16 finalists named for Alabama Teacher of the Year
The Alabama Department of Education has announced 16 finalists for the 2025-2026 Alabama Teacher of the Year.
The award program is designed to honor teachers for their work with students and their leadership skills.
Here are the finalists (local finalists in bold):
Angela Kirby – Gulf Shores City School System – Gulf Shores Middle School District I Elementary Teacher of the Year
Kristen Madsen – Gulf Shores City School System – Gulf Shores High School District I Secondary Teacher of the Year
Amy Garrett – Pike County School System – Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning District II Elementary Teacher of the Year
Joshua Wine – Auburn City School System – Auburn Junior High School District II Secondary Teacher of the Year
Katie Collins – Hoover City School System – Bluff Park Elementary School District III Elementary Teacher of the Year
Kristin Bundren – Hoover City School System – Spain Park High School District III Secondary Teacher of the Year
Dr. Katherine A. Thomas – Homewood City School System – Edgewood Elementary School District IV Elementary Teacher of the Year
Aubrey Bennett – Birmingham City School System – G.W. Carver High School District IV Secondary Teacher of the Year
Lindsey Norris – Montgomery County School System – Forest Avenue Elementary School District V Elementary Teacher of the Year
Roseann Byrd – Mobile County School System – Citronelle High School District V Secondary Teacher of the Year
Andrea Dade Horn – Blount County School System – Locust Fork Elementary School District VI Elementary Teacher of the Year
Heather Oden Pettit – Arab City School System – Arab High School District VI Secondary Teacher of the Year
Deidra Brewer – Muscle Shoals City School System – Highland Park and Webster Elementary Schools District VII Elementary Teacher of the Year
Andrew Lee Mills – Florence City School System – Florence Middle School District VII Secondary Teacher of the Year
Catherine Megan Hockey – Madison City School System – Rainbow Elementary School District VIII Elementary Teacher of the Year
Amanda J. Gudmundsson – Athens City School System – Athens High School District VIII Secondary Teacher of the Year
The Alabama Teacher of the Year winner spends the school year serving as a full-time, official ambassador for both education and the teaching profession. Alabama’s representative is a candidate for National Teacher of the Year and also conducts professional-level workshops for various groups at both the local and national levels.
This year’s 16 outstanding educators will soon be narrowed down to the final Top Four. The 2025-2026 Alabama Teacher of the Year will be announced in May.
Alabama’s current Teacher of the Year Deborah Stringfellow said, “I am proud to extend special congratulations to each of these outstanding educators on behalf of our state’s entire education community. It is such an honor to be selected as a finalist for the Alabama Teacher of the Year Award. Each of these nominees is an exceptional education leader and is truly deserving of this honor. We are so excited to see who will be named Alabama’s 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year!”
The 16 finalists were selected from among 155 educators across the state who were recommended by district superintendents, principals and colleagues through the rigorous Alabama Teacher of the Year application process.
