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How to Write a Strong Teaching Award Nomination

Every year, hundreds of students, faculty, and staff nominate an instructor for one of Trent’s internal teaching awards. Members of the various award adjudication committees are always amazed by and grateful for the time, effort, and dedication put into these nominations. Our online nomination forms are filled with wonderful testimonials, ranging from lengthy formal letters to short notes, that illustrate the benefits nominators have gained from their instructors and bring to life the many forms of teaching excellence at Trent.

While the award committee reads and appreciates every nomination sent in, there are some testimonials that are particularly effective in explaining why a candidate is worthy of a given teaching award. Based on past award deliberations, here are a few suggestions for writing a strong nomination testimonial. You may also find helpful our annotated sample nomination testimonials written on behalf of faculty who went on to win internal teaching awards.

Begin with a Brainstorm

Before you write your nomination you may find it helpful to jot down the reasons you are inspired to nominate an instructor for a given award. Why do you think they are such an excellent teacher? Next, brainstorm specific examples or memories that you have that illustrate each of these reasons. These can become supporting details that you can draw in your nomination testimonial to highlight the instructor’s excellence.

Provide Context

It is helpful to provide committee members with some context on your relationship with the nominee, preferably at the beginning of your testimonial. For current and former students, this can include information about the class(es) you have taken with the instructor, how this class(es) fit into your academic program, or other experiences you may have had with the nominee outside of these classes. Meanwhile, faculty and staff might begin with information about how they have learned about the nominee’s teaching excellence and how that teaching excellence has influenced them.

Refer Directly to Award Criteria

Each teaching award has specific criteria that the committee uses to rate nominees. These criteria are listed on the website that describes the award as well as on the online nomination form. The strongest testimonials refer directly to these criteria and explain, with detail and example, how the nominee not only meets, but also exceeds the criteria. Many strong nomination testimonials use the criteria as headers to divide the sections of their testimonial.

For example, one of the criteria for the Symons Award for Teaching Excellence is “demonstrates exemplary concern for students.” A nominator might use this phrase as a heading for a section or begin a paragraph of their testimonial with the sentence, “I have directly experienced and benefited from _____’s exemplary concern for their students.”

Be Specific and Give Detail

Perhaps the most important factor that distinguishes a strong nomination testimonial is the use of specific examples and detail. It is essential to go beyond telling the committee that an instructor meets or exceed the award criteria to show, through examples, how they do so. You could include details about an instructor’s teaching techniques, assessment practices, or ability to give helpful feedback to support your claims about their teaching excellence.

For instance, if you wish to show that a nominee inspired your love of learning, you could discuss particular moments from class that deepened your knowledge of a subject and made you want to learn more about it. One way to ensure that you have used examples, is to begin sentences with the words “For example” or “For instance.”

Highlight the Significance of the Instructor to You

Details and examples are important to a strong nomination testimonial. But so too is the larger story of how an instructor has affected you as a student, alumni, or colleague. Perhaps the nominee helped you gain confidence in yourself as a learner; perhaps they led you change your academic or personal goals; or maybe they are an important reason that you have been able to overcome certain challenges. Make sure to reflect on the larger significance of having the nominee as an instructor.

Know the Value of Your Nomination

It is important that you know how much we value the time and effort you put into your nomination. Award decisions are made solely on the basis of nominator’s testimonials, so you are essential to helping us recognize teaching excellence at Trent. We also want you to know that every instructor who is nominated receives a letter of commendation that not only congratulates them on their nomination but includes several anonymized passages from testimonials written on their behalf. Whether or not they win a formal teaching award, reading these words of support means so much to nominees.

Annotated Sample Nominations

The nominations below were all written by students on behalf of a nominee for one of Trent’s internal teaching awards. We hope they will provide you with inspiration as you craft your own nomination letter.

Do you have questions about how to write a strong nomination? Contact Dana Capell at the Centre for Teaching and Learning.

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A Guide to Nominating Your Teacher for an Award

Nominating your teacher for an award, important considerations for nominating a teacher for an award.

The road to becoming National Teacher of the Year is lengthy. Teachers are nominated for their state’s teacher of the year program by their school, district, or other community members, including students and parents. (In some states, they can nominate themselves.) Then, the state teachers of the year apply for the national honor, which is organized by the Council of Chief State School Officers. https://www.edweek.org/

Criteria for Teacher Awards

Finding awards for teachers, the nomination process.

The nomination process for teacher awards typically involves filling out a nomination form and providing additional materials to support the nomination. Some awards may also require letters of recommendation or other supporting documentation.

What to Include in a Nomination Packet

Making your nomination stand out, multiple nominations for the same teacher, nominating a teacher who has already won an award, recognizing teachers who have been nominated, benefits of winning teacher awards, example of an award nomination essay for your teacher, keep reading, sample words of appreciation from teachers to parents.

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  • Nomination Information for Students

Writing a Persuasive Nomination

We need strong, detailed recommendations from students. The most effective nomination gives detailed, concrete reasons why your instructor should win a Teaching Award.

  • In at least one complete paragraph, please summarize the teaching skills and other attributes that make your instructor worthy of being recognized for his or her outstanding work; be sure to include specific examples to differentiate your nominee from all those under consideration.
  • Please make your voice count by writing clearly and cogently.

Although this is not an essay, please make every effort to show off the writing skills you have learned here at Northwestern. Please remember that your response will be read by several high-level administrators to determine who will be selected for the final awards.

Example of an Effective Nomination

Professor Jones deserves to win a Teaching Award because of her outstanding commitment to teaching and her care for students. She consistently delivers well-prepared and engaging lectures that keep me interested throughout the entire class. She has a strong mastery over the course materials and relates her vast knowledge in a clear and effective manner. Although the course is not discussion- based, she always encourages students to ask questions during class and always takes time to answer the questions, even if that means staying late after every class session. She is very approachable and took extra time to help me learn complex material that I did not understand at first. One of the most cohesive examples of this was when she held office hours at 6 AM, three hours before a 9 AM final. Overall, she has made me want to take more courses in her field and has been a strong example of how professors should teach and treat their students. For all of these reasons, I believe that Professor Jones should receive a Teaching Award.

How to Do Write Ups for Teacher of the Year Awards

Louise harding, 25 jul 2018.

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One method of recognizing a teacher who has gone above job expectations is nominating the instructor for a Teacher of the Year award. Many school districts or universities have templates or formats for writing up a teacher for the local award. If your particular school offers no guidelines for the nomination letter, you’ll need to write a persuasive letter detailing what the teacher has accomplished and how those accomplishments have impacted student lives. The key to writing a successful letter of recommendation for teacher of the year is concisely stating who, what, how and why the teacher deserves the recognition.

Explore this article

  • Teacher Nomination Letter Example
  • Strive for Perfection
  • Follow Standard Business Format
  • Write Body of the Letter
  • End with Touching Conclusion

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  • Research on teacher's experience
  • Examples of teacher's deeds
  • Contact information

1 Teacher Nomination Letter Example

Do an internet search for a sample letter of recommendation for excellence award. Ideally, you can find one specifically for nominating an outstanding educator. If not, modify the letter to describe a teacher rather than a volunteer, for instance. For instance you could start your letter by saying, "I am writing this recommendation for excellence award on behalf of my teacher, Mr. William Smith, who devotes countless hours of his own time helping students succeed."

