HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Hartford Public Schools revealed the list of nominees for this year’s Teacher of the Year.
37 teachers have been nominated by their schools to participate. Event officials say each nominee will now undergo an intensive virtual screening and interview process conducted by a district-wide Teacher of the Year Committee made up of Hartford Public Schools directors, officials from the Hartford Federation of Teachers and previous award winners.
The winner will be announced on Thursday, May 27, 2021
Shakira Perez, an English Teacher at Classical Magnet School, won the award for 2020.

This year’s nominees are listed below:
School/Location | Candidate Name |
Annie Fisher STEM Magnet School | Diana Martinez |
Betances Learning Lab Magnet School | Michelle Vandersloot |
Betances STEM Magnet School | Sarah McCarthy |
Breakthrough Magnet School North | Anne Fournier |
Breakthrough Magnet School South | Erin Baniak |
Bulkeley High School | Melissa Lesser |
Burns Latino Studies Academy | Coronica Richardson |
Burr School | Nicole Selmanie |
Capital Preparatory Magnet | Arleen Monroe |
Classical Magnet | Kimberly Webster |
Dwight Bellizzi School | Kathleen Doran |
Environmental Sciences Magnet at Mary Hooker | Karen Zyjeski |
Expeditionary Learning Academy at Moylan | Lisa Smith |
Global Communications Academy | Heather Pescetelli |
Great Path Academy at Manchester Community College | Kevin Simpson |
Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy | Martina McCrory |
Hartford Pre-K Magnet School | Kathleen O’Donnell |
Hartford Public High School | Anna Krajewska |
Kennelly School | Scott Zullo |
Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts | Dennis Rizzo |
MD Fox School | Julius Prescod |
McDonough Middle School | Richard DeRosa |
Milner Middle School | Brandon Lorentz |
MLK Middle School | Danielle Griffiths |
Naylor School | Agnieszka Klimas |
Parkville Community School | Christopher Fitzner |
Pathways Academy of Technology & Design | Frederick Rubelmann |
Rawson School | Jared Berg |
Renzulli Gifted & Talented Academy | Antonio Ruiz |
Sanchez Elementary School | Debra Bouldin |
SAND School | Victoria Shears |
Sport & Medical Sciences Academy | Joanna Dropa |
University High Magnet | Dennis Obie |
Weaver High School | Matthew Fuller |
Webster MicroSociety Magnet School | Stephanie MacDonald |
West Middle School | Gayle Santee |
Wish Museum School | Annamaria Sollima |