Gov. Shapiro to announce 2026 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year

FOR THE COMMUNITY. YOU WILL NEED A COAT AS YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR, AND YOU WILL HAVE TO KEEP IT ON ANYTIME YOU GO OUT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DAY. AS WE ARE LOOKING LIVE OVER OUR HERSHEY SKY CAM ON THIS MONDAY MORNING AT 6:00, I’M KATELYN SMITH. WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE WITH US. WE’VE GOT REGINA CHECKING ON OUR MORNING COMMUTE AND MIKE IS TELLING US ABOUT THE COLD TEMPERATURES BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, IF YOU GO OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW, THAT’S THE WARMEST IT’S GOING TO GET FOR THE WHOLE DAY. YEAH. PRETTY MUCH. THIS IS IT HERE. AND TEMPERATURES ACTUALLY. YEAH, YEAH. QUOTATIONS ARE WARM RIGHT. BECAUSE IT’S CHILLY WHEN YOU STEP OUTSIDE. IT FEELS LIKE THE LOW 20S RIGHT NOW. SO YEAH KATELYN IS RIGHT ON THAT. IT WILL BE ACTUALLY DROPPING A LITTLE BIT HERE AS WE GO THROUGH THE MORNING. AND THEN TEMPERATURES KIND OF JUST STAY STEADY. BUT IT’S GOING TO FEEL LIKE THE TEENS AND 20S THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY. MOSTLY CLOUDY, STILL COLD TOMORROW, BUT A TAD WARMER. AND BY THAT I MEAN WE ACTUALLY GET TO THE FREEZING MARK ON TUESDAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS RETURN ON WEDNESDAY, AND THAT INCLUDES FOR CARLISLE HERE IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY. GOOD MORNING TO YOU. TEMPERATURES AT THE MOMENT UPPER 20S TO LOW 30S. THIS IS ABOUT AS WARM AS IT’S GOING TO GET OUT THERE. 32 IN GETTYSBURG, 29 IN LANCASTER AND HARRISBURG AND 25 IN LEWISTOWN. THAT WIND YOU SEE? YEAH, THAT’S NOT HELPING RIGHT NOW. 5 TO 10MPH HERE. THAT’S ADDING A WIND CHILL TO THE AIR, MAKING IT FEEL LIKE THE UPPER TEENS AND LOW 20S FOR MOST OF US. AS YOU STEP OUT THE DOOR THIS MORNING. STORM TEAM, LIVE RADAR NETWORK HERE. A FEW BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS. OTHERWISE THE CLOUDS INCREASE. WE HAVE SNOW TO THE SOUTHWEST AND A FEW SNOW SHOWERS NORTHEAST. BUT WE ARE DRY AND WE STAY DRY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. TODAY YOU CAN SEE THAT AGAIN. THOSE TEMPERATURES DROPPING A LITTLE BIT HERE AS WE GO INTO THE MORNING AND THEN KIND OF JUST HOLDING THE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE DAY TODAY. REGINA BUT THOSE TEMPERATURES WITH THE WIND TAKE ABOUT TEN DEGREES OFF OF THAT. AND THAT’S PROBABLY WHAT’S GOING TO FEEL LIKE TODAY. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN’T WATCH THE FIVE, YOU HAD A GREAT ANALOGY. WE’RE ALL IN THE FREEZER TODAY. YEAH, PRETTY MUCH YEAH, BECAUSE WE DON’T GET ABOVE FREEZING AT ALL. HOPEFULLY I WON’T BE FROZEN BY THE END OF THE DAY. YEAH, WELL, IF YOU DO JUST GET HOT CHOCOLATE OR HOT COFFEE. THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT, MIKE, THANK YOU. AND IT’S 602. EVERYONE ON YOUR MONDAY MORNING. HELLO TO YOU. AND HOPEFULLY YOU’RE FEELING REFRESHED ON THIS MONDAY MORNING AND HAD A NICE WEEKEND RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. FOR THE MAJORITY OF US WE’RE LOOKING GOOD. WE DO STILL HAVE THAT SHOULDER BLOCKED ON I-81 NORTH OF LINGLESTOWN PAXTONIA EXIT THERE IN DAUPHIN COUNTY. IT LOOKS LIKE IT REALLY HASN’T IMPEDED TRAFFIC AT ALL THIS MORNING. SO THAT IS GOOD NEWS AND WANTED TO SHOW YOU AS WELL. MANHEIM TOWNSHIP GOOD MORNING TO YOU, LANCASTER COUNTY ROUTE TWO, 83 AND 30. THE INTERCHANGE THERE LOOKING JUST FINE. NO ISSUES THERE. WE LOVE TO SEE THAT. AND IF YOU’RE HEADED OUT OF LANCASTER TO HARRISBURG, 31 MINUTES THERE, 35 IF YOU’RE HEADED TO LEBANON AND 24 MINUTES IF YOU’RE HEADED TO YORK. WE’LL HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE FOR YOU IN ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES. WELL, THIS MORNING, A YORK COUNTY FAMILY IS WITHOUT A HOME AFTER AN ELECTRICAL FIRE DESTROYED THEIR TRAILER IN LOWER WINDSOR TOWNSHIP. BRADEN RITTER WAS WORKING AT RIVERSIDE SUBS IN WRIGHTSVILLE WHEN HE GOT THE CALL ABOUT THIS. HIS HOME CATCHING FIRE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE DAMAGE LEFT BEHIND. THIS HAPPENED AROUND 1:00 YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. HE SAYS THAT HE AND HIS MOM RAN A SMALL CAT SHELTER INSIDE THAT HOME, AND NOW ONLY ONE OF THREE CATS WHO WERE INSIDE AT THE TIME SURVIVED. HE SAYS THAT THE FIRE ALSO SPARED A FAMILY HEIRLOOM. I DID LOSE MY KEYS TO MY WEAPON CABINET THAT HAD MY GRANDFATHER’S RIFLE IN IT AFTER HE PASSED. THAT’S WHAT HANDED DOWN TO ME. AND THAT’S THE LAST THING I HAVE OF HIM. YEAH, THAT’S PRETTY MUCH IT. SO HIS EMPLOYER, AS WE MENTIONED, RIVERSIDE SUBS IN WRIGHTSVILLE, IS NOW COLLECTING DONATIONS TO TRY TO HELP HIM AND HIS MOM. YOU CAN DONATE CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. YORK COUNTY REGIONAL POLICE ARE WARNING ABOUT A SCAM THAT THEY SAY THEY’RE HEARING ABOUT FROM YOU. OFFICERS SAY SCAMMERS ARE CLAIMING TO BE A LIEUTENANT WITH THE YORK COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT. CIVIL PROCESSING DIVISION. POLICE SAY THE SCAMMERS WILL TELL YOU THAT YOU MISSED A JURY DUTY OR HAVE UNPAID FINES, AND THEN TRY TO GET YOU TO SEND THEM MONEY OR GIVE THEM PERSONAL INFORMATION. POLICE SAY THE SUSPECT IS USING A PHONE NUMBER APP TO MAKE THE CALLS LOOK LIKE THEY ARE COMING FROM A717 AREA CODE. POLICE ARE REMINDING YOU THAT THEY WILL NOT CALL YOU TO ASK FOR MONEY, AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT GIVE SCAMMERS YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION. LANCASTER TOWNSHIP POLICE SAY A WOMAN IS NOW BEHIND BARS IN CONNECTION TO A SHOOTING FROM MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. INVESTIGATORS SAY 20 YEAR-OLD MONET CLARK FACES CHARGES FOR HER ROLE IN A SHOOTING THAT HURT ONE CHILD AND AN ADULT. IT HAPPENED AT THE CREEKSIDE APARTMENTS ON PASSING LANE ON NOVEMBER 20TH OF LAST YEAR. POLICE SAY THE SHOOTING HAPPENED AFTER AN ATTEMPTED ROBBERY DURING A DRUG DEAL. IT’S 605 AND NOT ONE MORE IS THE NAME AND MESSAGE OF A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN YORK COUNTY. THE GROUP SAYS ITS MESSAGE IS TO PREVENT OVERDOSES AND HELP THOSE WHO ARE DEALING WITH ADDICTION. AND NOW THAT ORGANIZATION HAS A NEW BUILDING. IT CELEBRATED THE OPENING OF ITS FIRST LOCATION ON EAST MARKET STREET IN YORK CITY. IT WILL OCCUPY THE FIRST FLOOR, AND IT’S CALLED THE NOT ONE MORE YORK FAMILY CENTER. WE’VE WORKED REALLY HARD TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT AND TO CREATE THIS FAMILY CENTER WHERE FOLKS CAN COME AND, YOU KNOW, IN A COMFORTABLE SPACE AND A WELCOMING SPACE. THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THEIR LIVES. WELL, THE CENTER WILL PROVIDE A SPACE FOR ORGANIZATIONS THAT IT SUPPORTS. THERE ARE THREE GROUPS. ONE IS CARES, WHICH STANDS FOR COMPASSION, ADVOCACY, RESOURCES, EMPOWERMENT, SUPPORT, AS WELL AS FAMILY CONNECTIONS. AND THE THIRD IS CALLED FENCES AND BRIDGES. MANY HOME AND PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY COULD SEE YOUR TAXES GOING UP SOON. DAUPHIN COUNTY IS LOOKING AT A 15% TAX HIKE. YORK COUNTY A 14% HIKE. AND LANCASTER COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ALREADY ADVANCED A 10% TAX HIKE. KYLE KOPKO WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA, SAYS THE COUNTIES ARE FACING HIGHER COSTS FOR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR WORKERS. ALSO, INFLATION AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT STATE BUDGET DELAY COMING OFF OF A PROTRACTED BUDGET IMPASSE. SO COUNTIES LOST OUT ON ANY INTEREST THAT THEY WOULD HAVE EARNED ON THEIR RESERVES. SOME OF THEM HAD TO TAKE OUT LOANS. SO THEY’RE PAYING INTEREST ON THAT. HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS ARE GOING UP. INFLATION IS STILL SOMEWHERE AROUND 3%. SO JUST THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS ACROSS THE BOARD IS MORE EXPENSIVE. AND OF COURSE WE’RE HEARING ABOUT THIS NOW BECAUSE DECEMBER IS TYPICALLY THE TIME THAT COUNTIES VOTE ON THEIR BUDGETS. IT’S 607 AND WE ARE NOW AN HOUR INTO THE 31ST ANNUAL COATS FOR KIDS TELETHON. WE ARE RAISING MONEY TO BUY COATS FOR FAMILIES IN NEED, AND NEWS EIGHT’S GABRIELLE THOMAS HAS BEEN JOINING US FROM THE SALVATION ARMY IN LANCASTER ALL MORNING LONG, SHOWING US THIS NEED. GABRIELLE, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING KATELYN. WELL, THANKS TO YOUR DONATIONS, THE SALVATION ARMY AND WGAL HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER FOR YEARS TO PROVIDE COATS TO CHILDREN IN NEED. TAKE A LOOK AROUND. IF YOU OR YOUR CHILD IS IN NEED OF A COAT. THERE ARE SO MANY COATS HERE AND DIFFERENT SIZES AND COLORS FOR YOU TO CHOOSE FROM AS WELL. NOW I HAVE MAJOR SUSAN JOINING ME THIS MORNING. SHE’S WITH THE SALVATION ARMY HERE IN LANCASTER. MAJOR SUSAN, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THE SALVATION ARMY HAS FACED THIS YEAR WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING COATS? I THINK SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES ARE THE GREAT NEED. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE THAT NEED COATS WHEN IT CAME TO SNAP BENEFITS THIS YEAR, AND AND WHEN THAT WAS, I DON’T KNOW, CUT FOR A WHILE OR A TERM. THEN PEOPLE WERE PANICKING. AND YOU KNOW THAT A COAT IS SOMETHING THAT TAKES A BIG CHUNK OUT OF THE BUDGET. SO THAT WAS A BIG NEED AND THAT WAS A BIG HELP. SO THAT WAS WE WERE APPRECIATIVE OF THAT. HOW DOES DISTRIBUTION, IF A FAMILY COMES IN AND THEY NEED COATS FOR THEIR CHILDREN? WELL, THEY COME. AND WHEN IT WHEN IT COMES TO THE DISTRIBUTION ITSELF, THEY COME THEY SIGN UP. I THINK IT’S ONLINE. THEY SIGN UP ONLINE AND THEN THEY COME AND THEY JUST CHOOSE. THEY GET TO SHOP AND CHOOSE WHICHEVER COAT THEY WOULD LIKE. BUT SINCE THEN, BECAUSE AFTER THAT, ANYTIME AFTER THE DISTRIBUTION, THEY’RE ABLE TO COME AND CALL IN. IF THEY STILL NEED A COAT AND ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS LET US KNOW. WE DISTRIBUTE UNTIL MARCH. MAJOR SUSAN, THANK YOU. KATELYN. GABRIELLE, I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHILDREN SIZES OUT THERE. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE YOU SHOULD BRING IN OR DONATE MONEY FOR? WELL, RIGHT NOW THE SALVATION ARMY IS IN NEED OF LARGER COATS SIZE 16 AND UP. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK HERE. THESE ARE ALL MALE COLORS, MAINLY BLACK, ORANGE AND YELLOW, BUT THEY’RE ALSO ASKING FOR SOME LIGHTER GIRLY COLORS AS WELL TO HELP OUT THE GIRLS. REPORTING LIVE HERE IN LANCASTER. I’M GABRIELLE THOMAS, WGAL, NEWS EIGHT, AND I KIND OF MENTIONED IT. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO WORRY ABOUT THE SIZES AT ALL, YOU CAN JUST GIVE MONEY, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT, GABRIELLE, THANK YOU SO MUCH. LET’S CHECK OUR CURRENT TOTAL OF HOW MUCH MONEY HAS ALREADY BEEN DONATED TO OUR COATS FOR KIDS TELETHON WITH THE SALVATION ARMY, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL THERE. $3,000 IN JUST ABOUT THE LAST HOUR. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS DONATED ALREADY. KEEP IT COMING SO WE CAN HELP KEEP CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY WARM OVER THE WINTER MONTHS. LET’S GET TO THE POWERBALL DRAWING NOW BECAUSE THE NEXT ONE IS TONIGHT. AND THAT JACKPOT STANDS AT $875 MILLION. NO TICKET MATCHED ALL SIX NUMBERS IN SATURDAY NIGHT’S DRAWING. THE JACKPOT NOW RANKS AS THE SEVENTH LARGEST IN POWERBALL HISTORY. THE POWERBALL JACKPOT HAS NOT BEEN WON SINCE SEPTEMBER 6TH. THAT’S WHEN A TICKET IN MISSOURI AND TEXAS SPLIT THE $1.8 BILLION JACKPOT. JUST THINK OF HOW MANY COATS WE COULD BUY FOR THE KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. ALL RIGHT, LET’S GO OVER TO MIKE AND REGINA. BECAUSE, MIKE, IT IS COLD OUT. IT IS. AND YOU’LL DEFINITELY WANT THE COAT TODAY BECAUSE TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO BE AROUND 30 DEGREES HERE. SO IT’S A GOOD WEATHER FOR PICKING THAT PERFECT TREE. BUT IT WILL BE BLUSTERY. SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND. IF YOU’RE HEADING OUT TODAY HERE. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE’RE GOING TO REMAIN WITH A FEW CHANCES OF RAIN AND SNOW AS WE GO THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. VERY LIGHT. NOTHING TOO CRAZY, BUT A FEW CLIPPER SYSTEMS COME THROUGH. AND THEN, AS YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER, REGINA WE STAY IN THE FREEZER HERE WITH BELOW AVERAGE TEMPERATURES FOR SEVERAL DAYS HERE. IN FACT, THE WARMEST IT GETS IS

