The State Board of Education of Ohio has named Christopher Monsour, a high school science teacher at Columbian High School in the Tiffin City School District the 2026 Ohio Teacher of the Year.

“Christopher Monsour represents the best of what every educator should aspire to be; dedicated and passionate with a perfect balance of high expectations for all students coupled with the will to provide whatever support those students need to be successful,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paul Craft who made the public announcement during a schoolwide assembly at Columbian High School.

“I couldn’t be more excited, on behalf of the State Board of Education, to congratulate him on this incredible achievement.”

“Ohio’s students interact every day with amazing teachers, so the challenge of selecting just one educator to represent those tens of thousands of wonderful educators around our state is daunting,” said Superintendent Craft.

“Each year the selection committees at the regional and state levels do an amazing job of finding a candidate who reflects the excellence of the profession and their colleagues, and this year is no exception.”

Monsour currently teaches high school biology, environmental science, and anatomy and physiology at Tiffin Columbian High School.

With 26 years of teaching experience, Christopher Monsour has had the opportunity to teach a wide range of subjects before finding his true calling in advanced sciences. He is committed to creating a stimulating learning environment that promotes academic achievement and a lifelong passion for science. Specializing in biology, evolution, microbiology, and anatomy, he designs and delivers engaging hands-on laboratory exercises and field trips to enhance understanding and foster curiosity beyond traditional classroom lectures.

“I feel honored to have been able to see Chris show his passion for his students and teaching through the Ohio Teacher of the Year process. It is a reminder of how lucky Ohio is to have talented teachers like Chris,” State Board of Education President Paul LaRue said.

Chris Monsour did not originally pursue teaching as a career. When he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Heidelberg University, he originally planned to pursue a career in environmental biology. Tiffin City Schools was in desperate need of a high school science teacher, so Monsour signed on as a substitute teacher, during which he discovered his passion for teaching and the importance of obtaining a formal teaching license.

Since then, Monsour has pursued graduate work in biology, ecology, and inquiry, earning two master’s degrees: a Master of Arts in Education from Heidelberg University and a Master of Science from Montana State University.

Monsour’s teaching background also includes four years as a student study session consultant for AP Biology, ten summers of teaching at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, where he served as both an instructor and the Academic Dean for Science and Math, and two summers teaching English as a Second Language at Tianjin Normal University in the People’s Republic of China.

He continues to participate in global expeditions, both on land and at sea, with the goal to enhance his ability to bring the world and content to his students in a way that keeps them engaged and excited about the sciences.

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