State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler on Friday announced the four outstanding educators selected as finalists for North Dakota’s 2026 Teacher of the Year award, praising their dedication and commitment to shaping the future of the state’s students.
The finalists are:
- Julie Dawes, Grand Forks County
- Jared Sagvold, Ransom County
- Kelsey Tunseth, Traill County
- Holly Wheeling, Burleigh County
“These finalists represent the skilled, compassionate educators that we are blessed to have in our North Dakota schools,” Baesler said. “Our Teacher of the Year program is intended to lift up the teaching profession and show the respect, appreciation, and admiration we have for our teachers, and celebrate the work they do to educate the young people who represent our future.”
The four educators were chosen from a pool of 48 County Teachers of the Year, who were recognized this past April during an annual ceremony honoring top educators from across North Dakota.
In the coming months, Baesler plans to visit each finalist’s school to celebrate their achievements with students, colleagues, and community members.
As required by state law (NDCC 15.1-02-21), the finalists will participate in interviews with an eight-member screening committee that will determine the winner. The 2026 North Dakota Teacher of the Year will be announced by Baesler and Governor Kelly Armstrong in a public ceremony tentatively scheduled for 1 p.m. on Friday, September 26, at the state Capitol’s Memorial Hall. The winner must be named before the end of September each year under state statute.
The recipient of the state award will also become North Dakota’s nominee for the national Teacher of the Year award, selected by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), a national organization representing state education leaders. Baesler is a former president of the CCSSO’s board of directors.
The current North Dakota Teacher of the Year is Kendall Bergrud, a mathematics teacher at Wachter Middle School in Bismarck. His successor will officially begin serving as Teacher of the Year on January 1, 2026.
By: BSH staff