COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Superintendent of Schools, Cheryl Mango-Paget requests nominations for the 13th Annual Coconino County Teacher of the Year, 8th Annual Coconino County Rookie Teacher of the Year and 5th Annual Coconino County Lifetime Achievement Award.
The awards are a distinguished countywide event created to celebrate, honor and recognize full-time teachers from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. Even the simple act of nominating a teacher can mean the world to them. Nominating a teacher recognizes them for their hard-work and efforts throughout the academic year.
To nominate a candidate, please submit a completed Coconino County Nomination Form. Forms are available at the County Superintendent of Schools’ website by visiting https://coconino.az.gov/3154/Coconino-County-Teacher-of-the-Year. Nominations must be received by October 6, 2025, at 5 p.m.
All finalists will be recognized at the awards event in April 2026 and will receive prizes. The Teacher of the Year will receive an automatic nomination for the Arizona Teacher of the Year Award and a one-year car lease for a new Toyota vehicle courtesy of Findlay Toyota Flagstaff along with various other prizes. The event is made possible through sponsorships by businesses and community members. Findlay Toyota Flagstaff is the Coconino County Teacher of the Year lead recognition sponsor. APS sponsors the Rookie Teacher of the Year and Stone Canyon Media is the exclusive radio sponsor.
To be eligible for the Coconino County Teacher of the Year, a teacher must:
- Spend the majority (over 50 percent) of the school day in direct instruction to students.
- Have a valid Arizona teacher certificate or alternative teaching certificate.
- Have completed at least four full years as a classroom teacher at the time the application is submitted for consideration.
- Teach any grade or combination of grades Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 in a state-accredited traditional district, charter public school, or private school in Coconino County.
- Be a full-time teacher and plan to continue in an active teaching status through the end of 2025-2026 school year.
Rookie Teacher of the Year (RTOY) Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the Coconino County Rookie Teacher of the Year, a teacher must:
- Have COMPLETED ONLY ONE FULL YEAR and be in second year in fall 2025 as a full-time teacher at the time of nomination (Hired fall of 2024).
- Spend the majority (over 50%) of the school day in direct instruction to students.
- Have a valid Arizona teacher certificate, valid provisional certificate, or alternative teaching certificate.
- Teach any grade(s) or combination of grades pre-kindergarten through grade 12 in a state-accredited traditional district, charter public school or private school in Coconino County.
- Be a full-time teacher and plan to continue in an active teaching status through the end of 2025-2026 school year.
Lifetime Achievement Award Eligibility Requirement
To be eligible for the Coconino County Lifetime Achievement Award, an individual must:
- Be a part of the County education community and has exhibited a lifetime (20+ years) of achievement in K-12 education.
- Have shown achievement in leadership, teaching and service.
- This award is chosen at the discretion of the Superintendent of Schools and is a surprise announcement made at the Teacher of the Year Event in April 2026.
Nominations are required for consideration in an award category. If nominated, teachers submit a detailed essay application with letters of support. A panel of judges will score the applications using a rubric and discussion to determine the top candidates in each category. The top five candidates will then be interviewed. Judges will score the interviews with another rubric to determine the three finalists in each category.
For more information, please contact Stacy Fobar, program coordinator for the Coconino County Superintendent of Schools office, at 928-679-8070 or email – sfobar@coconino.az.gov