2 Strive for Perfection

You will notice in any teacher nomination letter example you find online that the letter is well written. Pay close attention to your own writing skills. Grammar, sentence structure, spelling and vocabulary will possibly sway the letter reader either positively or negatively. Absolutely make sure your letter is error-free.

3 Follow Standard Business Format

Stick to a standard letter format with a greeting, introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion to keep the mission of the paper on target. Your introduction should include the name the teacher you are nominating in your letter of recommendation for teacher of the year. Mention the schools, subject matter or position, and grade level the teacher is teaching. Specify the award for which the teacher is being nominated. Also tell the reader how you are related to the teacher. For example, Teacher X was your homeroom teacher in ninth grade.

4 Write Body of the Letter

Focus the first paragraph of the letter on the teacher's current duties. Also mention the teacher's contributions to the field of education in years past. Focus the second body paragraph of the letter on the teacher’s deeds and services to students or people in general. Give specific examples of events or instances on what the teacher has done to exceed expectations. Give names of students helped, or personal examples of what this teacher has done to help you. Teacher of the Year awards are given to teachers who go over and beyond the normal classroom duties. Give detailed examples, in the third paragraph of the nomination letter, of how this teacher’s actions have impacted the life or lives of students.

5 End with Touching Conclusion

Summarize your letter of recommendation for teacher of the year by stress how this teacher has changed lives. Long-term impact is especially persuasive. For example, the class thug turned his life around, went to college and is now a teacher because the instructor being nominated made sure that the student had breakfast in the morning, a warm coat and tutoring after school. Thank the committee or letter reader for their time. Close the letter with “Sincerely” and your name. Provide additional contact information in your letter should the committee want to ask additional questions.

  • 1 eForms: Teacher Letter of Recommendation Template
  • 2 Purdue University Online Writing Lab: Writing the Basic Business Letter

About the Author

Louise Harding holds a B.A. in English language arts and is a licensed teacher. Harding is a professional fiction writer. She is mother to four children, two adopted internationally, and has had small businesses involving sewing and crafting for children and the home. Harding's frugal domestic skills help readers save money around the home.

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Centre for Teaching Excellence Blog

The University of Waterloo

Effective letters for teaching-award nominations – Trevor Holmes

essay nominating teacher

  • Start with how you know the nominee, since when, and in what context
  • Give your own qualifications as a context for your comments
  • Get to know the award for which the professor, instructor, or teaching assistant is being nominated — address whatever criteria you honestly can address
  • Provide specifics: not just your favourite teacher ever, but the specific ways in which he/she (for example) helped you grasp a concept, choose a major, succeed in a career, teach others something, overcome test anxiety, become aware of your own skills, and so forth.
  • Explain with examples how you are different for having had this teacher. What did you take away from the course BECAUSE of his or her teaching style and/or methods? This might involve concepts, but it might also involve values, approaches, or attitudes!

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trevorholmes

As Senior Instructional Developer, Curriculum and Programming, Trevor Holmes plans and delivers workshops and events in support of faculty across the career span. Prior to joining the Centre for Teaching Excellence, Trevor worked at a variety of universities teaching courses, supporting faculty and teaching assistants through educational development offices, and advising undergraduates. Trevor’s PhD is from York University in English Literature, with a focus on gothic literature, queer theory, and goth identities. A popular workshop facilitator at the national and international levels, Trevor is also interested in questions of identity in teaching and teaching development. View all posts by trevorholmes

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The National Teacher of the Year Award: A ‘Call to Service’ or a ‘Popularity Contest’?

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This year’s announcement of the five finalists for National Teacher of the Year brought with it the usual excitement, anticipation, and pride—as well as some concerns from other educators.

The national contest, which began in 1952, is meant to be one that celebrates and honors inspiring teachers and recognizes the importance of teaching. But some Education Week readers wrote on Facebook that they worried that the competition pitted teachers against each other and that the requirements to enter were a barrier for teachers who have responsibilities outside of school.

One educator wrote, “All teachers are teachers of the year.” Another said that in her experience, “the best teachers never get nominated.”

Past finalists and honorees have said the process of being considered for National Teacher of the Year was a humbling experience that allowed them to advocate for the profession they love. It’s not meant to elevate some teachers at the expense of others, they said, but rather allow them to represent the needs of teachers and students on a national level.

“This award isn’t about being the best teacher, it’s about being chosen to represent teachers by building relationships and connections, gently but firmly holding others accountable, correcting the record when needed, and pulling up your own seat to the table,” Linda Rost, the 2020 Montana Teacher of the Year and a finalist for the national award, wrote in an email. “It also takes a lot of bravery, but so does teaching.”

The road to becoming National Teacher of the Year is lengthy. Teachers are nominated for their state’s teacher of the year program by their school, district, or other community members, including students and parents. (In some states, they can nominate themselves.) Then, the state teachers of the year apply for the national honor, which is organized by the Council of Chief State School Officers.

A selection committee of representatives from more than a dozen education organizations combs through the applications and picks four finalists—or five this year, for the first time in more than three decades—for the top prize. The finalists go through a series of interviews, and the national winner is named in the spring.

The National Teacher of the Year is released from classroom duties for a year to “shine a light on the vital role of teachers in this country,” according to CCSSO’s website. The teacher typically speaks at more than 150 events across the country to advocate for students and the profession. Many past winners have focused on an issue of choice during their yearlong sabbatical.

“State teachers of the year, and the National Teacher of the Year, take seriously the responsibility to represent the educators in their states and the United States, respectively,” Carolyn Phenicie, CCSSO’s spokesperson, wrote in an email. “We are grateful for those who work on State Teacher of the Year programs and the members of the National Teacher of the Year Selection Committee for making the difficult decision in choosing state teachers of the year, finalists and the National Teacher of the Year from among many outstanding candidates.”

Here’s what EdWeek’s social media followers had to say about the award.

There’s an unfair barrier to entry for some

I wonder how many of the nominees have children and/or aging parents they have to care for. it oftentimes seems to me that nominees tend to skew young and relatively unencumbered with familial demands. it would be interesting to do a study of the last few decades’ worth of nominees (and the winners) to see if this is a real trend or if i’m just imagining it. i honestly don’t know..

- Jessica L.

Totally see it too. Since you have to write an essay about yourself and collect multiple letters once nominated, it’s very time consuming at the state and national level. I’d rather spend my free time with family and friends.

It pits teachers against each other, when did teaching become a competition.

- Ramona G.

Popularity contest.

- Jennifer R .

All teachers deserve the distinction

Most teachers are “teacher of the year”, working their hearts out. i hate these awards whether local or national., all teachers are teachers of the year. you’re lucky to have them. they all work very hard and do things not many can handle. doing competitions like these are stupid and an offense to the career., past finalists say the award can have a big impact.

Chris Dier, the 2020 Louisiana Teacher of the Year and a finalist for the national honor that year, said he understood some of those concerns.

“Some of the best teachers I’ve ever [met] in my life are not getting recognized,” he said.

The award isn’t meant to signal that anyone is a better teacher than others, he said. Instead, finalists and honorees should view it as a “call to service” that comes with a “responsibility and obligation” to elevate not just their own students, but all students.

“We have a moral obligation to be responsible with that platform and use it in a way to elevate others as opposed to ourselves,” he said. "[The honor] is not the end-all-be-all; now your advocacy work is just beginning, and on a wider scale than what you were doing in your own community.”

The finalists for the 2023 National Teacher of the Year are: Harlee Harvey, a 1st grade teacher in Point Hope, Alaska; Carolyn Kielma, a high school science teacher in Bristol, Conn.; Jermar Rountree, a preschool-8th grade physical education and health teacher in the District of Columbia; Kimberly Radostits, an 8th-12th grade Spanish teacher in Oregon, Ill.; and Rebecka Peterson, a high school math teacher in Tulsa, Okla.

Rost, the 2020 finalist, said that each has a unique perspective to bring to the table.

“This honor can also profoundly impact the public, and I think the finalists can optimize their impact by just being real when they talk with the public about the joys and challenges they face in teaching. This can also empower other teachers to speak up about their experiences,” Rost wrote, adding that the general public too often doesn’t understand the real work of teaching. “The finalists now have a chance to ‘teach’ the world what it is actually like to be a teacher, and also inspire and encourage other teachers to stay in the work.”

She added: “My hope for the finalists is that they can bask in the honor of being called to represent such an incredible profession. ... It is also an incredible honor for their state, and they are making history. This can and does affect the way the general public sees education in their state, which is a big deal.”

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Ross Way Staff Excellence Award

Sample Nominations

In order to make the nomination process more accessible, the committee will accept nominations in essay or bullet point format. When using either format, please give detailed, descriptive examples. 

EXAMPLE 1 – ESSAY FORMAT

My nominee brings strong assets to their role and our group is incredibly fortunate to have them as our administrator.

First, they are dedicated and hardworking. They are extremely organized and focused on continuously learning and developing best practices to manage routine activities both efficiently and effectively. They bring a positive high energy and a personal touch. When I began my term as chair, they had developed processes and procedures over the years for managing our department that thoroughly impressed me. This brings consistency, as department chairs rotate, and helps each of us to start our term running, rather than scrambling to orient ourselves.

They bring true professional attributes to Ross and genuinely care about delivering excellent quality work. They strive to integrate both an understanding of the big picture strategy and goals (for the school, for the department), as well as attention to details. Many times over the last few years, I have approached them on a non-standard matter with only a vague idea in my mind of what we needed or wanted to do. They took the initiative to figure out what the area needed with minimal guidance from me, and then delivered on the task as well. They also always go above and beyond the call of duty in pursuing excellence. For example, in supporting our department retreat, they collaborated with the departmental committee as a team member and found creative ways to support the vision of the event with regards to the venue. The event received rave reviews by all and helped build the culture of our department.

My nominee easily develops and fosters relationships with faculty, doctoral students, and our guests. They actively participate in meetings and events; their participation enables them to understand the departments’ implicit needs and initiate ideas to support our efforts. They are terrific in welcoming our new faculty members and doctoral students, helping them adjust to the Ross School and Ann Arbor more generally. Likewise, our guest speakers and recruiting candidates encounter high quality facilitation of travel and accommodation, a welcoming personal hello, and we get rave reviews from them.

I highly recommend my nominee for a Ross Staff Recognition Award. They are motivated and positively engaged, serving as a true inspiration.

EXAMPLE 2 – Bulleted List

  • They are always available to give advice and problem-solve
  • They have a wonderful understanding of the departments in Ross and will often seek out staff from other departments to advise and collaborate with
  • Has attended multiple professional development classes
  • In their 5 years at Ross I have seen them constantly ask questions, develop their work portfolio, and become an expert in their field while still remaining curious
  • When we were short staffed they took on extra work to keep the office moving forward
  • Takes initiative to streamline processes
  • Has often been given a nominal or vague explanation of what the desired outcome should be. They took the initiative to figure out what was needed with minimal guidance from me, and exceeded expectations on the outcome.
  • Our department chairs rotate, and this ensured consistency no matter who was leading the department.
  • They make it a priority that everyone on the team gets an opportunity to speak
  • They are a part of the DEI committee and has helped to lead our team in diversity training

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  • Essay on Education

Nomination Of Teacher Of The Year Essays

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Education , Teaching , Community , Students , Award , Laura , Teacher , College

Published: 01/28/2020

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I am writing this letter to nominate Laura Durbin of West Kentucky Community & Technical College for the teacher of the year award. She is of the best teachers I have ever and will ever come across. What I most regard about Laura is her exceptional ability to stimulate learning in students and add personality to the course contents. All students can feel optimism and energy radiating from her teaching. Laura also has a dynamic style of teaching that makes her students to listen actively to her.

Laura does not only teach well, she also cares so much about the understanding of each student in her class. She is a genuine, personal, enthusiastic and optimistic individual willing to help students by going beyond the call of duty. She is an exceptional teacher who takes extra effort in ensuring that students in need of extra help are accommodated in her teaching despite her busy schedule. She is also a master in the art of reaching struggling students with complete professionalism, and simple yet profound empathy and motherly instincts.

Laura also spends time giving feedback on all assignments and provides individualized feedback to every student concerning their strong and weak points. Laura Durbin is an excellent role model teacher who shows devotion and selflessness to West Kentucky Community college, her students and her coworkers, Laura is a source of inspiration for many students. She inspires and positively impacts all the people she meets every day in her teaching profession. She is always updated about the latest instructional technologies and teaching methodologies. Laura has a calling for teaching, and highly deserves the best teacher of the year award.

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Teacher Information and Curriculum Ideas

Each student participant must have a “nominating teacher” who provides support and advice during the research and writing process. Nominating teachers are asked to proofread students’ essays, make suggestions for improvement, and ensure that the essays meet the contest requirements. The first-place winner and her/his/their nominating teacher will be invited to receive awards at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston. 

Many teachers use the contest as a class project and submit the essays of an entire class. We invite you to use the materials below to introduce your students to the concept of political courage.

Teacher Mailing List

Lesson 1: defining political courage, lesson 2: examining past “profiles in courage”, lesson 3: identifying issues requiring political courage, lesson 4: investigating contemporary “profiles in courage”, related common core and national standards, profiles in courage excerpts.

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Nominating Letter Samples

Letter of Recommendation samples

Below are paragraphs taken from nominating letters submitted in previous years.  We thought that it might be useful to nominators to see what kinds of comments and descriptions the Selection Committee found helpful.

Teacher V believes that it is her duty to establish a rigorous learning environment within the classroom to enable student centered learning.  A testament to this is my visit to her AP Calculus class two days ago.  Students were working in groups of four on problems requiring implicit differentiations that were at the level of  AP Calculus BC open-ended questions.  The students created the solutions, articulately presented those solutions to their peers, critiqued and discussed each other’s work, and mastered the content  while the teacher strategically injected questions to enhance the discussion.  In the middle of the class, a student filled with pride from a successful presentation, blurted out, “This is the best class ever!”  I went over to ask him why he had said that, and he replied, “Because we learn so much here.”  And the test results bear him out.

However, the attribute that makes Teacher V a special teacher is that she addresses the affective nature of the students with the same vigor that she applies to their intellectual nature.  Her disposition toward students is welcoming.  At any time of the day and well beyond the end of school, one will find students in her room.  Many come for extra help.  Just as many are there doing service projects as members of the National Honor Society which she advises, honing their skills to participate in mathematics competitions for which she is a coach, working on projects as members of our Math Club which she also advises, coming in for emotional support or advice, or just taking a rest in a warm place from an emotionally charged world.

If there is a committee that will improve the quality of education in our school, Teacher W is either on it or chairing it.  He recently collaborated with the history department in creating an interdisciplinary unit based on The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass .  It was extremely well received by both students and teachers, and he is hard at work thinking of other ways to energize instruction.  On the school or district level, this teacher is a “go-to person.”

Amazing as he is with subject content, where he really soars is in his rapport and interaction with his students.  Whether they are highly motivated honors scholars or struggling to pass the HSPA, he gives them the emotional support and guidance they need.  I have seen him take his prep periods to counsel and mentor troubled students who just need someone to listen to them.  Students can always tell when teachers really care about them, and they flock to Teacher W because of his genuine concern and gentle humor.  He knows that young people learn best when their minds are engaged while their spirits are nurtured.  I am always happy when my former students have this teacher, because I know they are in safe, strong hands.  I know that he will encourage them to reach their fullest academic potential while he boosts their self esteem.

I had the unique opportunity to know Teacher X in a special way, because she was my mentor during my first year of teaching, and now she is a colleague.  I see her give the same intense dedication to every one of her students as she did for me.  She helps each one of them to believe that, no matter how bad their home lives may be, they can be successful in life.  She helps them to find reasons not to believe the stereotypes about the town they live in or the economic situations they come from.  She helps them to see something more that many would never realize otherwise.  She helps them to see that they can make good lives for themselves.

Her dedication to her students is unparalleled.  She stays for hours after school tutoring the students who can’t quite get something right.  She won’t let them give up, because she never gives up on them.  Many of her students say she is a difficult teacher, because she won’t accept less than their best from them.  Many more of her students say that she’s the greatest teacher they’ve ever had because she showed them how to learn and how to believe in themselves the way she believes in them.

Throughout my career, I have had the honor of working with many distinguished teachers who have inspired me to continue my path to lifelong learning.  When one of those I supervise causes me to reflect on my own practice, inspire me and stimulate new ideas, I realize that I have been given a gift.  Now beginning our sixth year together, I have been fortunate to serve as supervisor for Teacher Y in my roles as assistant principal and principal.  During that time, parents, colleagues and students have continued to be impressed by his energy, determination, dedication and vision.

Many colleagues are able to describe how Teacher Y contributes to the success of his students in planning and implementing instruction, but his contributions go far beyond his instructional responsibilities. In his desire to serve students, he challenges himself and others to take risks and seek alternatives.  In his quest for continued growth, he has served as a contributor and motivator in many roles that include grade level liaison to the technology department, member of the professional development committee, representative for the sciences on the district’s articulation committee, member of the county Science Expo committee, and a team leader in the school.  Teacher Y brings a high level of energy, insight and expertise to all of the committees on which he serves.

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Teacher of the Year Nomination Form

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A teacher of the year nomination form is used to nominate teachers for an award. Whether you’re a teacher, student, or fellow faculty member, use this free Teacher of the Year Nomination Form template to recognize exemplary teaching — whether in your school, college, or university. Simply customize the form template and embed it on your school’s website to start collecting teacher nominations.

Don’t stop there! You can use our free Form Builder to add photos, create separate sections for student comments, and even sync responses to your favorite accounts. If you’d like to send responses to your other accounts — such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, or Airtable — take care of it automatically with our 100+ integrations. If you’re looking for more ways to get the information you need to improve teaching, download the Jotform Mobile Forms app and take your nomination form on the go. Track submitted responses and collect feedback!

Awards Nomination Form Template

Awards Nomination Form

An award nomination form is a form template designed to streamline the process of nominating individuals for awards such as "best worker," "best employee," "best student," or "best member." This form allows organizations, schools, sports clubs, community groups, and industrial corporations to collect nominee information and determine the right person for the award. With the Award Nomination Form, you can easily gather all the necessary details about the nominees, including their achievements, qualifications, and supporting documents. Whether you're recognizing outstanding employees, students, or members of your organization, this form template makes the nomination process efficient and organized.With Jotform's easy-to-use products, such as Form Builder and Jotform Tables, creating and managing your award nomination form is a breeze. Jotform's Form Builder is a user-friendly, drag-and-drop online form builder that allows you to customize your form to match your organization's branding. The extensive field options and widgets in the Form Builder enable you to collect all the necessary information for the nomination process. Jotform Tables, on the other hand, provides a spreadsheet-style workspace where you can organize and analyze the collected data. Visualize, filter, and sort the data to make informed decisions about the award recipients.

Employee Nomination Form Template

Employee Nomination Form

Nominations within a company is a great way to boost morale. And for these instances, an employee nomination form is the easiest way to gather votes. This employee award nomination form template will have fields that best describe the employee being nominated. An employee recognition form template should also contain questions that will highlight the accomplishments of the nominees as well as their strengths when working with a team. Use the best employee nomination form and keep those votes coming.

Scholarship Application Form Template

Scholarship Application

A comprehensive Scholarship Application Form collecting applicants' personal and contact details, pictures of themselves, references, answers regarding questions to define their character, list of books they have read in the past year, and a short essay regarding a specific question.You can customize the template through a variety of Jotform tools and integrations, add your visual and informative content, change the colors, theme, and fonts, and either embed it to your website or use it as a standalone form.

Award Nomination Form Template

Award Nomination Form

Do you plan to provide awards in your industry or organization? This form will help you get nominations easily.

Adoption Certificate Form Template

Adoption Certificate Form

This simple, short, and easy-to-use Adoption Certificate Form Template comes in pretty handy when creating an adoption certificate. Simply fill in the name of the child or pet that is being adopted, the name of the person adopting the child or pet, details of the adopting family, and the date of adoption. Jotform’s PDF Editor then uses the information you’ve provided in this Adoption Certificate Form Template to populate our adoption certificate template in an easily accessible PDF format. It’s really simple; fill the form in less than 5 minutes and instantly get an amazing adoption certificate template you can be extremely proud of.

Award Certificate Form Template

Award Certificate Form

With Jotform’s Award Certificate Form Template, it is very easy for you to create professional award certificates for outstanding students, hardworking employees, and devoted team members. Simply enter the required details such as the name of the individual or group of persons receiving the award, the type of award being given, the institution, organization or department giving this award, the reason for the award, and the date of the award into the labelled spaces in the form. This form template is universal and serves an all-purpose function for creating any kind of award or certificate you desire. Use this template today.

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  • Anne Arundel County Public Schools
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  • What Makes a Strong Application?
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What Makes a Strong Teacher of the Year Application?

The Teacher of the Year nomination packet is used to determine whether a nominee would be an outstanding representative of excellence in teaching for Anne Arundel County. It also serves as the first step in determining whether an AACPS nominee will be a strong candidate for the Maryland State Teacher of the Year competition.

Click on a heading to review the the criteria that the selection committee considers when scoring a nominee’s Round One application.

ToY Round One Guidelines

What makes a strong cover letter.

The cover letter, submitted by the nominating principal, is designed to highlight the nominee as a leader across the school community. The letter for an exceptional nominee:

  • Provides specific and varied examples of the impact that the nominee has had on the school learning community;
  • Describes how the teacher demonstrates a strong connection between teaching and student achievement;
  • Illustrates how the teacher provides leadership and models community service;
  • Shows evidence of extraordinary service, leadership, and community partnerships in support of student achievement.
  • Include anecdotes and testimonials from students, parents, and/or colleagues to illustrate the impact the nominee has had on the school community.

What Makes a Strong Philosophy of Teaching?

This section, written by the nominated educator, allows the nominee to articulate a strong philosophy of teaching and share how this philosophy is reflected in the classroom.  A highly scored philosophy of teaching:

  • Communicates a philosophy that is based on research-based practices; 
  • Reflects an understanding of the relationship between teaching and learning;
  • Reflect a grasp of the age-appropriate learning needs of students;
  • Includes concrete examples, and
  • Is written clearly, without errors.

What Makes a Strong Resumé?

The resumé is designed to highlight the nominee’s education and career background. The resumé of an exceptional nominee will highlight: 

  • Academic credentials, such as a Master's Degree or an Ed.D./PhD, advanced professional certifications, and/or National Board Certification that the nominee has earned or is in the process of earning;
  • Participation in on-going professional development opportunities;
  • Regular collaboration with colleagues to implement innovative approaches to teaching;
  • Frequent contributions to non-classroom activities, including activities within the community, and to the education initiatives at the local, regional, and national levels;
  • Membership of professional organizations;
  • Other awards or recognitions the nominee has received, if applicable. 

Note:  Only information from the Professional Resume (1-2 pages) submitted with your application will be reviewed by the Selection Committee.

Meet our Past Winners

Previous TOY Winners

Read stories by past AACPS Teacher of the Year winners and nominees that take you inside some of the best classrooms in Anne Arundel County.

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For questions about the Teacher of the Year selection process or awards ceremony:

Jenn Lombardi Senior Manager, Office of School and Family Partnerships [email protected]

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Vote: Who should be Teacher of the Year?

Deborah Young, from Haslet, Texas, Susan Bull, from Duke, Okla., and Billie Yardley, from Dandridge, Tenn., are finalists in our Teacher of the Year contest.

We asked you to nominate your favorite teachers for Kathie Lee and Hoda's Teacher of the Year contest — and you answered! 

We've narrowed it down to three finalists and now, you have the last say. 

Read the official rules . Voting ends Nov. 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Deborah Young; Haslet, Texas

Lashawnda Pringle-Washington submitted this essay nominating Deborah Young:

My teacher of the year nomination is Mrs. Deborah Young from in Haslet, TX. Not only is she an outstanding teacher but she goes above and beyond to ensure that her students are taken care of. I have been fortunate to have her for 4 years, maybe not as the homeroom teacher, but in some way I have been blessed to have her. One of my sons was very shy and she came up with a curriculum that focused on his strengths and now that he is in middle school he is in the band, plays football and guess what, is even in theater arts because she motivated him. She helped my younger boys with their reading and is still very effective with my son and his adaptive learning process.

But that is not necessarily why Mrs. Young should be teacher of the year, this is why. Three years ago I was in the 8th month of my pregnancy when the unthinkable happened — my son got tangled up in the umbilical cord and died. I was devastated and so were my other kids. He was almost here then he wasn't. Mrs.Young took it upon herself along with a few other teachers and made sure I did not have to cook for my kids or anything. She delivered food to my home, with snacks, sides and drinks; all I had to do was heat it up. This was the first year that I really met her and she showed me so much kindness, I can only imagine the impact that she had on all her students and parents. She also gives back by doing breast cancer walks. Mrs. Young is a great example of not only a teacher but a human being.

Rashell Johnson submitted this essay nominating Susan Bull:

Susan Bull; Duke, Oklahoma

Mrs. Susan Bull is an amazing 2nd grade teacher but a remarkable person and that is why we are nominating her for the Teacher of the Year contest. Our daughter Reese has several special needs and can be difficult to teach and care for. Before Reese's second grade year began, Mrs. Bull called and came to our home to observe Reese in her natural environment and to ask questions about teaching her. Together we created activities to challenge and interest Reese. Mrs. Bull also developed a minute by minute plan for Reese's school day to keep her busy and moving. Mrs Bull is not a special education teacher so this was all extra duties she took on herself.

December brought forth the dreaded school play. However, Mrs. Bull stepped up to the challenge again. She programmed one of Reese's augmentative communication devices so Reese could have, not one, but two speaking parts. She dressed in character and sat with Reese the entire play so she could be included. As parents, we were blown away. Mrs. Bull noticed that there were special trips and rewards provided for children who reached personal educational goals. However, nothing like this existed for special needs children. Once again, Mrs. Bull delivered on her own with no pushing from parents. She developed obtainable personal educational goals for several children with a fun trip as the reward. The trip was paid for out of her own pocket to an indoor water park in another city. She shared that this should be the trip after observing each child and noticing how each loved the water. The trip was amazing! My husband cried on the way home stating, "Today I have enjoyed every minute being Reese's dad and that is partly thanks to Mrs Bull."

End of year was now approaching. Our county provides an All-Star Olympics for special needs children. Mrs. Bull headed up getting a banner and organizing events for three children, never blinking when she knew she was going to miss end of the school year ceremonies. Our little girl, who struggles each day, won 1st in soft ball throw, 3rd in rollerball race and 3rd in the 50 yard dash! Thanks to this woman's heart, we once again enjoyed a special day with our child. While at the Olympics, we got word that Mrs. Bull had won our school's teacher of the year award! She was told about the honor and she responded "Oh i don't deserve that!" My family and the Bulls attend the same church. Mrs Bull noticed I didn't bring Reese to children's activities on Wednesday evenings. I shared my concerns and two weeks later I was approached because a "sonshine" class had been developed for children with special needs. The teacher was, surprise, Mrs. Bull! I could tell more and more stories of how Mrs. Bull impacted our daughter's life and our life in just one small school year but I think you are able to see her heart through my stories. This woman not only sees areas that may be in need, she offers help and solutions. Mrs. Bull is an amazing teacher and person. I consider it an honor to have met her.

Billie Yardley; Dandridge, Tennessee

Penny Inman submitted this essay nominating Billie Yardley:

"Anything is possible and don't ever hold back." These are encouraging words from Mrs. Billie Yardley, an inspirational theater arts teacher. Mrs. Yardley pushes her students to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. She has always instilled a love of drama in her students. She also takes on the responsibility of organizing several programs during the year, most notably the Veterans Day program of over 200 students. Needless to say, our high school could not function without her.

The classroom, in which she shared her love of drama, was a converted shop class in the vocational building. There was a concrete floor, leaky roof, and small stage. Despite this, she made do with what she had. Unfortunately, this past June on a rainy Sunday, the roof collapsed and her classroom was destroyed. She not only lost costumes, trophies, and personal items, but a part of herself. However, she saw this as a chance to show everyone that she could prevail and come out stronger. Her entire classroom is now reduced to a rolling cart. She is still making sure that all of the events continue, but this year will be difficult. Her optimism is always remarkable.

