President Charlie Shields | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
President Charlie Shields | Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has released the names of 16 educators selected as semi-finalists for the 2025 Missouri Teacher of the Year award. This program aims to highlight the significant contributions that outstanding teachers make in their classrooms.
These semi-finalists represent a variety of grade levels, subjects, and regions across Missouri:
- Alison Corl from Neosho School District teaches math at Neosho Junior High School.
- Courtney Duffy works in Bayless School District, teaching math at Bayless Elementary.
- Hester Menier is an art teacher at Stone Creek Elementary in Wentzville R-IV.
- Hope Hunter serves as a librarian at Lucy Wortham James Elementary in St. James R-I.
- Jennifer Jones instructs English Language Arts at Lee's Summit West High School in Lee's Summit R-VII.
- Jennifer Justice Webber teaches kindergarten at Buchanan Elementary in Branson R-IV.
- Jennifer Kist specializes in special education at Fort Zumwalt Early Childhood Center in Fort Zumwalt School District.
- Jessica Backs teaches third grade at Sunrise Elementary in Richmond R-XVI.
- Kourtney Michael instructs English Language Arts at Grain Valley High School in Grain Valley R-V.
- Latricia Ferguson teaches math at Williamsburg Elementary in North Callaway Co. R-I.
- Lauren Hurst is a Spanish teacher at Raytown High School in Raytown C-2.
- Melissa Willoughby specializes in special education at Joel E. Barber Elementary in Laclede Co. C-5.
- Sarah Tillinghast teaches kindergarten at South Elementary in Eldon R-I.
- Shannon Truitt is responsible for reading (library) instruction at Highlandville Elementary in Spokane R-VII.
- Stacy Walker teaches science at North Andrew Elementary in North Andrew Co. R-VI.
- Tim Waters instructs third grade at Long Elementary within Lindbergh Schools.
Initially, 34 Regional Teachers of the Year were chosen to represent each of Missouri's nine Regional Professional Development Center (RPDC) areas. The finalists for this prestigious award will be announced by DESE on Thursday, August 29.
Greg Kester, who is a social studies teacher from Potosi High School within the Potosi R-III School District, holds the title of 2024 Missouri Teacher of the Year.
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