Awards

Educators of the Year

High School Winner

Nominations for the 2021-2022 MCPS High School Educator of the Year will open in the fall. Please check back with this page at that time to nominate an outstanding educator!

Past winners:

• 2021 – Leon Slater, Hellgate
• 2020 – Lewis Nelson, Sentinel
• 2019 – Amy Miller, Big Sky
• 2018 – Tammi Allison, Sentinel
• 2017 – Carla Hinman, Hellgate
• 2016 – Richard Farrar, Big Sky
• 2015 – Leo Dougherty, Seeley-Swan
• 2015 – Tom Andres, Big Sky
• 2014 – Cameron Johnson, Big Sky
• 2012 – Tracy Stone, Seeley-Swan

Middle School Winner

Nominations for Middle School Educator of the Year have closed. A winning educator will be announced shortly!

Every year, the Missoula Education Foundation’s Student Board meets to select a Middle School Educator of the Year from MCPS. Please nominate a deserving teacher here. All submissions will be reviewed by our Student Board. Parents, students, administrators, and community members may nominate a teacher. Individuals may nominate more than one educator, but not the same educator twice. Nominations will be accepted through February 12th, 2021. 

Past winners:

• 2022 – Don Griffith, Meadow Hill
• 2021 – Elizabeth Fessler, Washington
• 2020 – Molly Norton, Washington
• 2019 – Chris Whiteman, CS Porter
• 2018 – Josh Hiday, CS Porter
• 2017 – Lori Ann Lynch, Washington
• 2016 – Scott Edge, CS Porter
• 2015 – Randy Zschaechner, Meadow Hill
• 2015 – Allison McFarland, CS Porter
• 2013 – Gregory Imhoff, Washington

Elementary School Winner

Nominations for the Elementary School Educator of the Year 2021-2022 will be open in the Spring of 2022. Please refer back to this page at that time. 

Past winners:

• 2022 – Sharon Jones, Lewis and Clark Elementary
• 2021 – Wendy Lofthouse, Missoula Online Academy
• 2020 – Jon Fines, Jeannette Rankin Elementary
• 2019 – Kathy Dungan, Lewis and Clark Elementary
• 2018 – Betsy Sharkey, Lewis and Clark Elementary
• 2017 – Michelle Salisbury, Cold Springs Elementary (now Jeannette Rankin Elementary)
• 2016 – Kathy Dungan, Lewis and Clark Elementary
• 2015 – Molly Kast, Rattlesnake Elementary
• 2014 – Bryan Barrett-Catton, Lewis and Clark Elementary
• 2014 – Claudia LaRance, Paxson Elementary