13 WHAM - "The 2018 New York State Teacher of the Year is from the Rochester area!
Christopher Albrecht, a Brockport Central School District elementary teacher, was given the award Tuesday during a meeting with the New York State Board of Regents in Albany.
Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa and State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia presented him a plaque. Albrecht was also presented with the Thomas Sobol Award and the David Johnson Award, both created as annual gifts for recipients of the Teacher of the Year award.
Albrecht is a fourth-grade teacher at the Fred W. Hill School in the district, where he has been teaching for 20 years. He has been in the fourth grade teaching role for the last 13 years but began his tenure in Brockport as a fifth-grade teacher.
“We are extremely proud of Chris here at the Fred W. Hill School,” said Hill School Principal Brandon Broughton. “Chris is an outstanding practitioner and creates one of the best classroom environments you could ever hope to experience."
In order to be nominated, a teacher must be first nominated by former students, then go through two subsequent rounds of application questions. The student, staff, principal, superintendent and nominee interviews are then conducted by former NYS Teachers of the Year along with classroom observations.
Five finalists were interviewed by a panel in Albany and the winner is chosen.
Albrecht lives in Brockport with his wife of 22 years, Jennifer, and three children, Autumn, 20, Cory, 18, and Aaron, 16.
Albrecht will be returning from Albany and is slated to arrive in Brockport around 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The State Teacher of the Year Program is sponsored by the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), along with several other state educational organizations.
Albrecht will be honored at the White House next spring."