Gov. Shapiro to announce 2026 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year

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Updated: 12:00 PM EST Dec 8, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Gov. Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) are set to announce the 2026 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year on Monday. Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today.The ceremony is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. at the Hershey Lodge during PDE’s annual SAS Institute.Five of this year’s finalists are from the Susquehanna Valley.Here is the full list of 2026 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year finalists:Whitney Bellomo, Dallastown Area School District, York CountyNicole Birkbeck, Council Rock School District, Bucks CountyKatherine Blandino-Nienhuis, Pittsburgh Public School District, Allegheny CountyRenee Decker, Central York School District, York CountyMadeline Loring, Jefferson-Morgan School District, Greene CountyJenna Love, Elizabethtown Area School District, Lancaster CountyJennifer Nesser, Laurel Highlands School District, Fayette CountyAshley Oldham, Big Spring School District, Cumberland CountyAndrea Rutledge, Hempfield School District, Lancaster CountyRachel Sebastian, Governor Mifflin School District, Berks CountyRebecca Showalter, Mount Lebanon School District, Allegheny CountyElizabeth Troxell, Penns Valley Area School District, Centre County”Through the National State Teacher of the Year (NSTOY) program, PDE identifies and honors exemplary teaching and classroom practices across the Commonwealth,” the Pennsylvania Department of Education. “NSTOY annually recognizes a professional who inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn; who has the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues; and who plays an active role in their school and community.” This is a developing story. Stay with WGAL for updates.

HERSHEY, Pa. —

Gov. Josh Shapiro and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) are set to announce the 2026 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year on Monday.

Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8 Today.

The ceremony is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. at the Hershey Lodge during PDE’s annual SAS Institute.

Five of this year’s finalists are from the Susquehanna Valley.

Here is the full list of 2026 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year finalists:

Whitney Bellomo, Dallastown Area School District, York CountyNicole Birkbeck, Council Rock School District, Bucks CountyKatherine Blandino-Nienhuis, Pittsburgh Public School District, Allegheny CountyRenee Decker, Central York School District, York CountyMadeline Loring, Jefferson-Morgan School District, Greene CountyJenna Love, Elizabethtown Area School District, Lancaster CountyJennifer Nesser, Laurel Highlands School District, Fayette CountyAshley Oldham, Big Spring School District, Cumberland CountyAndrea Rutledge, Hempfield School District, Lancaster CountyRachel Sebastian, Governor Mifflin School District, Berks CountyRebecca Showalter, Mount Lebanon School District, Allegheny CountyElizabeth Troxell, Penns Valley Area School District, Centre County

“Through the National State Teacher of the Year (NSTOY) program, PDE identifies and honors exemplary teaching and classroom practices across the Commonwealth,” the Pennsylvania Department of Education. “NSTOY annually recognizes a professional who inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn; who has the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues; and who plays an active role in their school and community.”

This is a developing story. Stay with WGAL for updates.