Five finalists named for Pinellas teacher of the year

Six Pinellas County schoolteachers have become finalists for the Outstanding Educator of the Year award.

They've all been invited to an event called "Evening of Excellence," sponsored by the Pinellas Education Foundation, on Feb. 25 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater.

The overall winner will be announced then.

The finalists for the top honor are:

• Jennifer Anderson, a language arts and reading teacher at East Lake High School;

• Becky Bride, a math teacher and head of the math department at Palm Harbor University High School;

• Krista Kelleher, who teaches students with autism spectrum disorders at Sawgrass Lake Elementary School;

• Jennifer Klimis, a gifted teacher and case manager at Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary School;

• Jean Wark, a kindergarten teacher at Perkins Elementary School; and

• Joanne Wright, a reading teacher at Safety Harbor Middle School.