02-05-2025
South Dakota Department of Education names regional teachers of the year. See the list:
Five teachers from across the state of South Dakota have been named teachers of the year for their region, and could be named the South Dakota Teacher of the Year in the months to come.
The regional teachers of the year, listed by their region number, are:
Jenna Sinner, a high school science teacher in Webster.
Gina Sershen, a fifth grade science teacher at Brandon Valley Intermediate School.
Becky Haenfler, a fifth-seventh grade English language arts teacher in Avon.
Jennifer Anders, a high school math teacher in Buffalo.
Ann Anderson, a fifth grade teacher in Belle Fourche.
Naming of the regional teachers of the year on May 2 comes ahead of Teacher Appreciation Week in South Dakota on May 5-9.
More: Volga kindergarten teacher Amy Verhelst named South Dakota's Teacher of the Year
South Dakota Department of Education Secretary Joe Graves will visit each of the regional winners' classrooms before the end of the school year to recognize their efforts. Graves said in a statement that visiting these 'outstanding' teachers is a 'highlight of my job.'
'Whether it's in a small school or a large one, I am able to see teachers who have mastered their craft, and I can see the impact they make on each student in their classrooms,' Graves said. 'The amount of work and care these teachers demonstrate every day is inspirational.'
Over the summer, a panel will select one of the regional finalists to be the 2026 South Dakota Teacher of the Year, to be named in the fall. They will then go on to be South Dakota's candidate for the National Teacher of the Year award.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota names 2025 regional teachers of the year. See the list:
