A Washoe County teacher has been named the 2018 teacher of the year by the state Department of Education, officials announced Tuesday.

Damonte Ranch High School art teacher Pilar Biller, left, is shown with Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction Steve Canavero. Biller has been named the 2018 teacher of the year by the Nevada Department of Education. (WCSDTweet/Twitter)

A Washoe County teacher has been named the 2018 teacher of the year by the state Department of Education, officials announced Tuesday.

Pilar Biller is an art teacher at Damonte Ranch High School in Reno. She is a certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and has taught for more than 18 years, according to a press release from the state.

“Pilar is a great example of a teacher who has devoted her career to finding better ways to create and provide engaging lessons for her students,” Steve Canavero, superintendent of public instruction, said in a statement. “Having great teachers such as Pilar who inspire their students is how Nevada will become the fastest improving state in the nation in education.”

Biller has presented at the Nevada Museum of Art, the National Art Education Association Conference, the Art Educators of Nevada Conference, and at district in-service days.

Two other Washoe teachers, a Lyon county teacher and a charter school teacher rounded out the finalists considered by the state. No Clark County teachers were finalists.

Biller is now in the running for the National Teacher of the Year program, run by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

Contact Meghin Delaney at 702-383-0281 or mdelaney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @MeghinDelaney on Twitter.