Local educators will have to wait a few more weeks until finalists are announced for the Alabama Teacher of the Year award, but the Cullman City School Board went ahead and named the top teachers in the district during its final meeting of the year.

One teacher was selected by the principal of each of the five schools within the school system and recognized by the board Tuesday, Dec. 10. Each educator received a gift from one of the board’s community partners, Amfirst Credit Union and will receive a supplemental bonus on their upcoming paychecks.

Teachers who received the award Tuesday were:

— Keli Thrasher: Cullman City Primary School Teacher of the Year.

— April Dean: East Elementary School Teacher of the Year.

— Meaghan Britton: West Elementary School Teacher of the Year.

— Michael Crocker: Cullman Middle School Teacher of the Year.

— Caroline Lunsford: Cullman High School Teacher of the Year.

Superintendent Kyle Kallhoff said the Alabama Department of Education will choose two of the five educators as finalists to receive the statewide award, which he expected to be announced in January.

The board also named former Cullman High School physical-education teacher and head boys basketball and golf coach Mike Dean as the district’s interim Athletic Director following the retirement of Mark Stephens last month.

When announcing Stephens’ retirement in November, Kallhoff said he hoped to name a permanent A.D. by the end of the year after discussions with CHS Principal Allison Tuggle and the district’s stakeholders.

In other business the board:

— Approved to salvage old bus seats, two non-working pull behind mowers, an inoperable spray rig, miscellaneous building material and wooden pallets from the district’s bus yard.

— Surplussed a MacBook Air from Student Services.

— Accepted the following resignations:

– Lydia Hunt: Cullman City Primary School teacher.

– Kayla Rogers: Cullman City Primary School head start instructional assistant.

– Dorinda Steele: Student Services secretary/bookkeeper.

– Kristy Tackett: Permanent districtwide substitute.

— Approved the transfer of Child Nutrition Program worker Vickie Buckelew from East Elementary to a districtwide position.

— Approved the conditional employment of the following personnel:

– Tonia Laminack: Administrative Assistant to student services.

– Kayla Rogers: Cullman City Primary School teacher.

– Anna Shelton: Cullman City Primary School teacher.

– Kristy Tackett: East Elementary School special education teacher.

— Approved Brianna Gaiters, Madison Green and Joshua Skinner as long-term substitutes.

— Approved an extended day program substitute contract with Leeanna Smith.

— Approved an ARI tutoring contract with Danielle Shelton.