Reminder: Teacher of the Year Nominations Due by January 12

Laura Koss
- News and Announcements

Time is running out to submit nominations for teacher of the year! The deadline to submit your nomination to your school principal is January 12, 2018 at 4 p.m.

Each year the Washington Post hosts its Outstanding Teacher Awards, which honor one teacher from each school division in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Last year, ACPS was delighted to recognize Laura Koss, Matthew Maury Elementary School’s music teacher, as our selection.

This year, all members of the ACPS community, including parents, residents and ACPS staff, are invited to make their nominations and submit them to the principal of the nominated teacher’s school. Each principal will then choose one nominee from their school to go on to the ACPS finalists round.

Nomination Process and Instructions:

  • Any teacher with five years of experience, including at least three years with ACPS, is eligible for nomination.
  • Nominations should be sent to the nominee’s school principal, and may be submitted by teachers, students, former students, parents, administrators or the general public.
  • Teachers may not nominate themselves.
  • Only nominations that meet the required criteria and include all required materials will be accepted.

Nomination materials must include:

  • A minimum of four statements of support, one of which must be from a professional educator
  • A 200-word biography, written to highlight why the nominee is being nominated
  • A career summary
  • A description of contributions in each of the nomination criteria (see below)
  • One vertical and one horizontal color photograph. Headshot only. The image must be a JPG file, and at least 2 MB

Nomination Criteria

Nominees must be teachers who:

  • 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 2018-19 school year

Nomination Deadlines

  • January 12, 2018, 4 p.m.
    Nominations must be submitted to each school principal. Each school principal will choose one nominee to be considered by the ACPS Outstanding Teacher Award panel.
  • January 19, 2018, 4 p.m.
    Principals must submit their school’s nominee to the ACPS Office of Communications on the 6th floor of ACPS Central Office.

Winners will be announced in late-February and will be honored during an awards ceremony in the spring.

For more information, contact the ACPS Office of Communications at 703-619-8003 or news@acps.k12.va.us.