Minnesota Council 
for the Social Studies

Teachers of the Year & Lifetime Achievement Awards To Be Announced Soon!


Teacher of the Year Awards

Each year, MCSS honors four Teachers of the Year at the annual awards dinner. These three teachers, representing Elementary, Middle School, High School, and Lifetime Achievement, are nominated by colleagues, supervisors, parents and students. They exemplify the best of social studies teaching in Minnesota. For the 2017-2018 school year, the MCSS board elected to create a new award, the Friend of Social Studies Award, to honor exemplary educators outside of the K-12 classroom.

Nominees will be invited to apply by submitting a resume, lesson plan or classroom activity, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Nominees will be contacted by an MCSS representative who will provide more detail about the submission materials and processContact Rochelle Dyer with questions. 



2023 Teacher of the Year & Lifetime Achievement Awards


2020 Teacher of the Year Awards


2020 Teacher of the Year Award-Winners (l to r): Michelle Simon, Stacey Olinger, MCSS President Jessica Ellison, Nancy Krenner, Kara Cisco.

MCSS is pleased to announce the winners of the 2020 Teacher of the Year awards:

  • Elementary: Michelle Simon, McKinley Elementary STEAM School (Owatonna)
  • Middle: Stacey Olinger, Highview Middle School (New Brighton)
  • High: Kara Cisco, St. Louis Park High School
  • Lifetime Achievement: Nancy Krenner, Red Rock Elementary School (Woodbury)

2019 Teacher of the Year Awards

MCSS President Jessica Ellison, Michele Melius, Angela Bianco, Minnesota Commissioner of Education Mary Cathryn Ricker, Jessica Felosi, and David Geister at the 2019 Social Studies Social.

MCSS is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 Teacher of the Year awards:

  • Elementary: Angela Bianco, Matoska International IB World School (White Bear Lake)
  • Middle: Michele Melius, Waconia Middle School
  • High: Jessica Felosi, Grand Rapids High School
  • Friend of Social Studies: David Geister, artist, Minneapolis

2018 Teacher of the Year Awards


David Lanegran, Michelle Martin, MCSS President Jessica Ellison, Molly Keenan, Connor Murphy

MCSS is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 Teacher of the Year awards:
  • Elementary: Michelle Martin, Prairie Creek Community School (Castle Rock)
  • Middle: Connor Murphy, South St. Paul Secondary School
  • High: Molly Keenan, Harding High School (St. Paul)
  • Friend of Social Studies (new award for 2018): David Lanegran, Macalester College and Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education

2017 Teacher of the Year Awards


Lisa Wiener, Pat Bauer, MCSS President Jessica Ellison, Mandy Kraus, and Heather Loeschke at the 2017 Social Studies Social.

MCSS is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Teacher of the Year awards!

Elementary: Lisa Wiener, Raven Stream Elementary School (New Prague)

Middle: Mandy Kraus, Wayzata West Middle School

High: Heather Loeschke, Cannon Falls High School

Lifetime Achievement: Patricia Bauer, Black Hawk Middle School (Eagan, retired)


2016 Teacher of the Year Awards


Award-winners Jerry Benson, Matt Moore, Phyllis Haensel, and Bill Beckman, and board members Jessica Ellison and Valerie Walker at the 2016 Teacher of the Year Awards Dinner.

MCSS is pleased to announce the winners of the 2016 Teacher of the Year awards!

Elementary: Phyllis Haensel, McKinley Elementary School (Ham Lake)

Middle: Bill Beckman, Maple Grove Middle School

High: Matt Moore, Mankato West High School

Lifetime Achievement: Jerry Benson, Luverne Public Schools

2015 Teacher of the Year Awards


Ron Hustvedt, Jr., MCSS President Brian Traxler, Laura Tessmer, Dennis Schreiber, and Tim McLean at the 2015 Awards Gala.

MCSS is pleased to announce the winners of the 2015 Teacher of the Year awards!

Elementary: Laura Tessmer, Clover Ridge Elementary School, Chaska

Middle: Ron Hustvedt, Jr., Salk Middle School, Elk River

High: Tim McLean, St. Francis High School, St. Francis

In 2015, MCSS has created a new award to honor our teachers who have dedicated many years of their lives to teaching young people: the Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Lifetime Achievement: Dennis Schreiber, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School, Rochester


2014 Teacher of the Year Awards


MCSS President Brian Traxler, Molly Hickok, Huy Nguyen, and Tom Lachermeier at the awards gala on March 2, 2014.

Elementary: Molly Hickok, Convent of the Visitation School, Mendota Heights

Middle: Huy Nguyen, Sunrise Park Middle School, White Bear Lake

High: Tom Lachermeier, North Community High School, Minneapolis


At the 2014 awards gala, MCSS also honored JoEllen Ambrose, who recently received the prestigious Isidore Starr Award from the American Bar Association, which honors excellence in law-related education. Ms. Ambrose teaches at Champlin Park High School.


Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice David Lillehaug, JoEllen Ambrose, and Learning Law and Democracy Executive Director Jennifer Bloom.


TOY Award-Winners

2023

  • Middle: Maranda Cameron, Prairie VIew Middle School (Otsego)
  • High: Christopher Griggs, Edina High School
  • Lifetime Achievement: Jennifer Bloom, Learning Law and Democracy Foundation


2022 

  • No Teachers of the Year were awarded this year

2021
  • Friends of Social Studies: Learning Law and Democracy Foundation, Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education, Minnesota Council on Economic Education, Minnesota Council for History Education, Minnesota Historical Society, Minnesota Humanities Center

2020

  • Elementary: Michelle Simon, McKinley Elementary STEAM School (Owatonna)
  • Middle: Stacey Olinger, Highview Middle School (New Brighton)
  • High: Kara Cisco, St. Louis Park High School
  • Lifetime Achievement: Nancy Krenner, Red Rock Elementary School (Woodbury)

2019

  • Elementary: Angela Bianco, Matoska International IB World School (White Bear Lake)
  • Middle: Michele Melius, Waconia Middle School
  • High: Jessica Felosi, Grand Rapids High School
  • Friend of Social Studies: David Geister, artist, Minneapolis

2018

  • Elementary: Michelle Martin, Prairie Creek Community School (Castle Rock)
  • Middle: Connor Murphy, South St. Paul Secondary School
  • High: Molly Keenan, Harding High School (St. Paul)
  • Friend of Social Studies: David Lanegran, Macalester College and Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education

2017

  • Elementary: Lisa Wiener, Raven Stream Elementary School (New Prague)
  • Middle: Mandy Kraus, Wayzata West Middle School
  • High: Heather Loeschke, Cannon Falls High School
  • Lifetime Achievement: Pat Bauer, Black Hawk Middle School (Eagan, retired)

2016

  • Elementary: Phyllis Haensel, McKinley Elementary School, Ham Lake
  • Middle: Bill Beckman, Maple Grove Middle School
  • High: Matt Moore, Mankato West High School
  • Lifetime Achievement: Jerry Benson, Luverne Public Schools

2015

  • Elementary: Laura Tessmer, Clover Ridge Elementary School, Chaska
  • Middle: Ron Hustvedt, Jr., Salk Middle School, Elk River
  • High: Tim McLean, St. Francis High School, St. Francis
  • Lifetime Achievement: Dennis Schreiber, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School, Rochester

2014

  • Elementary: Molly Hickok, Convent of the Visitation, Mendota Heights
  • Middle: Huy Nguyen, Sunrise Park Middle School, White Bear Lake
  • High: Tom Lachermeier, North Community High School, Minneapolis

2013

  • Elementary: Maria Singh, Pillsbury Middle School, Minneapolis.
  • Middle: Jennifer Richason, Sartell Middle School
  • High: Alan Amdahl, Albany High School

2012

  • Elementary: Kellie Friend. Turtle Lake Elementary, Mounds View
  • Middle: Missy Klapperich. Cannon Falls Middle School
  • High: Mary Jo Merrick-Lockett. Anoka High School

2011

  • Elementary: Christopher Clifford. Orchard Lake Elementary, Lakeville
  • Middle: Carrie Newman. Murray Junior High, St. Paul
  • High: Shane Rose. Hill Murray School, Maplewood


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