Northfield High School Social Studies Teacher Sarah Swan McDonald is one of eleven teachers from across the state that has been named a finalist in the 2017 Minnesota Teacher of the Year program.

An independent selection panel of 23 leaders in the areas of education, business, government and non-profits selected the finalists from a group of 37 semifinalists. There were 132 Teacher of the Year candidates for this program year. The selection panel meets again on May 6 to conduct individual interviews with each of the 11 finalists and to cast votes for the 2017 Minnesota Teacher of the Year. The 2016 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, Abdul Wright of Best Academy in Minneapolis, will announce this year’s honoree at a banquet at the Radisson Blu Mall of America on May 7.

Education Minnesota, the 86,000-member statewide educators union, organizes and underwrites the Teacher of the Year program. Candidates include pre-kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers from public or private schools.