The Alabama State Department of Education named the state’s sixteen 2024-25 finalists for Teacher of the Year Friday.

Finalists were chosen from more than 155 teachers across the state, according to a news release.

The winner will be named in May in an awards ceremony in Montgomery.

The current teacher of the year, Jeff Norris, is a National Board Certified teacher and taught sixth grade math at Oak Mountain Middle School in Shelby County when named the 2023-24 winner. He currently produces a podcast called “The Power of a Moment.”

“Each is a great candidate, and we cannot wait to see who will be named the 2024-2025 Alabama Teacher of the Year,” Norris said. “They truly exemplify excellence and outstanding classroom leadership.”

The pool of candidates will be narrowed to the top four by a state-level committee. Finalists at the elementary and secondary school level are named in each state board of education district.

Finalists are:

District I:

• Shelley Grimes – Enterprise City schools – Brookwood Elementary School, Elementary Teacher of the Year,
• Rylee Baxter – Enterprise City schools – Enterprise High School, Secondary Teacher of the Year,

District II:

• Deana S. Hooks – Auburn City Schools – Pick Elementary School, Elementary Teacher of the Year,
• Katie Dye – Randolph County Schools – Randolph County High School, Elementary Teacher of the Year

District III:

• Deborah Stringfellow – Elmore County schools – Airport Road Intermediate School, Elementary Teacher of the Year
• Kira Ledbetter Aaron – Vestavia Hills City schools – Vestavia Hills High School Freshman Campus, Secondary Teacher of the Year

District IV:

• Sharya J. Aaron, Birmingham City schools – Sun Valley Elementary School, Elementary Teacher of the Year
• Dr. Sarah Frances Moland, Birmingham City schools – Jackson-Olin High School, Secondary Teacher of the Year

District V:

• Laura H. Fennell, Autauga County schools – Pine Level Elementary School, Elementary Teacher of the Year,
• Neysa Countryman, Saraland City schools – Saraland High School, Secondary Teacher of the Year

District VI:

• Janet Kuchinski, Oxford City schools – Coldwater Elementary School, Elementary Teacher of the Year
• Jennifer W. Dasinger, Oxford City schools – Oxford High School, Secondary Teacher of the Year

District VII:

• Melissa T. Bryan, Jasper City schools – Maddox Intermediate School, Elementary Teacher of the Year
• Derick A. Franck, Florence City schools – Florence Middle School, Secondary Teacher of the Year

District VIII:

• Shannon Williamson, Huntsville City schools – Blossomwood Elementary School, Elementary Teacher of the Year
• Kristen Brown, Madison City schools – Liberty Middle School, Secondary Teacher of the Year

Alabama’s Teacher of the Year serves as a full-time ambassador for education and the teaching profession, and conducts workshops. Alabama’s Teacher of the Year becomes a candidate for National Teacher of the Year.