KMEA Teacher of the Year Lynette Pelischek, center, was joined by South Central KMEA President Shawn Knopp (left) and KMEA President Craig Manteuffel (right) during a ceremony Thursday.

Lynette Pelischek, veteran music educator for Hutchinson Public Schools, has been named Kansas Music Educators Association Music Teacher of the Year for 2013.

Pelischek received the award during a surprise ceremony during Parent-Teacher Conferences Thursday at Hutchinson Middle School – 8.

Craig Manteuffel, KMEA president and band director at Hays High School, made the presentation. Manteuffel, a fellow student of Pelischek in college at Fort Hays State University, said six nominees for the award came from across Kansas. Pelischek was nominated by the South Central KMEA president, Shawn Knopp, band director of Smoky Valley High School in Lindsborg.

Pelischek started her teaching career at Moundridge in 1982. She moved to Nickerson in 1984 and joined the Hutchinson Public Schools staff in 1986. One of her students over the years also was on hand Thursday – Daryl Koestel, who now is the director of bands at Hutchinson High School. Koestel had Pelischek has his band director when he was in middle school in Hutchinson.

“I’m speechless and blown away,” Pelischek said as Manteuffel made the presentation. ”It’s been a wonderful journey.”

Also on hand for the presentation of the teacher of the year plaque were Pelischek’s children – Braden and Lindsay – and grandson, Armani.