  Richard Ellenburg
  Camelot Elementary School, 14501 Waterford Chase Parkway, Orlando, FL 32828; Science, K-5; ellenburgra@aol.com
• Georgia
  Emily Jennette
  Sawyer Rd. Elementary, 840 Sawyer Road, Marietta, GA 30062; Elementary/Special Education, 2; emily.jennette@gmail.com
• Guam
  Ronald A. Canos
  Simon A. Sanchez High School, 395 Juan Jacinto Road, Yigo, GU 96929; Art, 9-12; rcanos19@gmail.com
• Hawaii
  Pascale Creek Pinner
  Hilo Intermediate School, 587 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720; Earth/Space Science, 8; ppinner@k12.hi.us
• Idaho
  Carol Scholz
  Idaho Arts Charter School, 904 12th Avenue Road, Nampa, ID 83686; Elementary, 3,4; clscholz1@msn.com
• Illinois
  Ruth E. Meissen
  Harlem Middle School, 735 Windsor Road, Loves Park, IL 61111; Art, 7,8; rmeissen@charter.net
• Indiana
  Daniel R. Kuznik
  Pike High School Freshman Center, 6801 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268; Mathematics, 9-12; dkuznik@pike.k12.in.us
• Iowa
  Andrew Lee Mogle
  Norwalk High School, 1201 North Avenue, Norwalk, IA 50211; Family Consumer Science, 9-12; amogle@norwalk.k12.ia.us
• Kansas
  Jeri Powers
  Riverview Elementary, 21550 West 47th Street, Shawnee, KS 66226; Reading Specialist, K-5; jpowers@usd232.org
• Kentucky
  Chandra Holloway Emerson
  Oldham County Middle School, P.O. Box 157, Buckner, KY 40010; Language Arts, 7-8; chandra.emerson@oldham.kyschools.us
• Louisiana
  Laurie R. Carlton
  Belle Chasse High School, 8346 Highway 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037; English, 9,12; lcarlton@mail.ppsb.org
• Maine
  Martin M. McKeon
  Sanford High School, 52 Sanford High School Blvd., Sanford, ME 04073; Social Studies, 9; mckeonatmaple@yahoo.com
• Maryland
  April Todd
  Somerset 6-7 Intermediate School, 8928 Sign Post Road, Westover, MD 21871; Language Arts, 6-7; adtodd@somerset.k12.md.us
• Massachusetts
  Michael Flynn
  William E. Norris Elementary School, 34 Pomeroy Meadow Road, Southampton, MA 01073; Science/Math/Social Studies, 2; mflynn.ward7@gmail.com
• Michigan
  June Teisan — 2008 National Teacher of the Year Finalist
  Harper Woods Secondary School, 20225 Beaconsfield, Harper Woods, MI 48225; Science, 7; june.teisan@hwoods.k12.mi.us
• Minnesota
  Michael William Smart
  Intermediate District 287, 1820 Xenium Lane North, Plymouth, MN 55441; Japanese/Technology, 9-12; mwsmart@district287.org
• Mississippi
  Cheryl F. Beene
  Center Hill High School, 13250 Kirk Road, Olive Branch, MS 38654; Family & Consumer Sciences, 9-11; cheryl.beene@desotcountyschools.org
• Missouri
  Eric Langhorst
  South Valley Junior High School, 800 MidJay Drive, Liberty, MO 64068; Social Studies, 8; elanghorst@liberty.k12.mo.us
• Montana
  Steve Gardiner
  Billings Senior High School, 425 Grand Avenue, Billings, MT 59101; English/Journalism, 10-12; segardiner@rocketmail.com
• Nebraska
  Mary Schlieder
  Norris High School, 2211 South 68th Street, Firth, NE 68358; Special Education, 9-12; mary.schlieder@norris160.org
• Nevada
  LeAnn Morris
  Empire Elementary School, 1260 Monte Rosa Drive, Carson City, NV 89701; Technology, K-5; lmorris@carson.k12.nv.us
• New Hampshire
  Benjamin D. Adams
  Salem High School, 44 Geremonty Drive, Salem, NH 03079; Social Studies, 10-12; badams@sau57.org
• New Jersey
  John E. Kline Jr.
