2024 Top Teachers Awards Announced

Top Teachers (left to right):  Ray Savicke, Lisa Weberb, Amy Uphaus, Kristin Olmsted, Amanda-Miller.  Courtesy photo.

(Ma 8, 2024 11:28 AM) Jackson Magazine announced the recipients of its fourteenth annual Top Teachers Awards, honoring outstanding educators who have made significant contributions to the community, at the Commonwealth Commerce Center on May 7, 2024.

Accompanying their feature in the May issue of the magazine, each of the Top Five Teachers received a $1,000 grant for classroom enhancements and personal development, while the Teacher of the Year was awarded $5,000. This philanthropic support was provided by the Community Needs Endowment Fund of the Jackson Community Foundation, the Patricia Stinson Trosin Endowment Fund, and the Hurst Foundation.

The 2024 honorees are:

Teacher of the Year

• Ray Savicke, Jackson High School

Top 5 Teachers

• Amanda Miller, Sharp Park Academy
• Kristin Olmsted, Northwest Elementary
• Lisa Weber, Townsend Elementary School
• Amy Uphaus, Jackson Area Career Center

Top 10 Teachers

• Teresa Double, Jackson High School
• Rhonda Drumm, Northwest High School
• Erin Hull, Jackson Area Career Center
• Morgan Ledford, Northwest Early Elementary School
• Dan Spencer, Western High School

The selection of the Top Teachers is a rigorous committee-led process, involving months of careful consideration and over 20 committee members. Over 140 teachers were nominated.   Among them, 45 educators fully engaged in the selection process by submitting seven detailed essays on their teaching philosophies and practices. These submissions were meticulously reviewed by the Initial Selection Committee, and they selected the Top Ten Teachers.

Following this initial phase, the ten finalists underwent further assessment including comprehensive classroom observations conducted by the Classroom Observation Committee. Finally, the Final Selection Committee deliberated to determine the Top Five Teachers and the distinguished Teacher of the Year.

Nominations for the 2025 Top Teachers Awards are now open. Eligible candidates must be full-time K-12 teachers in Jackson County schools with a minimum of five years of teaching experience under either a Standard Teaching or ACA License prior to the school year in which the award is given. Nominate a deserving teacher at JacksonMagazine.com/teacher-nomination.