Wake County school board honors Teacher of the Year finalists

Wake County school leaders put 10 finalists for Teacher of the Year in the spotlight as the district prepared to name its 2025-26 winner, a recognition that says as much about classroom practice as it does about awards.

The finalists came from schools across the county and across grade levels, with work that ranged from 7th grade social studies and chorus to kindergarten, first grade, math, music, ESL and cross-categorical resource instruction. That spread showed the daily reality of Wake classrooms: students arrive with different academic needs, language backgrounds and learning challenges, and the district’s strongest teachers are the ones who can meet them without losing them.

The finalists are Matin Maani of Apex Friendship Middle, Sarah Kronenwetter of South Garner High, Shana Barr of Swift Creek Elementary, Claire Johnson of Washington Magnet Elementary, Kristin Mares of Moore Square Magnet Middle, Nicole D'Arcy of Wendell Magnet Middle, Theresa Howard of Barton Pond Elementary, Emily Dunn of Hortons Creek Elementary, Ahmed Benamrane of Reedy Creek Elementary and Krista Dingess of A.B. Combs Magnet Elementary.

Wake County Public Schools identified the 10 finalists on April 8 after first naming 20 semifinalists in February. The district said teachers are nominated and elected by peers at their schools, then build portfolios that are scored along with observation results before an interview committee selects the finalists. That process puts school-based judgment at the center of the award and ties the honor to evidence from classrooms, not just to reputation.

The winner was set to be announced at a special Teacher of the Year celebration on May 20. The timing came as Wake County Public Schools also recognized Dr. Mariah Walker of Wake Young Women’s Leadership Academy as the 2026 Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year, part of a broader spring spotlight on district staff.

The district’s focus on teacher recognition also follows last year’s selection of Macy Brinson, a physical education teacher at Kingswood Magnet Elementary in Cary, as Wake County Teacher of the Year for 2025. Brinson had taught for six years, including four at Kingswood, and her honor opened doors that included a summer 2026 international study program in Botswana and Zambia and a Global Leaders Teacher Fellowship conference. For Wake, that kind of recognition is more than ceremonial: it is one way the district signals which educators it wants to keep, and which classroom practices it hopes will spread.