NORFOLK
Norview High School’s Tommy Smigiel, the only Norfolk educator ever to be named a finalist for National Teacher of the Year, fell short of the competition’s top honor.
Contest officials announced Wednesday that Michael Geisen, a middle school science teacher from Oregon, was selected for the title.
“To be one of the four finalists, out of three million teachers in the country, it’s pretty big,” Smigiel, 29, said. “I’m not upset about it at all.”
Smigiel, a leadership and earth science instructor, was the first Virginia teacher of the year from Norfolk in at least 40 years.
A graduate of Old Dominion University and Cambridge College, Smigiel is in his eighth year of teaching at Norview, his alma mater.
The national teacher of the year contest is sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the ING Foundation.
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I went to school with Tommy
I went to school with Tommy and he always strived to be and do the VERY best. I am proud to say that I know him. Way to go Tommy!!
We need more like this guy
We should all be proud that we have people of this caliber teaching in our schools. We need to feed other teachers what this guy is eating
Pinnacle
Tommy: You are the pinnacle that every Norfolk teacher should strive to reach. Congratulations!