Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced Friday that Annette Hovey, high school music instructor at New Rockford-Sheyenne School, had been named one of four finalists for the 2019 North Dakota Teacher of the Year award. Baesler was in New Rockford that afternoon to recognize and congratulate Hovey at a schoolwide assembly.
Annette Hovey has taught music, including band, choir, jazz band, singing, and music appreciation, at New Rockford-Sheyenne High School since 2013. Her band and choir students have received 11 Outstanding Performance Awards at state solo and ensemble contests in the past five years. Hovey also directs two Dakota Spark Youth Theatre camps during the summer.
"As a music teacher, I often say I have the best job in the school. I get to create beauty every day with my students and watch their eyes light up when they finally master a difficult section of music, create a goose-bump moment together, finally understand how that rhythm works, have a solid audition, receive a high rating at a contest, or finally achieve a goal they have had for years," Hovey wrote in her Teacher of the Year application. "The true joy I see in the faces of each of my students while creating beautiful art is something I believe all students should experience."
Baesler said teachers from each of North Dakota's counties and school districts were asked to apply for Teacher of the Year consideration.
Baesler also announced Friday that Leslye Thiery, a fifth grade teacher at Discovery Elementary in Grand Forks; and Kayla Delzer, a third-grade teacher at Mapleton Elementary, were two of the other three finalists.
"These educators are shining examples of the best our teaching profession has to offer, in North Dakota or anywhere else," Baesler said. "Our children, and all of us, are honored and blessed by their passion, their honesty, their humility, and their willingness to push their students to fulfill their potential."
Baesler plans to visit Minot on Wednesday to take part in a ceremony to honor the fourth finalist. Her name will be announced later.
Baesler and Gov. Doug Burgum will announce the winner of North Dakota's 2019 Teacher of the Year before the end of the month. The event's time and location have not been scheduled.
Applications were evaluated and scored, and finalists were interviewed by a panel made up of representatives of teachers, administrators, school board members, nonpublic schools, the Department of Public Instruction, and the 2018 Teacher of the Year, Leah Juelke of Fargo South High School.
"One of my goals as superintendent has been to raise the profile of the Teacher of the Year and of the teachers who are selected as finalists," Baesler said. "We want to encourage people to get into the teaching profession, and one way to do this is to bring forward our excellent North Dakota teachers to talk about their profession, the joy of teaching young people, and why they believe that teaching is fulfilling work."
Read the September 24 edition of the New Rockford Transcript for more on Mrs. Hovey, including highlights from the Q & A session held between NR-S students and Hovey during the assembly.
