Montana Teacher of the Year

The mission of the Montana Teacher of the Year Program is to elevate student success by empowering classroom innovation and enhancing pathways to teacher leadership.

2025 Montana Teacher of the Year

Congratulations to Dawn Sievers for being named the 2025 Montana Teacher of the Year!

2025 Montana Teacher of the Year Award Finalists

This year, 72 teachers from across the state were nominated by community members, teachers, administrators, and parents. Of those nominated, 19 teachers successfully applied to be the 2025 Montana Teacher of the Year. The process is framed by two committees of stakeholders. The first committee reviewed and narrowed the applications to these four finalists:

Dawn Sievers teaches 7^th grade English and 7-12 ^th grade Spanish and Art at Power Schools in Power Montana
Jennifer Fleek Airne teaches 12^th grade English, AP Literature and Composition, and a student council leadership course at Billings Senior High School in Billings
Jordan Capp teaches 5^th grade at Hellgate Elementary in Missoula
Megan Brenna teaches 5^th grade at East Side Intermediate School in Livingston

MontanaTeacher of the Year logo

A+ The TOY Program elevates student success by celebrating teachers who honor individual student strengths and each child’s unique abilities.

A+ The TOY Program empowers classroom innovation by recognizing teachers who are responsive to the complex realities that define Montana’s diverse and unique classrooms across the state.

A+ The TOY Program enhances pathways to teacher leadership by creating teacher ambassadors at the local, state, and national level to connect classrooms to the community.

2025 Program Timeline

April 8, 2024 - Nomination and application window opens
May 10, 2024 - Nominations due
June 21, 2024 - Applications due to MTTOY@mt.gov
July-August 2024 - Applications reviewed by committees
Mid-September 2024 - Finalists selected
Mid-September 2024 - Finalists interviewed by state committee, MT TOY selected
October 2024 - National Teacher of the Year Application Due to CCSSO
February 2025 - MT TOY begins duties and NTOY activities

2025 Montana Teacher of the Year

2025 Teacher of the Year
Dawn Sievers of Power

Dawn L. Sievers teaches English 7th grade, Spanish 7th - 12th grades, and Art 7th -12th grades at Power Schools in Power, Montana. In the past her eclectic subject selection also included English 6th, Spanish 4-6th, and academic intervention assistance. Working with other teachers and parents, she also spends countless hours tutoring after school. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English, major (6-12), Spanish, minor (k-12), and art, teaching minor (k-12) at the University of Great Falls, currently known as the University of Providence. In addition, she has numerous post graduation credits in varied areas such as The Montana Writing Project, classroom management, and pedagogy. Brain research as it applies to education, teaching writing, and art integration are passions of hers.

This energetic and innovative teacher pushes students to see themselves as professional, capable members of society, no matter their age, ethnicity, family history, or location. Her classroom expands beyond walls through field trips to museums, professional art shows, and educational tours within the states and abroad. If her students cannot leave the walls of the school, she brings the culture to them through guest speakers. She strengthens bonds with colleagues, parents, and the community by including them in educational travel and field trips and by teaching art integration, writing, and adult education classes in the summer. She also collaborates with students, teachers, and community members to annually host the Power Community Art Show. She is an integral part of Power Schools, as well as the community.