Ten finalists have been named to be the 2020 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

But the annual banquet announcing this year's honoree — initially scheduled for May 3 — has been postponed until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interviews with finalists have been tentatively set for June 13, according to a news release Tuesday from Education Minnesota, the state's teachers' union.

This year's field included 135 candidates.

The finalists are: DeWayne Combs, a physical education teacher at Murray Middle School in St. Paul; Katie Coulson, a fourth-grade teacher at Thomas Lake Elementary in Eagan; Shannon Finnegan, a social studies teacher in a Hopkins High School alternative program; Qorsho Hassan, a fifth-grade teacher at Gideon Pond Elementary in Burnsville; and Maya Kruger, a sixth-grade language arts teacher at St. Anthony Middle School.

Also, Ryan Larson, an eighth- and ninth-grade English teacher at Pine City Junior/Senior High; Omar McMillan, a fourth-grade teacher at Richfield STEM School; Rachel Steil, a grades 10 to 12 English and journalism teacher at Stillwater Area High School; Maria Villavicencio, a first-grade teacher at Eden Lake Elementary in Eden Prairie; and Katie Watland, a seventh- and eighth-grade science teacher at Lake Park Audubon Secondary School in Lake Park.

Finalists were determined by a 24-member selection panel that includes representatives from the education, business, government and nonprofit communities.

Candidates eligible to become Teacher of the Year include prekindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, as well as early childhood and adult basic education teachers, who work in public or private schools.

The recipient of this year's award will be announced by last year's winner, Jessica Davis, of South St. Paul Secondary School.

Anthony Lonetree • 612-673-4109