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Profile in Courage High School Awards

Scholarship sponsored by john f. kennedy library foundation.

In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. These leaders demonstrated political courage by taking a stand for the public good in spite of pressure by interest groups, their political party, or even their constituents. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.

Contest Topic

Describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. Include an analysis of the obstacles, risks, and consequences associated with the act. The essay may concern an issue at the local, state, national, or international level.

Since originality is one of the criteria for judging, we strongly encourage students to profile an official in their town, state or region, or a leader who has addressed an issue of great concern to them. We advise students to avoid selecting a common essay subject. 

Eligibility

The contest is open to United States high school students in grades nine through twelve attending public, private, parochial, or home schools; U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories; and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas. Past winners and finalists are not eligible to participate. Employees of John Hancock Financial Services and members of their families are not eligible to participate.

Requirements

  • The contest deadline is January 12, 2024 at 11:59 PM (EST).
  • Essays can be no more than 1,000 words but must be a minimum of 700 words. Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count.
  • Essays must be the original work of the student.
  • Essays must have a minimum of five sources.

Essay Subjects

  • Essays must describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year John F. Kennedy was born. The official may have addressed an issue at the local, state, or national level. See Contest Topic and Information and Helpful Tips for Writing Your Essay for more information.
  • Since originality is one of the criteria for judging, writing about any of these common essay subjects will lower your score.
  • John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Edward M. Kennedy are not eligible subjects for essays.
  • Essays about past recipients of the Profile in Courage Award will be disqualified unless they describe an act of political courage other than the act for which the award was given.
  • Essays about the senators in Profiles in Courage will be disqualified.
  • Participants are strongly discouraged from profiling the most written about essay subjects. Be sure to check this list of common essay subjects before you select your topic.

Source Material

  • Essays with fewer than five listed sources will be disqualified.
  • All participants must cite sources they used to research their topic throughout their essay. Please use parenthetical citations within the text. We can not accept citations in footnote form.
  • Essays must include a bibliography. Accepted formats include APA, MLA, or Turabian. You must use a minimum of five selected sources. Please refer to Guidelines for Citations and Bibliographies.

Nominating Teachers

  • All students must list the name of their nominating teacher on the registration form. The role of a nominating teacher is to provide students with support and advice during the writing of their essay. Nominating teachers are also asked to read students' essays to make suggestions for improvement before they are submitted to the essay contest. As part of this review process, the nominating teacher reviews the essay for syntax, grammatical, typographical and spelling errors and ensures the essay meets the contest requirements listed above. The first place winner and his/her nominating teacher, as representatives of their school, will be invited to receive awards at the annual Profile in Courage Award ceremony held each May at the Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston.
  • Nominating teachers can be former or current teachers, but must still be teaching at the same high school as the essay participant. Usually students ask their English or History/Social Studies teachers. In very few cases, we will make an exception if a student is unable to ask a teacher from their high school to be their nominating teacher. The parent or legal guardian responsible for the instruction of home schooled students can also serve as a nominating teacher.

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Texas A&M chancellor announces he will step down next year

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BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Porter Garner jokes that he is not sure John Sharp ever sleeps.

“It’s not uncommon to get a text from John late at night, or at four in the morning,” said Garner, longtime president of The Association of Former Students at Texas A&M University. “He has some new idea or concept he’d like to discuss. Ultimately, it is about A&M, to benefit our students, our former students our university.”

“He’s the best chancellor we’ve ever had,” Garner added. “No chancellor in history has ever advanced Texas A&M and the Texas A&M University System like John Sharp has.”

Garner is among the Texans praising the era of the longest serving chancellor in the history of the Texas A&M System. Sharp announced Monday that he will retire as chancellor in 12 months.

“Texas is grateful for Chancellor John Sharp’s unwavering commitment to improving higher education in the State of Texas,” Governor Greg Abbott said. “His extraordinary leadership throughout his time as Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System provided young Texans with the tools they need to thrive in our booming economy.”

Sharp, who became Chancellor in September 2011, sent a letter Monday thanking past and present regents, system employees and elected officials for their years of support.

“Leading this grand enterprise has been one of the great privileges of my life,” Sharp said. “I feel a deep sense of gratitude to all of you who have shown confidence in me and contributed to our collective endeavor. Together we have lifted the Texas A&M System to historic heights.”

The Board of Regents will conduct a national search in the coming months for Sharp’s successor, said Chairman Bill Mahomes.

“It’s an understatement to say we have giant boots to fill,” said Mahomes, a regent since 2015. “John Sharp is an Aggie icon – bigger than life – and we all are the beneficiaries of his bold leadership. He has made the System smarter, more innovative, and more responsive to the needs of Texans in every corner of the state.”

Phil Adams, who served on the Board of Regents during the first 10 years of Sharp’s tenure, applauded the breadth of Sharp’s accomplishments.

“The A&M System has become a dynamo nationally since John Sharp became chancellor,” Adams said. “He has had more vision, energy, and know-how than anyone else. Every year he had a big idea, and it got done.”

Some of the Sharp era achievements:

  • A historic building boom with $11.4 billion for 306 projects that improved facilities at all 11 System universities and eight state agencies.
  • The Chancellor’s Research Initiative built up key research fields by recruiting elite faculty. With additional support from the Governor’s University Research Initiative, the effort has led to a five-fold boost in faculty who are national research leaders as evidenced by membership in the elite National Academies in engineering, science, and medicine.
  • The transformation of Riverside Campus into Texas A&M-RELLIS, a high-tech hub of research labs and test ranges to innovate for national defense and a variety of other needs. With backing from the U.S. Army Futures Command and numerous other outside stakeholders, the System and the state invested over $1 billion at RELLIS in the past eight years. The campus also includes an innovative academic component.
  • The acquisition and growth of the Texas A&M School of Law, which has risen faster in national rankings than any law school in history. It is now considered No. 2 in Texas.
  • The construction and renovation of athletic facilities throughout the System, most notably Kyle Field. Reopened in 2015 with more than 102,000 seats, it is the fourth biggest football stadium in the nation and the biggest in the SEC.
  • The 10-year agreement to co-manage the Los Alamos National Laboratory, helping with lab management, nuclear operations and national security and scientific research.
  • A more detailed list of accomplishments is available  here .

In his letter, Sharp noted proudly that “Texas A&M, in particular, has grown to become the school of choice, with one of the biggest enrollments in the nation” while “our culture, our traditions, and the patriotic fervor of our students remain intact. We reflect the great traditions and culture of the state of Texas.”

Sharp earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas A&M in 1972. He was a member of the Corps staff of the Corps of Cadets, and he was elected student body president.

Before becoming chancellor, he had decades of public service, beginning in 1978 when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives. He later was elected to serve in the Texas Senate, on the Texas Railroad Commission and twice as state comptroller.

Twice Sharp played critical roles in debates on the future of taxation and state finance in Texas.

