RENTON, Wash. — Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) is pleased to announce Lisa Merlin as the 2027 Regional Teacher of the Year.

Lisa Merlin has been teaching for more than 24 years and has spent the last 14 at Green Lake Elementary in Seattle Public Schools. There, she has worked to foster a strong sense of community in her classroom and school, creating a supportive environment where students feel safe to take risks and express themselves.

Each year, Washington’s Teacher of the Year program honors outstanding educators like Merlin for their dedication, and for their ability to inspire students, support colleagues, and strengthen their communities. Each Educational Service District selects one Regional Teacher of the Year through a nomination and evaluation process. Merlin was selected based on her experience, professional leadership, collaboration, and commitment to students.

Connecting Students, Hearts, and Communities 

Throughout her career, Merlin has built inclusive, relationship-centered learning environments where every student feels valued. That commitment shows up in her classroom every day.

“In her application Lisa shared the importance of building an inclusive community and taking care of each other's hearts by focusing on kindness,” said Amber McCulloch, Senior Director, PreK–Postsecondary Systems for Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD). “In visiting her classroom, this community was evident. It was clear that her students were centered and engaged.”

For Merlin, "taking care of each other's hearts" is a daily commitment and a class motto that the whole school has embraced. Each spring, the school decorates the hallways to remind students of ways they can show care and kindness. In her classroom, students add their signatures to a large heart to represent their shared commitment to this belief.

"When I visited Green Lake Elementary, I saw firsthand the kind of teaching that makes Seattle Public Schools special," said Ben Shuldiner, superintendent of Seattle Public Schools. "She brings real dedication and care to her classroom every single day, and that is exactly what our students deserve."

In a letter of support, second-grade room parent Jessica Bidwell wrote that Merlin's dedication to students and families is "visible in every corner of the community, underscoring her belief that education extends well beyond the classroom walls." Bidwell noted several examples: Merlin takes the entire second grade to the local community center for swimming lessons, a potentially life-saving skill she is qualified to teach as an experienced swim instructor. She coordinates class cards and tailored activities, as well as visits students who are hospitalized. Each year, she calls every family personally before school begins to listen to what parents and students need.

A Deeper Understanding of the World 

Merlin has made a point of connecting classroom lessons to students' own lives and to the wider world. She created daily geography lessons called DOG (Daily Oral Geography), in which students take an ongoing virtual journey around the world, exploring both similarities and differences across cultures. At the end of each quarter, she organizes a family potluck where families are invited to share foods from the countries studied and take part in related cultural activities.

"These experiences connect students' family experiences with the countries being studied in a meaningful way that extends beyond the classroom," McCulloch said, "while also strengthening engagement throughout students' time in Seattle Public Schools."

Beyond her classroom, Merlin has served on the Building Leadership Team, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, and as the Social Emotional Learning Liaison. She has taught second-grade swimming lessons, coached the school's ultimate frisbee team, advised Student Council, and mentored student teachers and interns from the University of Washington and other local universities. She also continues to collaborate with colleagues at her grade level.

“The students who come through Lisa’s class leave knowing how to be in community with people who are different from them, how to take care of each other, and how to show up with empathy,” adds Bidwell. “She is living proof that the public school system produces exceptional outcomes when exceptional educators are empowered to lead with vision.”

Bidwell summed up her recommendation this way: "Lisa is not just a great classroom teacher, she is the heartbeat of our school and a critical culture carrier."

About the Teacher of the Year Award 

The Teacher of the Year award recognizes one educator from the PSESD region who then represents PSESD in the Washington State Teacher of the Year selection process, and who, from there, may advance to consideration for the National Teacher of the Year award.

The process includes nomination, application, and selection by a panel of educators, parents, and students based on the applicant's record, application materials, and letters of recommendation. Each person chosen exemplifies knowledge, dedication, collaboration, community impact, and excellence as an educator.

On the national level, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) has honored exceptional educators through the National Teacher of the Year Program for over 70 years. State Teachers of the Year take part in a yearlong professional learning experience, and a national committee selects finalists who embody excellence and collaboration.

Learn more about the award at https://ospi.k12.wa.us/educator-support/awards-recognition/educator-awards/teacher-year.