Jamie Manker, Missouri's 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year, and the six finalists for the award will be honored by state education officials at a banquet Monday in Jefferson City.

Manker is a social studies teacher and department chair at Rockwood Summit High School in Fenton.

The awards will be presented by Mike Jones, vice president of the State Board of Education, and Missouri Commissioner of Education Chris L. Nicastro.

"Effective educators are the most significant factor in providing a high quality education to our students," said Paul Katnik, assistant commissioner of the Office of Educator Quality at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. “We are pleased to have this opportunity to recognize some of the best teachers in Missouri."

Manker was chosen as Teacher of the Year following personal interviews conducted by a 12-member selection committee. She will represent Missouri in the annual National Teacher of the Year program.

Six finalists will also be recognized at Monday's banquet:

• James R. Anians, an English teacher at Hoech Middle School, Ritenour School District, St. Louis
• Heather Bailey, a first-grade teacher at Maplewood Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center, Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, Maplewood
• Jason Navarro, a social studies teacher at Wheaton High School, Wheaton School District
• Amelia Ruzicka, a middle and high school math teacher at Bayless School District, St. Louis
• Christy Hefele, a science teacher at the Valley Park Middle School, Valley Park School District
• Jacqueline Wilson, a culinary arts teacher at the Lake Career and Technical School, Camdenton School District

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education conducts the Missouri Teacher of the Year program annually. The Boeing Company and the Monsanto Company provide major support for the program.

Missouri's professional teacher organizations will sponsor a reception for the honorees.

A primary goal of the Department's Top 10 by 20 plan is to prepare, develop and support effective educators to help move Missouri into the top 10 performing states for education by 2020.