  Norwood Public School, 177 Summit Street, Norwood, NJ 07648; Social Studies, 7-8; kline@nvnet.org
• New Mexico
  Denise Cannon
  Katherine Gallegos Elementary School, 236 Don Pasqual Road, Los Lunas, NM 87031; Elementary, K-4; denisecannon1@earthlink.net
• New York
  Richard T. Ognibene Jr.
  Fairport High School, 1358 Ayrault Road, Fairport, NY 14450; Chemistry/Physics, 10-12; richard_ognibene@fairport.monroe.edu
• North Carolina
  James Howard Bell Jr.
  Chowan Middle School, 2845 Virginia Road, Tyner, NC 27980; English Language Arts/Social Studies, 6-8; jbell@ecps.k12.nc.us
• North Dakota
  Verna Rasmussen
  Westside Elementary, 945 7th Avenue West, West Fargo, ND 58078; Elementary, 1; rasmusse@west-fargo.k12.nd.us
• Northern Mariana Islands
  Andrew James Golden
  Saipan Southern High School, P.O. Box 500268, Saipan, MP 96950; Physical Sciences, 10-12; centraldeltasig@hotmail.com
• Ohio
  George Edge
  Grove City High School, 4665 Hoover Road, Grove City, OH 43123; Instrumental Music, 6-12; george.edge@swcs.us
• Oklahoma
  Stephanie Canada
  Will Roger Elementary, 2600 North Union, Shawnee, OK 74804; Physical Education, 1-5; oktoy08@excite.com
• Oregon
  Mike Geisen — 2008 National Teacher of the Year Finalist
  Crook County Middle School, 100 North Knowledge Street, Prineville, OR 97754; Science, 7; michael.geisen@crookcounty.k12.or.us
• Pennsylvania
  David L. Woten, Jr.
  Carson Middle School, 200 Hillvue Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237; Chorus/Music, 6-8; dwoten@northallegheny.org
• Rhode Island
  George Edwin Goodfellow
  Scituate High School, 94 Trimtown Road, North Scituate, RI 02857; Chemistry, 11; goodfellowscience@yahoo.com
• South Carolina
  Ann Marie H. Taylor
  Pine Tree Hill Elementary School, 938 Bishopville Highway, Camden, SC 29020; Special Education, K-5; annmarie75@bellsouth.net
• South Dakota
  Sharon F. Andrews
  Challenge Center at Garfield Elementary, 2421 West 15th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104; Elementary, 5; sharon.andrews@k12.sd.us
• Tennessee
  Pamela McGaha-Rector
  Red Bank High School, 640 Morrison Springs Rd., Chattanooga, TN 37415; English, 11-12; pamrector@hotmail.com
• Texas
  Paul F. Cain
  Ysleta High School
  8600 Alameda Avenue, El Paso, TX 79907; Mathematics/Physics, 9-12; pfcain@att.net
• Utah
  Hal W. Adams
  Grand County High School, 608 South 400 East, Moab, UT 84532; History, 11; adamsh@grandschools.org
• Vermont
  Diane Bahrenburg
  Colchester High School, P.O. Box 900, Colchester, VT 05546; English, 9-12; dibahren@aol.com
• Virgin Islands
  Kimberly Sierra
  Joseph Sibilly Elementary School, 1834 Kongens Gade, St. Thomas, VI 00803; Science, 5; sierrakimberly@hotmail.com
• Virginia
  Thomas R. Smigiel Jr. — 2008 National Teacher of the Year Finalist
  Norview High School, 6501 Chesapeake Blvd., Norfolk, VA 23513; Teen Leadership/Earth Science, 9,10; tsmigiel1@cox.net
• Washington
  Laura Marie Jones
  Pasco High School, 1108 North 10th Avenue, Pasco, WA 99301; Marketing/Career & Technical Education, 10-12; ljones@psd1.org
• West Virginia 
  Eric Kincaid
  Morgantown High School, 109 Wilson Avenue, Morgantown, WV 26501; Biology, 11-12; ekincaid@access.k12.wv.us
• Wisconsin
  Beth A. Oswald
  J.C. McKenna Middle School, 307 South First Street, Evansville, WI 53536; Social Studies, 7; oswaldb@evansville.k12.wi.us
• Wyoming
  Eileen Yager Johnson
  Indian Paintbrush Elementary School, 1653 North 28th, Laramie, WY 82072; Elementary, 4; ejohnson@acsd1.org