Ohio Teacher Fellow

Program Overview

Teacher Voice, Leadership and Recognition are the foundational tenets of the Teacher Fellowship. Since 2019, the Ohio Teacher of the Year (OTOY) engages in a year of service as the Ohio Teacher Fellow (OTF) with the Department immediately following their year of recognition.  During their fellowship, the OTOY takes a sabbatical from classroom duties and maintains their local district employment status under a Memorandum of Understanding between the employing district and the Department. The OTF is offered the opportunity to advocate for specific education initiatives with a foundation in the three Core Principles from Each Child, Our Future: Ohio’s Strategic Plan: Equity, Partnerships and Quality Schools.

The role of the OTF is to model integrity for the teaching profession, provide deliverables as resources for all Ohio schools, actively participate in Teacher Recognition and Leadership initiatives, act as an education liaison between the field and the Department providing teacher voice and perspective.

Annually an Ohio Teacher Fellowship proposal is submitted by the OTOY to an internal Department committee for review and approval pending funding.

Melissa Kmetz is the 2024 Ohio Teacher Fellow.


Last Modified: 12/1/2023 5:02:57 PM