Garden City Public Schools has selected Garden City High School science teacher, Mark Shera Cruz, as a nominee for the Kansas Teacher of the Year Award. He was nominated as the secondary classroom teacher for this prestigious award for educators in Kansas.
Garden City Achieve special education teacher, Caitlin Sotelo, has been selected by the district as a nominee for the Kansas Teacher of the Year Award. She was nominated as the elementary classroom teacher for this prominent award for educators in Kansas.
TheKansas Teacher of the Year Award recognizesandutilizes representatives of excellent teachingin theelementary and secondary classrooms of the state. Its mission is to build and utilize a network of exemplary teachers who are leaders in the improvement of schools, student performance and the teaching profession.
The Kansas State Department of Education appoints regional selection committees responsible for reviewing the nomination forms and selecting three elementary teachers and three secondary teachers designated as semifinalists. Two regional finalists, one elementary teacher and one secondary teacher, are chosen from among these six teachers. Regional selection committees are comprised of education administrators and teachers.
