Five SSPPS Teachers Nominated for 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

South St. Paul Public Schools is proud to announce five nominees for the 2025 Minnesota Teacher of the Year award. These outstanding educators are among 142 candidates statewide who have accepted their nominations and completed the required steps to be eligible for this honor. The 61st Minnesota Teacher of the Year program celebrates excellence in teaching, recognizing pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers, as well as educators in Early Childhood Family Education and Adult Basic Education from both public and private schools.

South St. Paul Public Schools takes pride in its five nominees, celebrating their dedication and commitment to student success:

• Lawrence Britton, SSP Middle School
• Megan Frantzen, Kaposia Education Center
• Tyne Grefe, SSP Middle School
• Rachel Mettille, SSP Middle School
• Mark J. Westpfahl, SSP Middle School

Over the next few weeks, an independent panel comprising of education, business, government, and nonprofit leaders will review candidate portfolios to select semifinalists and in March, the panel will name the finalists. The winner will be announced at the Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet on May 4 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre.