Vermont-NEA believes that all students deserve the highest quality
education and that the single most essential ingredient is a caring, competent,
and qualified teacher who is supported by skilled and committed school support
staff. Expert teachers who understand both the subjects they teach and the
children they teach make the most important difference in student achievement.
Therefore, Vermont-NEA will select and honor one of its active
members each year in order to celebrate teaching excellence, public education,
and our dedicated school workforce. The Vermont-NEA Award for Teaching
Excellence will be presented annually.
The Award, which carries with it a $1,000 cash prize, will
recognize, reward, and promote excellence in public school teaching and
underscore high standards of service to students and to the teaching
profession. The winner will represent Vermont in the national competition for
the NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, which pays the winner
$25,000.
The Award: A $1,000
cash award, a commemorative plaque, recognition at the annual Vermont-NEA
Awards Dinner prior to the Association’s Representative Assembly, and
submission of the awardee’s nomination materials to the NEA Foundation for
the Improvement of Education for national consideration as Vermont’s
nominee that year for the annual NEA Foundation Award for Teaching
Excellence.
Eligibility: All active teacher and Education Support Professional (ESP) members of Vermont-NEA. [Vermont-NEA statewide officers and Board Directors are ineligible for this award during their years of service on the Board.]
Who May Submit Nominations:
Any active Vermont-NEA teacher or ESP member, or any NEA-Retired
/NEA-Student member from Vermont.
Deadline for Nominations:
All nomination materials must be submitted in hard copy by or before February 15. Nomination materials must be received at the Vermont-NEA office by 5:00 p.m. and may not be submitted electronically or by facsimile.
Selection Process:
Selection of the award recipient will be made at the state level by the
Vermont-NEA Teaching Excellence Award Selection Panel. The Panel will be
comprised of two statewide officers, three at-large Board Directors, and two
local affiliate teacher leaders/members. The Panel will read and evaluate all
nomination materials, will interview the finalists, and may arrange for
classroom visitations. Finalists also may be asked to provide additional
information and materials. The Panel will inform the Vermont-NEA Board of
Directors of its recommendation no later than the Board’s March meeting,
and the Vermont-NEA Board will take official action on the Panel’s
recommendation.
Criteria: Nominations
are judged according to the criteria listed below. 1. PROFESSIONAL
PRACTICE: The nominee demonstrates instructional expertise, creativity,
and innovation. The nominee uses a variety of pedagogical techniques and
effectively addresses students' different learning styles and needs. The
nominee is an instructional leader at the local, state, and/or national level.
2. ADVOCACY FOR THE PROFESSION: The nominee is a current, active
member of the local, state, and/or national education association, and has
assumed leadership roles at one or more of these levels. The nominee is an
active member of other professional organizations and engages in activities
that advance the profession and public education. The nominee speaks out on
behalf of public education, educators, and students. 3. COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT: The nominee frequently interacts with parents and other
community members on substantive issues in teaching and learning. The nominee
identifies and helps to bring community resources to students in both formal
and informal settings. 4. LEADERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The nominee continually engages in experiences to improve his or her
practice and to gain new skills and knowledge. The nominee shares this new
learning with colleagues in a variety of venues. The nominee's participation in
and commitment to professional development has a visible impact on his or her
institution, students, and community. 5. ATTENTION TO DIVERSITY:
The nominee works to provide a learning environment that meets the
needs of all students, regardless of differences. The nominee recognizes and
explicitly addresses the full array of values, cultures, and experiences
represented in our diverse modern society, both through curriculum and
instruction and in other interactions with students. NEW! The AOL@SCHOOL-NEA Foundation Award for Technology
Leadership The NEA Foundation identifies all of the affiliate nominees
who happen to have technology experience in their backgrounds. From this pool,
the national panel selects one affiliate nominee with outstanding experience in
educational technology leadership to receive The AOL@SCHOOL-NEA Foundation
Award for Technology Leadership. This award includes a cash prize of $3,500 and
a trophy for the recipient, the opportunity for the awardee to select hardware
(worth an additional $2,500) for classroom use, a wall plaque and banner for
the school, and recognition on AOL@SCHOOL. Qualifications for this award are
judged in a separate category from the five criteria for The NEA Foundation
Award for Teaching Excellence and do not influence the selection of the
semi-finalists, finalists, and national recipient. Criteria: TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP: The
nominee uses technology in innovative ways that engage all students and promote
excellence in learning. The nominee uses various platforms, media, and online
resources to support multiple instructional methods and student learning
styles. The nominee seeks personal mastery of emerging instructional
technologies and demonstrates leadership in sharing exemplary uses of
technology for classroom instruction with colleagues.
Nomination Materials:
Nomination packages must include all of the materials listed below, in the
specified order. Formatting instructions are noted for each part. Nominations
that do not conform to these specifications will be disqualified. A.
DATA SHEET 1 page maximum, 12-pt. or larger type. The data sheet
requests contact information for the state, federal, or direct affiliate; the
nominee; and the nominee's local affiliate. The data sheet can be downloaded by
clicking here. B. NOMINATION LETTER 3 pages maximum, double spaced, 12-pt. or larger type, 1" margins on all
sides. The nomination letter from the state, federal, or direct affiliate
president addresses the award criteria outlined above, citing as many specific
examples as possible. C. RÉSUMÉ 1 page maximum,
double spaced, 12-pt. or larger type, 1/2" or greater margins on all sides. The
résumé provides a brief, factual overview of the nominee's
career, including positions held, degrees attained, honors received, etc. The
résumé may also describe personal achievements or activities that
are not noted elsewhere. D. NOMINEE'S STATEMENT 5 pages maximum,
double spaced, 12-pt. or larger type, 1" margins on all sides. The nominee's
statement must be written by the nominee, as a first-person narrative. The
statement includes specific examples to illustrate all five of the award
criteria. The questions themselves do not need to be reproduced in the text;
however, nominees are strongly encouraged to include headings or keywords to
aid the panelists in their reading. The nominee's statement addresses the
following topics: 1. What do you consider to be the most successful
innovation that you have introduced in your classroom or school? What
strategies or methods do you use to ensure that all students achieve at a high
level? How do you act as an instructional leader? 2. How has your
involvement in the National Education Association or NEA affiliate(s)
contributed to your success as an educator? How would you persuade a new
colleague to join or become more active in the association? In what other ways
do you serve as an advocate for the profession and for public education? 3.
What role(s) do you feel professional educators should play in the life of the
community, and why? Conversely, how can community resources enhance student
learning, and why are they important? 4. What experiences or activities
have been most beneficial to your professional knowledge, skills, and practice?
How have you contributed to the professional development of your colleagues?
How has your professional growth made a difference for your school or
university, your students, and your community? Include examples from your
experiences. 5. How do you address issues of diversity in your curriculum
and instruction and in other interactions with students, and what is the result
of such efforts? How does your approach to diversity affect your work? 6.
If you have not already done so, tell a story about how your approach to
teaching made a difference for a student or a group of students. 7. What
advice would you give to someone entering the profession on how to attain
teaching excellence? If the nominee has technology leadership experience,
the statement addresses the following topic: The AOL@SCHOOL-NEA Foundation
Award for Teaching Excellence 8. How do you use technology in the classroom
to engage students? What technologies do you use and how do you address
multiple student learning styles? Briefly describe your most innovative
instructional use of technology. What steps have you taken to master new
technologies and applications? How have you shared innovative uses of
technology with your colleagues? E. LETTERS OF ENDORSEMENT 3
letters, maximum 2 pages. Letters of endorsement are written by the nominee's
local affiliate president, colleagues, current or former students, parents, or
community members. Letters must note how long the writer has known the nominee
and in what capacity the writer is able to comment on the nominee's
professional work. Letters should be signed, and the salutation should address
the state affiliate selection committee or the national panel for The NEA
Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS 1. Number the pages of the entire package consecutively, starting with the
Data Instructions: Sheet (Part A) as Page 1. 2. Do not staple or
permanently bind the materials. Paper clips are acceptable. 3. Do not use
covers or other decorative packaging. 4. Include only the materials
requested in these guidelines. 5. Mail one original, complete nomination package for receipt at Vermont-NEA by 5:00 p.m. EST on February 15. Submissions by fax or email are not permitted. Send your nomination package to:Vermont-NEA, 10 Wheelock Street, Montpelier, VT 05602.
Questions? Call 1-800-649-6375 or e-mail
vtnea@together.net.
Winners of
the Vermont-NEA Teaching Excellence Award
2006
Douglas Wehner, Technology Teacher, Green Mountain Technology and Career Center
2005
Horace Puglisi
Grade 5 Elementary School Teacher, Founders Memorial School, Essex Town
2004
Kathryn Buley
K-3 Elementary School Teacher,
Chamberlain School, South Burlington
2003 Debra Gurwicz Grade 4-5 loop Elementary School Teacher,
Orchard School, South Burlington
2002 Kathryn E.S. Grace Special Educator, Founders Memorial
School, Essex Town
2001
David S. Ely
Science Teacher,
Champlain Valley Union High School