Each year, ACPS participates in The Washington Post Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year Awards which recognizes excellence in education in the region. All members of the ACPS community, including families, students, residents and ACPS staff, are invited to make their nominations by Nov. 22, 2021, using the criteria listed below:
- For teacher nominations, written statements of support are due to their principal before Nov. 22, 2021. Each principal will then choose one nominee from their school to go on to the ACPS finalists round.
- For principal nominations, written statements of support are due to Sherri Tullia of the Department of Teaching, Learning and Leadership at sherri.tullia@acps.k12.va.us before Nov. 22, 2021.
Each principal will receive a message via email on Oct. 25 from Alexandra Bourdouane of the Department of School and Community Relations that will include a folder for each school’s submission for the Teacher of the Year award. All nomination packets must be submitted by school principals, using these folders, by Dec. 3, 2021.
To be eligible for The Washington Post Principal of the Year Award, nominees must be full-time principals (in grades pre-kindergarten through 12) in an accredited school in the Washington metropolitan region, per the newspaper’s list of jurisdictions. Nominees must have a minimum of five years’ experience as a principal, three of which must be in the school or school system in which they are currently serving.
Nominees must be serving as an administrator for the 2021-22 school year and must meet the following criteria:
- Manage effectively.
- Demonstrate and encourage creativity and innovation.
- Foster cooperation between the school and the community.
- Maintain a continuing dialogue with students and parents as well as faculty and staff.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field of education.
- Encourage team spirit.
- Demonstrate leadership and exemplify commitment.
- Continue to play an active role in the classroom.
- Maintain their position as principal throughout the 2021-22 school year.
To be eligible for The Washington Post Teacher of the Year Award, nominees must be full-time teachers (in grades pre-kindergarten through 12) in an accredited school in the Washington metropolitan region, per the newspaper’s list of jurisdictions. Nominees must have a minimum of five years’ teaching experience, three of which must be in the school or school system in which they are currently serving.
Nominees must be serving as a teacher for the 2021-22 school year and must meet the following criteria:
- Instill in students a desire to learn and achieve.
- Understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents and foster their self-esteem.
- Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students.
- Foster cooperative relationships with their colleagues and the community.
- Demonstrate outstanding leadership.
- Maintain their teaching position throughout the 2021-22 school year.
The ACPS Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year will be selected by an ACPS panel in early 2022 and will be announced in April 2022. They will become finalists for The Washington Post awards, which will publish its winners in April 2022.