The Minnesota Teacher of the Year who abruptly resigned her title had been in the running for the award since last fall and had gone through final interviews this spring before she received the honor at a ceremony May 4.
Carleen Gulstad, a language arts teacher at Hopkins North Junior High, resigned Monday citing "personal reasons" and asked the public to "respect her privacy."
Officials of Education Minnesota, the teachers union that presented the award, declined to provide more details about her reasons on Tuesday, and Gulstad could not be reached for comment.
"It was some circumstance in her personal life," said Doug Dooher, who coordinates the Teacher of the Year program for the union.
Dooher said Education Minnesota began contacting other finalists for the award Tuesday. More than 115 nominees had vied for the award, and the field had been narrowed to 10 finalists. Dooher said the union will outline a new selection process and name a replacement in the next few weeks.
Dooher said it's the first time as far as he knows that the state nominee for the National Teacher of the Year award has resigned.
Hopkins School District officials said they don't know why Gulstad resigned. Eileen Harvala, a spokeswoman for the district, said Hopkins administrators hadn't heard about her decision until Education Minnesota officials contacted their offices Monday.
"I don't know what they plan to do," Harvala said. "Of course we'll do whatever they need us to do."
Hopkins School District would have received more than $17,000 in technology and a $3,000 scholarship to Harvard University. Those gifts had not been delivered.
Dooher said that Gulstad earned a $3,000 cash award and that she has received $2,000. He said she agreed to return that portion of the award.
Patrice Relerford • 612-673-4395
