By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

Six Alabaster teachers were chosen by their peers as the best in their fields at each Alabaster school, and two will now move on to compete for state Teacher of the Year honors.

The Alabaster City School System named its six Teachers of the Year a few hours before the Alabaster Board of Education was scheduled to recognize the teachers during a Jan. 15 reception and meeting at Alabaster City Hall.

The following individuals were named Teacher of the Year at their respective schools:

-Meadow View Elementary: Kindergarten teacher Kathy Matthews

-Creek View Elementary: Kindergarten teacher Karri Allen

-Thompson Intermediate: Fifth-grade teacher Shay Traywick

-Thompson Sixth Grade Center: Melanie Bales

-Thompson Middle School: Seventh-grade teacher Amanda Wilbanks

-Thompson High School: Career technical and marketing teacher Katie Mantel

As a result of their awards, each Alabaster Teacher of the Year received $100 to spend in their classrooms.

Two of the six Alabaster Teachers of the Year will be eligible to compete for the Alabama elementary and secondary Teacher of the Year awards. On Jan. 15, Alabaster Schools Coordinator of Curriculum and Instruction Cena Davis said Alabaster City Schools had not yet announced which two teachers will move on to compete for state Teacher of the Year.

Between January and March, Alabama Board of Education committees will select district Teachers of the Year, an Alabama Teacher of the Year and an alternative state Teacher of the Year.

After holding an award ceremony for the district and state Teachers of the Year in May, the Alabama Board of Education will forward the state Teacher of the Year’s information to Washington, D.C. to be entered in the National Teacher of the Year contest.