The Albert Lea Teacher of the Year Committee on Wednesday announced the finalists for this year’s Teacher of the Year Award.

Finalists are the following:

• Wendy Bidne, secondary special education teacher at the Area Learning Center

• Kevin Gentz, math teacher at Albert Lea  High School

• Wendy Greenfield, seventh-grade history teacher at Southwest Middle School

• Robin Hundley, sixth-grade math teacher at Southwest Middle School

• Jill Petersen, instructional coach at Sibley Elementary School

• Paula Olson, MAAP STARS and English teacher at the Area Learning Center

• Staci Waltman, media specialist at Hawthorne and Halverson elementary schools

The Teacher of the Year will be named in a ceremony at 4 p.m. April 1 in the Albert Lea High School Commons area, according to a press release.

The event acknowledges all school district finalists and concludes with the Teacher of the Year Award from the Albert Lea Education Association and the Apple Award presented by the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce.