Teacher of the Year list whittled to 10 finalists

Education Minnesota, the statewide teachers union, came one step closer Monday to naming the Minnesota Teacher of the Year with the release of the names of the top 10 finalists.

The finalists include a Minneapolis charter school teacher, a Robbinsdale teacher who works with students learning English, and international baccalaureate (IB) coordinator from St. Paul.

The selection panel meets again May 2 to conduct individual interviews with the 10 finalists and to cast votes for the 2015 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

The 2014 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Tom Rademacher of the West Metro Education Program, will announce this year's honoree at a banquet at the Radisson Blu Mall of America May 3. Banquet tickets will be available at www.educationminnesota.org.

The 2015 Minnesota Teacher of the Year finalists are:

Erik Brandt, Harding Senior High School, St. Paul, English and IB program coordinator, grades 9-12

Melinda Christianson, Underwood School, Underwood, English, grades 10-12

Amy Hewett-Olatunde, LEAP High School, St. Paul, ESL, grades 9-12

Lanka Liyanapathiranage, Woodbury Middle School, South Washington County, language arts, grade 7

Kathryn Oberg, Otsego Elementary School, Elk River, elementary, grade 1

Terrence Price, The Mastery Charter School, Minneapolis, elementary, grade 3

Ann St. Clair, Sonnesyn Elementary School, Robbinsdale, ELL, grades Kindergarten-2