A Winfield preschool teacher has been named 2020 National Teacher of the Year.

Tabatha Rosproy was announced as the winner during Thursday morning’s broadcast of “CBS This Morning.”  Rosproy teaches preschool at the Winfield Early Learning Center housed in a retirement village.

She was named Kansas Teacher of the Year in November after being chosen from a pool of 300 nominees.

“I am so honored to have been chosen to represent the incredible educators in our nation as National Teacher of the Year, and I’m especially proud to represent Kansas,” Rosproy said. “Kansas is a model for rethinking education, and teachers across the nation are being charged to do just that during these trying times. There is no place that could have better prepared me for this honor.”

Rosproy recently helped lead Kansas in preparing for learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was one of three co-chairs of the Continuous Learning Task Force, which developed guidance for Kansas educators to meet the immediate need of supporting learning outside of normal practices. Rosproy served on the task force while continuing to teach her own students at Cumbernauld Little Vikes.

“We are so proud of Tabatha and excited to have her represent the state of Kansas,” said Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson. “She is a remarkable educator whose passion for the profession is reflected daily in the eyes of her young students and in the members of the retirement community who volunteer in her classroom. Her ability to bridge this generational gap in a single classroom is perhaps one of the richest experiences we can offer our students and our communities.”

Rosproy, as the 2020 National Teacher of the Year, will spend a year representing educators and will serve as an ambassador for students and teachers across the nation, according to CCSSO. During her time as NTOY, Rosproy hopes to highlight the importance of social-emotional learning and early childhood education for all.