Three of the four finalists for Alabama Teacher of the Year are in the Birmingham metro. (Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash)

The Alabama Department of Education has narrowed down its 2025-26 Teacher of the Year nominees to four candidates, and three of those are teaching in Birmingham-area schools.

Here’s who they are:

Alabama Teacher of the Year nominees

The 2025-2026 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.

The final four nominees for the award are:

Katie Collins – Bluff Park Elementary School, Hoover
Katherine A. Thomas – Edgewood Elementary School, Homewood
Aubrey Bennett – G.W. Carver High School, Birmingham
Amanda Gudmundsson – Athens High School, Athens

These four finalists were selected from the first 16 finalists announced earlier this month.

The original 16 finalists included:

Catherine Megan Hockey, Rainbow Elementary School (District VIII Elementary Teacher of the Year)
Heather Oden Pettit, Arab High School (District VI Secondary Teacher of the Year)
Andrew Lee Mills, Florence Middle School (District VII Secondary Teacher of the Year)
Deidra Brewer, Highland Park and Webster Elementary Schools (District VII Elementary Teacher of the Year)
Angela Kirby, Gulf Shores Middle School (District I Elementary Teacher of the Year)
Kristen Madsen, Gulf Shores High School (District I Secondary Teacher of the Year)
Amy Garrett, Center for Advanced Academics and Accelerated Learning (District II Elementary Teacher of the Year)
Joshua Wine, Auburn Junior High School (District II Secondary Teacher of the Year)
Kristin Bundren, Spain Park High School (District III Secondary Teacher of the Year)
Lindsey Norris, Forest Avenue Elementary School (District V Elementary Teacher of the Year)
Roseann Byrd, Citronelle High School (District V Secondary Teacher of the Year)
Andrea Dade Horn, Locust Fork Elementary School (District VI Elementary Teacher of the Year)

The winner will be announced by the Alabama State Board of Education and Alabama State Department of Education in May.

Follow Bham Now on Instagram, Facebook + LinkedIn, and sign up for our FREE newsletter to have exciting news about The Magic City delivered straight to your inbox!