DELAWARE - The First State is getting ready to celebrate some first-rate teachers. Delaware will honor twenty outstanding educators at a celebration on Oct. 14, which is also when Delaware's 2026 Teacher of the Year will be announced.
In order to make the list, candidates are nominated by their districts or the Delaware Charter Network during the 2025 calendar year. According to the Delaware Department of Education, nominees are selected for "superior ability to inspire students with a love of learning, exemplary demonstration of professional traits, and strong sense of dedication and devotion to teaching."
After all of the applications have been collected, five Delaware Department of Education staff members and five former state teachers of the year independently evaluate the candidates. The rigorous process includes in-class evaluations, a presentation, and a panel of non-department judges who make recommendations to the Secretary of Education.
As a bonus, the educator chosen as the State Teacher of the Year will become Delaware's nominee in the national program. The winning teacher will also receive a $5,000 grant to use for the educational benefit of his or her students, as well as a personal grant of $3,000. Additionally, all nominees will receive a $2,000 grant from the state.
The Oct. 14 celebration begins with a social hour at 5 p.m., followed by a 6 p.m. dinner at Modern Maturity Center in Dover. The announcement comes at the end of the night. Funding for the award ceremony is provided by a grant from Voya Financial and support from the Delaware General Assembly.
The 2026 District/Charter Teachers of the Year are:
Appoquinimink: Alison Suiter of Bunker Hill Elementary (4th grade)
Brandywine: Jenna DiEleuterio of Talley Middle (reading specialist)
Caesar Rodney: Taylor Morris of W.B. Simpson Elementary (3rd grade inclusion)
Cape Henlopen: Christopher Burkhart of Cape Henlopen High (director of bands)
Capital: Heather Crowe of North Dover Elementary (4th grade inclusion)
Charter Network: Katie Miro of Newark Charter (1st grade)
Christina: Danna Phanos of Shue-Medill Middle (special education/mathematics)
Colonial: Amanda Kane of Colonial Early Education Program (special education preschool)
Delmar: Casey Bellamy of Delmar Middle (social studies)
Indian River: Amanda Howard of Long Neck Elementary (kindergarten)
Lake Forest: Joseph C. Holland of Lake Forest High (special education)
Laurel: Stacy Puerto of North Laurel Early Learning Academy (multilingual learner)
Milford: Courtney Lee of Ross Elementary (4th grade)
New Castle County Vo-Tech: Jennifer Janssen of St. Georges Technical High (social studies)
POLYTECH: Nora Frank of POLYTECH High (English)
Red Clay Consolidated: Mary Adam of First State School (general/special education)
Seaford: Karen Zubrowski of Frederick Douglass Elementary (5th grade)
Smyrna: Jacalyn Jenkins of Smyrna Middle (mathematics)
Sussex Technical: Shaila Collins of Sussex Technical High (Spanish)
Woodbridge: Danielle Jones of Woodbridge High (performing arts)