Oakland Schools established the annual Oakland County Outstanding Teacher of the Year awards to recognize teachers who have achieved the highest standards of excellence. The following teachers were nominated for the 2025 awards. One teacher will be selected as a winner from each of the four categories: Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle School and High School.
The following information and photos were submitted.
GARRICK BAKER
Category: Senior High
District: Avondale School District
School: Avondale High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th CTE (engineering, robotics, and building trades)
PEGGY BASSETT
Category: Senior High
District: Novi Community School District
School: Novi High School
Grade/Subject: 12th English/Language Arts
KIM BEST
Category: Senior High
District: Huron Valley Schools
School: Harbor High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th, online learning lab, math, and EI Categorical
SARAH CAMPBELL
Category: Early Childhood
District: Brandon School District
School: Brandon Early Childhood Center
Grade/Subject: Early Childhood Special Education, ages 3-5
KATIE COFFIN
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Royal Oak Schools
School: Royal Oak Middle School
Grade/Subject: 7th-8th language and literature
SCOTT COX
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Lake Orion Community Schools
School: Scripps Middle School
Grade/Subject: Physical education
CHARISSA DUNCANSON
Category: Elementary
District: Ferndale Public Schools
School: Ferndale Upper Elementary School
Grade/Subject: Music
STEPHANIE EVERETT
Category: Early Childhood
District: Troy School District
School: Troy School District Preschool
Grade/Subject: Preschool
CONNIE FELLMAN
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: West Bloomfield School District
School: West Bloomfield Middle School
Grade/Subject: Math and science
KATHY FERGUSON
Category: Early Childhood
District: Oxford Community Schools
School: Oxford Early Learning Center – Lakeville Elementary
Grade/Subject: Great Start Readiness Program preschool
DENISE GAHRY-DELIE
Category: Elementary
District: Avondale School District
School: R. Grant Graham Elementary
Grade/Subject: 4th grade
JAMIE GLAB
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Troy School District
School: Smith Middle School
Grade/Subject: 6th-8th, Special Education-MiCi
MARGARET GROSSNICKLE
Category: Senior High
District: Waterford School District
School: Waterford Kettering
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th, Link Crew, AP Literature, LA 3, and Yearbook
NANCY HABOUSH
Category: Elementary
District: Troy School District
School: Leonard Elementary School
Grade/Subject: K-5 Reading Specialist
AMELIA HAGGADONE
Category: Elementary
District: Oxford Community Schools
School: Lakeville Elementary
Grade/Subject: Kindergarten
SARAH HOOVER
Category: Early Childhood
District: Royal Oak Schools
School: Addams Early Childhood Center
Grade/Subject: Early Childhood Special Education
STACEY HORNE
Category: Elementary
District: Clawson Public Schools
School: Clawson Elementary School
Grade/Subject: Kindergarten
MEGAN HRYCAJ
Category: Senior High
District: West Bloomfield School District
School: West Bloomfield High School
Grade/Subject: Science
AMISHA INGRAM
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Clarenceville School District
School: Clarenceville Middle School
Grade/Subject: 6th-8th art
DANA JACKMAN
Category: Elementary
District: Waterford School District
School: Midland Avenue Campus
Grade/Subject: 4th-5th grade
IRIS JAMES
Category: Early Childhood
District: West Bloomfield School District
School: West Bloomfield Preschool Academy
Grade/Subject: PreK
ANDREW KASCHALK
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: South Lyon Community Schools
School: Centennial Middle School
Grade/Subject: 6th math and 8th leadership
ADAM KEDZIOR
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Lamphere Public Schools
School: John Page Middle School
Grade/Subject: 6th-7th science
SUSAN KIM
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Farmington Public School District
School: Power Middle School
Grade/Subject: 8th math and algebra
HANS KIVARI
Category: Senior High
District: Holly Area School District
School: Holly High School
Grade/Subject: Physics, AP Physics, student leadership
KENDELL KLEINHANS
Category: Early Childhood
District: Avondale School District
School: Avondale Early Learning Center
Grade/Subject: Preschool, Great Start Readiness Program
BRITTNEY LAURENT
Category: Senior High
District: Royal Oak Schools
School: Royal Oak High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th, U.S. History, World History, Social Justice
JOSEPH LAZZARINO
Category: Senior High
District: Farmington Public School District
School: Farmington High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th, Auto Maintenance and Light Repair and Auto Tech
APRIL LENNOX
Category: Elementary
District: Waterford School District
School: Haviland Elementary
Grade/Subject: 4th grade
LARA LIGERAKIS
Category: Early Childhood
District: Farmington Public School District
School: Farmington Early Childhood Center
Grade/Subject: Early Childhood Special Education
TERRI LUBANSKI
Category: Elementary
District: Berkley School District
School: Rogers Elementary School
