Nominations for Minnesota Teacher of the Year remain open through the end of day Thursday, Nov. 15. The 2013 Minnesota Teacher of the Year will be named on May 5, 2013. The Teacher of the Year also becomes Minnesota’s candidate for National Teacher of the Year.

Anyone may nominate a teacher. Self-nominations are also accepted. The state program has been highly successful nationally – Minnesota ranks second behind California with four National Teachers of the Year.

Eligible nominees must:

• Teach in a public or nonpublic Pre-K through 12th-grade school.

• Hold a baccalaureate degree and a Minnesota teaching license.

• Have completed three years of teaching by the nomination deadline, and

• Intend to teach during the 2013-14 school year.

An Albert Lea teacher,who is also a girls basketball coach, was fired this week for what the school district is calling "immoral conduct", insubordination, for lying to the school district, breaking school laws and more.

The district won't give specifics as to why they fired Sean Gillam, but will say that he was being investigated by the Albert Lea Police Department.

Chief Dwaine Winkels tells ABC 6 News that Gillam was not found to be involved in any criminal activity.

In a letter sent to Gillam from the school board in May said that they had lost confidence in him and didn't believe that he would be able to abide by "appropriate teacher-student boundaries."

"Really the most important thing is the process worked. We has some concern we worked thought it and Mr. Gillam will not be around student anymore  and I think that's a real good thing for the school district," said Superintendent Dr. Michael Funk.