Minnesota's Teacher of the Year for 2008 has resigned her title.

Carleen Gulstad cited personal reasons for her decision.

Gulstad teaches language arts at Hopkins North Junior High School. She was named the state's Teacher of the Year in May.

Doug Dooher, who coordinates the Teacher of the Year program for Education Minnesota, the teachers union, said it's the first time that he knows of that the state's Teacher of the Year has resigned.

"Carleen told us it was for personal reasons and asked us to respect her privacy, so we're doing that," Dooher said.

Gulstad could not be reached for comment. Hopkins North Junior High School is closed for the summer.

Officials plan to move quickly to name a replacement for the rest of Gulstad's term, which runs until May 2009.

Education Minnesota organizes and underwrites the Minnesota Teacher of the Year Program. This year marks the program's 44th anniversary.

The Teacher of the Year serves as a spokesperson for teachers and teaching in Minnesota and will be Minnesota's nominee for National Teacher of the Year for 2009. The National Teacher of the Year won't be named until April, Dooher said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS