Superintendent Elsie Arntzen has announced the four finalists for the 2025 Montana Teacher of the Year award. The winner will represent Montana in the 2025 National Teacher of the Year Program in Washington, D.C. Kevin Kicking Woman, the 2024 Montana Teacher of the Year, currently teaches Blackfeet Language and Culture at Browning High School.
This year, 72 teachers from across Montana were nominated by community members, fellow educators, administrators, and parents. Of these, 19 teachers submitted applications for the 2025 Teacher of the Year title.
The finalists, who boast between 9 and 28 years of teaching experience, are:
Dawn Sievers, who teaches 7th grade English, as well as 7-12th grade Spanish and Art at Power Schools in Power.
Jennifer Fleek Airne, who teaches 12th grade English, AP Literature and Composition, and a student council leadership course at Billings Senior High School in Billings.
Jordan Capp, who teaches 5th grade at Hellgate Elementary in Missoula.
Megan Brenna, who teaches 5th grade at East Side Intermediate School in Livingston.
“The nineteen applicants for the 2025 Montana Teacher of the Year represent the dedication and passion that define Montana’s educators,” Superintendent Arntzen said. “We are incredibly proud of the four finalists and wish them the best of luck in the upcoming interview process.”
The National Teacher of the Year Program focuses on enhancing teachers’ leadership skills and highlighting the importance of excellence in education.
A selection committee will interview the finalists on September 20, 2024, to determine the 2025 Montana Teacher of the Year. The announcement of the winner will be made during a special celebration ceremony at the winning teacher’s school. The committee will include representatives from the Governor’s Office, the Board of Public Education, the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, the Office of Public Instruction, the School Administrators of Montana, the Montana Advisory Council on Indian Education (MACIE), and Kevin Kicking Woman.