Twenty-one educators from Hopkins Public Schools have been named among the 128 candidates for the 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year.
The Minnesota Teacher of the Year program recognizes outstanding teachers across the state. Candidates are nominated by students, families, colleagues, and community members.
A selection panel of leaders in education, business, government, and philanthropy will review candidates’ portfolios over the next several weeks and narrow the field to a group of semifinalists. In March, the panel will reconvene to review additional materials from semifinalists and select a group of finalists.
The 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be announced at a banquet on May 3.
Hopkins Public Schools candidates include:
Brittany Bancroft - Meadowbrook Elementary
Lana Boord-Barton - Alice Smith Elementary
Cruz Conejo Cervantes - North Middle School
Paige Frondell - Glen Lake Elementary
Kayla Gale - Glen Lake Elementary
Becca Galey - West Middle School
Marian Gass - Meadowbrook Elementary
Laura Kuehmichel - Harley Hopkins Family Center
Krista LaPlant - Glen Lake Elementary
Tim McCarren - Hopkins High School
Amy Phung - Meadowbrook Elementary
Jeremy Reichel - North Middle School
Natalie Ringold - L.H. Tanglen Elementary School
Autumn Schacht - Glen Lake Elementary
Lisa Schmid - L.H. Tanglen Elementary School
Karl Schroeder - Hopkins High School
Pam Shrestha - Eisenhower Elementary
Kate Sorenson - Meadowbrook Elementary
QQ Tisdell - Eisenhower Elementary
Sher Unruh-Friesen - Glen Lake Elementary
Donghong Wang - Eisenhower Elementary