In 1991, with the state government facing looming deficits, Sharp, as the newly elected Comptroller of Public Accounts, issued a performance report  (Breaking the Mold ) that found billions of dollars in efficiencies to sidestep the crisis.

Again in 2006, Sharp – by then out of office – was called by his old college friend and political rival, Governor Rick Perry, to lead a tax reform commission and resolve a school finance crisis that threatened to close public schools. The commission created a business tax in lieu of an income tax.

“I killed the income tax twice,” Sharp said.

Perry was not the only governor to call on Sharp.

In 2017, Governor Greg Abbott named Sharp as the leader of the Commission to Rebuild Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Sharp accepted the challenge and the unpaid position while continuing to serve as the chancellor of the A&M System.

“Chancellor Sharp rose to the occasion and helped ensure victims received all the necessary resources to recover,” Abbott said.

Later, the state decided to improve coordination of disaster response by adding the Texas Division of Emergency Management to the A&M System as its eighth state agency.

“I thank Chancellor Sharp for his dedication to chartering a brighter future for Texas,” Abbott said, “and I am proud of the work we achieved together for students across our great state and for all Texans.”

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called Sharp “a Texas institution.”

“Throughout his 45 years of public service in many different roles, Chancellor Sharp learned and perfected how to get things done in Austin,” Patrick said. “In his years as Texas A&M Chancellor he was a fierce advocate for the Aggies and will leave an indelible mark on higher education in Texas long after his retirement. Chancellor Sharp is ever a maverick; he managed to keep me on my toes throughout my time as a public servant. I always enjoyed our meetings and dealings. He is truly one of a kind and I thank him for his public service.”

State Rep. Greg Bonnen, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, placed Sharp in the pantheon of Aggie leadership.

“Texas A&M has had many great leaders like Sul Ross and James Earl Rudder, each leaving behind a legacy that reverberates through the character and values of Texas A&M,” Bonnen said. “As John Sharp’s tenure draws to a close, he steps into the history pages of this elite class of Aggie leaders, adding an indelible chapter of transformational advancements and life-changing achievements. His practical and enthusiastic guidance, driven by the spirit of the 12th Man, has forever changed Texas A&M and made our state and country safer and more prosperous for generations to come. I am grateful to Chancellor Sharp and his family for his many years of service to this great institution and the State of Texas.”

In his letter, Sharp said, “While I am retiring from this job, I will find ways to continue to serve the great state I love.”

He added, “One thing is for certain, I will never be too busy or too old to help Texas A&M and the Texas A&M System.”

The Chancellor’s letter is available  here .

A downloadable video message from the Chancellor is available  here .

About The Texas A&M University System The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $7.3 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, and the Texas A&M-RELLIS campus, the Texas A&M System educates more than 157,000 students and makes more than 21 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1 billion and help drive the state’s economy.

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New Hampshire teacher who helped student with abortion gets license restored after filing lawsuit

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FILE - Frank Edelblut listens during a public hearing on his nomination to lead New Hampshire’s Department of Education, Jan. 31, 2017, in Concord, N.H. On Monday, June 24, 2024, a private school teacher who says she was fired after driving an 18-year-old student to get an abortion filed suit against New Hampshire’s Department of Education and officials, including Edelblut, she claims falsely suggested she circumvented state law. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

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CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Department of Education has restored a teacher’s credentials days after she sued, alleging officials had mispresented her involvement in a student’s abortion.

The teacher, identified only as Jane Doe in her lawsuit filed Monday, didn’t contest her firing from a private school last fall but sued the education department and top officials over the revocation of her teaching license earlier this month. Her attorney, James Armillay, said he learned on Thursday that her license has been reinstated “while the administrative process plays out.”

“We are confident that when presented with all of the evidence in this case, an impartial hearing officer will determine that Ms. Doe did not violate the Code of Conduct for New Hampshire Educators, and that no sanction is warranted,” he said in an email. “In the meantime, Ms. Doe is excited to get back into the classroom to do what she loves: teaching New Hampshire’s students.”

In her lawsuit, the teacher said the education department exceeded its authority and violated her due process rights by revoking her license without a fair and impartial process. And it accuses Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut of pushing a false narrative of her conduct via an opinion piece he published in April.

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In that essay, Edelblut asked rhetorically whether the department should “turn a blind eye” when “allegedly, an educator lies by calling in sick so they can take a student – without parental knowledge – to get an abortion.”

New Hampshire law requires parents to receive written notice at least 48 hours before an abortion is performed on an unemancipated minor. But in this case, the student wasn’t living with her parents and was a legal adult, according to the lawsuit.

The teacher said she provided the student with contact information for a community health center last fall when the student disclosed her suspected pregnancy and later gave her a ride to the appointment in October. The school fired her within days and referred the matter to the Department of Education.

A court hearing is scheduled for July 3, five days before the teacher is set to begin a new job.

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Martin Mull, 80, Dies; Comic Actor Found Fame on ‘Mary Hartman’

An artist and a musician as well, he had a long list of credits that included the sitcoms “Roseanne” and “Veep.”

A bearded man wearing glasses and a cap dressed in a blue shirt and sweater vest looks at the camera.

By Trip Gabriel and Orlando Mayorquín

Martin Mull, the deadpan comic actor, singer-songwriter and artist who won widespread attention in the 1970s on television shows like “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” and “Fernwood 2-Night” and remained active in television and film over the next half-century, died on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 80.

His wife, Wendy Mull, confirmed the death. No cause was given.

Mr. Mull, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, broke into show business as a singer and songwriter with a satirical bent. He embodied the hip, cerebral humor that ran through the anti-establishment comedy of the 1970s and ’80s.

His persona — both the way he presented himself when he performed music and, later, the kind of roles he usually played in movies and on television — was droll, understated and often sardonic. Much like Steve Martin, with whom he was sometimes compared, he presented an outwardly buttoned-down image that belied an often absurdist sense of humor.

Mr. Mull’s first acting role was on “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” Norman Lear’s satire of soap operas, which debuted in 1976. He was cast in the supporting role of Garth Gimble, a domestic abuser who meets his demise by being impaled on an aluminum Christmas tree.

The next year he starred in the show’s spinoff, “Fernwood 2-Night,” a parody of talk shows. He played the show’s host, Barth Gimble, Garth’s twin brother.

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Write a Strong Teaching Award Nomination

    Be Specific and Give Detail. Perhaps the most important factor that distinguishes a strong nomination testimonial is the use of specific examples and detail. It is essential to go beyond telling the committee that an instructor meets or exceed the award criteria to show, through examples, how they do so. You could include details about an ...

  2. A Guide to Nominating Your Teacher for an Award

    When nominating a teacher for an award, it's essential to keep a few things in mind: Carefully read the criteria for the award to make sure your teacher meets the eligibility qualifications. Consider the teacher's overall impact on students, colleagues, and the community. Be specific about the teacher's accomplishments and provide ...

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  4. Writing a Persuasive Nomination

    Writing a Persuasive Nomination. We need strong, detailed recommendations from students. The most effective nomination gives detailed, concrete reasons why your instructor should win a Teaching Award. In at least one complete paragraph, please summarize the teaching skills and other attributes that make your instructor worthy of being ...

