The Shawnee Mission School District’s nominee for Kansas Teacher of the Year at the elementary level has advanced to the annual competition’s finals.

Melissa Molteni learned at a regional awards ceremony held Sunday in Overland Park that she had been named the elementary level finalist in region three for the Kansas State Department of Education-sponsored competition. She earns a $2,000 cash award from Security Benefit for being named a finalist and is now one of four teachers in the running for Kansas Teacher of the Year at the elementary level. The winner will be announced at a statewide banquet held in Wichita in November.

Amy Hillman, a junior high teacher in Olathe Public Schools, was named the regional finalist for the secondary level. Shawnee Mission had nominated SM North English language arts teacher Natalie Johnson-Berry for the secondary level category.