Nebraska Teacher of the Year

Nominations for the 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year Are Now Open

Nebraska has amazing teachers and being able to recognize their excellence is one of the highlights of the year.  The Nebraska Department of Education is proud to provide an opportunity to recognize the best teachers in the state through the Nebraska Teacher of the Year Program. Do you know a teacher that should be our next Teacher of the Year?  Please take a moment to submit a nomination at this link.

Teacher of the Year Application

Are you a teacher ready to apply to be the Teacher of the Year? Go to our application page.

Congratulations! Scott Phillips at Aurora Middle School
2024 Nebraska Teacher of the Year

Scott Phillips Teacher of the YearFor more information:
News Release

Scott Phillips – TOY Brochure

The views expressed are solely those of Scott Phillips. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the Nebraska Department of Education.

Nebraska Teachers of the Year:

Watch Sydney Jensen, 2019 Nebraska Teacher of the Year’s TED Talk, How can we support the emotional wellbeing of teachers?  November 13, 2019.

2019 Teacher of the Year, Board Members, and Nebraska Senator photo

Sydney Jensen, 2019 Nebraska Teacher of the Year; Deborah Neary, State Board of Education Member, District #8; Lisa Fricke, State Board of Education Member, District #2; Senator  Mike Groene, Legislative District #42, Chair of the Education Committee; Rachel Wise, State Board of Education Member, District #3; John Witzel, State Board of Education President, District #4; and Matthew L. Blomstedt, Ph.D., Commissioner of Education attend the National Forum on Education Policy July 10-12, 2019, in Denver, Colorado.


“A Culture of Coaching,”
 by Sydney Jensen, 2019 Nebraska Teacher of the Year, January 3, 2019, Volume 14, Issue 13 article, published in ASCD.

 

Congratulations Amber Vlasnik 2017 Nebraska Teacher of the Year, Amber Vlasnik, and four other State Teachers of the Year will have an educational opportunity to participate in the 2017 EF Education First Professional Development tour to Helsinki & Milan.

More than 60 educators from across the United States will travel to Helsinki and Milan where they will join more than 1500 students for a  leadership summit in Milan. This program will be a great opportunity for teachers to travel with fellow educators, explore the education system and culture in Finland, and participate in a Global Leadership Summit featuring keynote speakers Anthony Bourdain and Raj Patel. This leadership conference will delve into an exciting theme, The Future of Food.

Congratulations @AmberVlasnik
Thank You @efnorthamerica and @CCSSO
#ntoy17

2016 Nebraska Teacher of the Year, Tim Royers, attended the Extra Yard for Teachers Summit and was honored during the College Football National Championship Game January 7-9, 2017
Royers Extra Yard Trip
#ntoy16 #TOYChampExperience

 

Nebraska Teachers of the Year represent the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Mathematics Board on November 5, 2016

Amber Vlasnik (2017), 2016 Treasurer; Shelby Aaberg (2015), 2016 President; and Angela Mosier (2013), 2015 Past President

NATMathematics Nebraska Teachers


Nebraska Teachers of the Year attended a meeting, prior to the  
2017 Awards of Excellence Luncheon on November 3, 2016.
(front row, left to right) Kristi Bundy (2014); Maddie Fennell (2007); De Tonack (1992); Patsy Koch-Johns (2006); and Mary Schlieder (2008).
(back row, left to right) Dan McCarthy (2009); Tim Royers (2016); Will Locke (1981); John Heineman (2000); Amber Vlasnik (2017); Bob Feurer (2011) and Mary Jane Caffey (2001).

Nebraska Teacher of the Year


Congratulations to Shelby Aaberg, 2015 Nebraska Teacher of the Year
.

Click here for more information: PAEMST On July 1, 2015, President Obama named 108 mathematics and science teachers as recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.


Nebraska Teachers of the Year in Salt Lake City, Utah for the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) “Transformers: Innovating Education” Annual Conference, July 7-10, 2015.
Pictured from left to right: Shelby Travis Aaberg (2015); Barbara Hopkins (1988); Maddie Fennell (2007); and Angela Mosier (2013)

Nebraska Teachers of the Year at NNSTOY Conference

Angela Mosier, 2013 Nebraska Teacher of the Year, KETV News Coverage at the White House

Sharing the Light Presentation at the Teacher of the Year and Excellence in Teaching Awards Luncheon November 8, 2012

Teacher of the Year Video from Commissioner of Education’s 2011 Administrators’ Days Keynote

Updated March 15, 2024 9:34am