  5. How to Write a Letter to Nominate Your Teacher for an ...

    The Excellence in Education award is given to a teacher with an outstanding career achievement. The award brings recognition to the teacher and typically includes a cash prize as well. Nominating your teacher for an Excellence in Education award is a great way to show your appreciation for your teacher, as well as ...

  6. How to Do Write Ups for Teacher of the Year Awards

    A letter of recommendation for teacher of the year must tell a compelling story of how the nominee consistently goes above and beyond what is required in the classroom. Cite specific examples demonstrating why this teacher is even more deserving of recognition than other exceptional instructors.

  7. 5 Tips for Strengthening Nomination Statements

    The best statements are prepared by someone who is personally familiar with the nominee's work and accomplishments and speaks from experience. Give detail-rich information. Provide enough information and detail. For instance, if the nominee is inspiring, the statement should explain how or why. If the nominee affected one's career path, it ...

  8. Effective letters for teaching-award nominations

    Provide specifics: not just your favourite teacher ever, but the specific ways in which he/she (for example) helped you grasp a concept, choose a major, succeed in a career, teach others something, overcome test anxiety, become aware of your own skills, and so forth. Explain with examples how you are different for having had this teacher.

  9. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    The role of your nominating teacher is to provide you with support and advice during the writing of your essay. He or she is also required to read your essay before you submit it. If you should be selected as the first-place winner, you and your nominating teacher, as representatives of your school, will be invited to receive awards at the John ...

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    Teachers are nominated for their state's teacher of the year program by their school, district, or other community members, including students and parents. (In some states, they can nominate ...

  11. Sample Nominations

    EXAMPLE 1 - ESSAY FORMAT. My nominee brings strong assets to their role and our group is incredibly fortunate to have them as our administrator. First, they are dedicated and hardworking. They are extremely organized and focused on continuously learning and developing best practices to manage routine activities both efficiently and effectively.

  12. Eligibility and Requirements

    Nominating teachers are also asked to read students' essays to make suggestions for improvement before they are submitted to the essay contest. As part of this review process, the nominating teacher reviews the essay for syntax, grammatical, typographical and spelling errors and ensures the essay meets the contest requirements listed above.

  13. Nominate an Educator for These National Teacher Awards

    The National Museum of Mathematics (MOMath) sponsors this math award for upper elementary and middle school teachers. Its goal is to "recognize and promote hands-on math teaching" and carries a cash award of $25,000 for the single best math activity. There are also five additional monetary awards for other innovative activities.

  14. Nomination Of Teacher Of The Year Essay

    Pages: 1. Words: 300. Published: 01/28/2020. ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS. I am writing this letter to nominate Laura Durbin of West Kentucky Community & Technical College for the teacher of the year award. She is of the best teachers I have ever and will ever come across. What I most regard about Laura is her exceptional ability to stimulate learning ...

  15. Teacher Information and Curriculum Ideas

    Each student participant must have a "nominating teacher" who provides support and advice during the research and writing process. Nominating teachers are asked to proofread students' essays, make suggestions for improvement, and ensure that the essays meet the contest requirements. The first-place winner and her/his/their nominating teacher will be invited to receive awards at the John ...

  16. Nominating Letter Samples

    Nominating Letter Samples. Letter of Recommendation samples. Below are paragraphs taken from nominating letters submitted in previous years. We thought that it might be useful to nominators to see what kinds of comments and descriptions the Selection Committee found helpful. Teacher V believes that it is her duty to establish a rigorous ...

  17. PDF Texas State Teacher of the Year Program Nomination Guidelines for the

    Texas Teacher of the Year is the highest honor that the State of Texas can bestow upon a teacher. Facilitated by the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Teacher of the Year Program annually recognizes and rewards teachers who have demonstrated outstanding leadership and excellence in teaching. Every fall, the Texas State Teacher of the Year ...

  18. Teacher of the Year Selection Process and Timeline

    Nominations for Teacher of the Year can come from superintendents, principals, colleagues (present or former), parents of students, students (present or former) or other community members who have direct contact with the teacher. Each qualified nominated teacher is eligible to submit an application to the Department of Education for consideration as New Hampshire Teacher of the Year (TOY).

  19. Teacher of the Year Nomination Form Template

    Cloned 364. A teacher of the year nomination form is used to nominate teachers for an award. Whether you're a teacher, student, or fellow faculty member, use this free Teacher of the Year Nomination Form template to recognize exemplary teaching — whether in your school, college, or university. Simply customize the form template and embed it ...

  20. Teacher of the Year / What Makes a Strong Application?

    The Teacher of the Year nomination packet is used to determine whether a nominee would be an outstanding representative of excellence in teaching for Anne Arundel County. It also serves as the first step in determining whether an AACPS nominee will be a strong candidate for the Maryland State Teacher of the Year competition.

  21. Vote: Who should be Teacher of the Year?

    Voting ends Nov. 4 at 11:59 p.m. ET.Lashawnda Pringle-Washington submitted this essay nominating Deborah Young:My teacher of the year nomination is Mrs. Deborah Young from in. Deborah Young, from ...

  22. Profile in Courage High School Awards

    Nominating teachers are also asked to read students' essays to make suggestions for improvement before they are submitted to the essay contest. As part of this review process, the nominating teacher reviews the essay for syntax, grammatical, typographical and spelling errors and ensures the essay meets the contest requirements listed above.

  23. Bill is writing an essay nominating one of his teachers, Ms. Tompson

    Final answer: When writing an essay nominating a teacher for an award, Bill can effectively combine writing techniques by arguing for Ms. Tompson's positive qualities and illustrating with anecdotes, informing about Ms. Tompson's approach to instruction and comparing her to other teachers, writing a story about a typical day in Ms. Tompson's life and including facts about her education and ...

  24. Texas A&M chancellor announces he will step down next year

    Submit a "Where I Live" essay; Submit an "On the move" Nominate a student of the week; Nominate a teacher of the week; About Us Open dropdown menu. Our Story; Our Team; Board of Directors; Advisory Council; Member Organizations; Our Supporters; Become a Member; Editorial Independence Policy; Donor Transparency Policy; Careers; Contact Us

  25. New Hampshire teacher who helped student with abortion gets ...

    CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The New Hampshire Department of Education has restored a teacher's credentials days after she sued, alleging officials had mispresented her involvement in a student's abortion.

  26. New Hampshire teacher who helped student with abortion gets license

    The New Hampshire Department of Education has restored a teacher's credentials days after she sued, alleging officials had mispresented her involvement in a student's abortion. ... Frank Edelblut listens during a public hearing on his nomination to lead New Hampshire's Department of Education, Jan. 31, 2017, in Concord, N.H. On Monday ...

  27. Service Academy Nomination 2024-2025

    A 500-word essay on why you want to attend a Service Academy; Two letters of recommendation from a counselor/principal and a coach/teacher; High School/College transcripts; ACT/SAT scores For additional information please contact Senator Butler's San Francisco office at 415-393-0707 or [email protected]

  28. Martin Mull, 80, Dies; Comic Actor Found Fame on 'Mary Hartman'

    Mr. Mull's performance on "Veep" as the political operative Bob Bradley earned him his only Emmy nomination, in 2016. His many other TV roles included a high school principal on "Sabrina ...