Five finalists for Springfield Public Schools' 2023 Teacher of the Year named Thursday

Five finalists for the 2023 Springfield Public Schools' Teacher of the Year were named Thursday.

The five, and their colleagues, will be honored at the Celebrate SPS banquet, hosted annually by the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools.

The event will be Monday, April 18 at the Oasis Convention Center. Additional details will be announced soon.

At the event, the 2023 Teacher of the Year will be named.

The reigning 2022 Teacher of the Year — Amanda Adams, lead teacher of the Health Sciences Academy — is expected to speak.

This year, there were more than 400 nominees for Teacher of the Year and 102 of those provided their teaching philosophy to the selection committee, a required step.

As part of the Thursday announcement, the district provided the names of each finalist along with a quote they provided.

Finalist Nathan Cook, choir director at Parkview High School, said: "A good day in my classroom is when my students feel challenged and affirmed. I want them to walk out of the classroom better than they were when they came in."

Finalist Tiffany Coughenour, first grade teacher at Jeffries Elementary, said: "We often hear the phrase 'what's best for students.' I think we need to go deeper. I believe we need to focus more on what's best for THIS student in THIS moment."

Finalist Tiffany Lynch, a special education teacher at Pipkin Middle School, said: "I build a rapport with my students by believing in their abilities and fostering their desire to learn because I have found that many of my students can surpass expectations when they have a meaningful connection."

Finalist Jami Schulte, middle school teacher at Study Alternative Center, said: "Positive relationships, problem solving, decision making, and emotional regulation make up so much of what we call life. Isn't that what we are trying to prepare students for? If they can master those things, their whole world opens up to them."

Finalist Mary Tilton, second grade teacher at Cowden Elementary, said: "In my classroom there is a vibe, a feeling, a passion, and it is electric. My classroom is filled with children dancing, chanting, standing on chairs, and unparalleled engagement."

Claudette Riley is the education reporter for the News-Leader. Email news tips to criley@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Five finalists for Springfield's 2023 Teacher of the Year named