Grade/Subject: K-5 Physical Education
LEAH LYNADY
Category: Early Childhood
District: Lamphere Public Schools
School: Lamphere Early Childhood Center
Grade/Subject: Great Start Readiness Program preschool
DANIEL MATTAR
Category: Elementary
District: Lake Orion Community Schools
School: Paint Creek Elementary
Grade/Subject: 5th grade
RACHEL MATZ
Category: Senior High
District: Bloomfield Hills Schools
School: Bloomfield Hills High School
Grade/Subject: 10th-12th English, newspaper, student leadership
JEANETTE MCLEOD
Category: Elementary
District: Royal Oak Schools
School: Keller Elementary School
Grade/Subject: Kindergarten
ERIK MEERSCHAERT
Category: Senior High
District: Lake Orion Community Schools
School: Lake Orion High School
Grade/Subject: Special Education – Self Contained CI
ELIZABETH MEINHART
Category: Senior High
District: Berkley School District
School: Berkley High School
Grade/Subject: Math (Algebra I and II)
CATHERINE MELODY
Category: Elementary
District: Clarenceville School District
School: Botsford Elementary
Grade/Subject: JK-5th, Math Interventionist
KATHY MILIA
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Berkley School District
School: Anderson Middle School
Grade/Subject: 7th math
ELISA MOULTRIE
Category: Elementary
District: Holly Area School District
School: Patterson Elementary
Grade/Subject: 3rd grade
BETH MUELLER
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Bloomfield Hills Schools
School: North Hills Middle School
Grade/Subject: 8th grade Special Education Resource Room
CARLY MUSA
Category: Elementary
District: Novi Community School District
School: Parkview Elementary
Grade/Subject: 2nd grade
BETH NALLY
Category: Elementary
District: South Lyon Community Schools
School: Hardy Elementary School
Grade/Subject: 4th grade
CEDAR OCHAB
Category: Senior High
District: Hazel Park Schools
School: Hazel Park High School
Grade/Subject: 10th Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, English and 9th-12th French 1,2, and 3
KARIANNE OGANS
Category: Elementary
District: Brandon School District
School: Harvey-Swanson Elementary
Grade/Subject: 1st grade
LAURA ORLOWSKI
Category: Elementary
District: Farmington Public School District
School: Beechview Elementary School
Grade/Subject: 4th grade
ALLISON PARGOFF
Category: Elementary
District: West Bloomfield School District
School: Sheiko Elementary
Grade/Subject: Kindergarten
JEFF PRUETER
Category: Senior High
District: South Lyon Community Schools
School: South Lyon High School
Grade/Subject: English, 9th, 11th, and 12th
JAIME RENEMA
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Clawson Public Schools
School: Clawson Middle School
Grade/Subject: 7th English/LA and Secondary Literacy Intervention
ERICA ROCK
Category: Early Childhood
District: Lake Orion Community Schools
School: Early Childhood Center
Grade/Subject: Head Start
SARAH RODGERS
Category: Senior High
District: Ferndale Public Schools
School: University High School
Grade/Subject: English/Language Arts
STEVE RUCH
Category: Senior High
District: Oxford Community Schools
School: Oxford High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th Career Technical Education, marketing, DECA
SAMANTHA SAMUELS
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Huron Valley Schools
School: Oak Valley Middle School
Grade/Subject: 6th-8th choir, Communication Arts, theatre, and Skills for Success
CHELSEA SCHIKORA
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Walled Lake Consolidated Schools
School: Sarah G. Banks Middle School
Grade/Subject: 7th-8th science
MICHAEL SIGLER
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Ferndale Public Schools
School: Ferndale Middle School
Grade/Subject: 6th grade math
AMY SKOPEK
Category: Senior High
District: Brandon School District
School: Brandon High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th Spanish and American Sign Language
REBECCA SPINKS, ED.D.
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Avondale School District
School: Avondale Middle School
Grade/Subject: 8th science, Environmental Science
SUSAN STEFANKO
Category: Middle/Junior High
District: Holly Area School District
School: Holly Middle School
Grade/Subject: 6th social studies and English/LA
ANDREW TEBERIAN
Category: Senior High
District: Walled Lake Consolidated Schools
School: Walled Lake Central High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th special education, co-taught mathematics and learning skills
DEVON TOCCO
Category: Senior High
District: Madison District Public Schools
School: Madison High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th AP Literature, Film and Literature Studies, English/LA
RACHEL VICKERS
Category: Senior High
District: Lamphere Public Schools
School: Lamphere High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-10th English/LA
STACI VOUGHT
Category: Senior High
District: Troy School District
School: Athens High School
Grade/Subject: 9th-12th media specialist
SARAH VRABEL
Category: Elementary
District: Lamphere Public Schools
School: Edmonson Elementary
Grade/Subject: 3rd grade
CYNTHIA ZERVOS
Category: Elementary
District: Bloomfield Hills Schools
School: Way Elementary
Grade/Subject: Media Center teacher
KALIE ZIMMERMAN
Category: Elementary
District: Huron Valley Schools
School: Kurtz Elementary School
Grade/Subject: 1st grade