2009 Teacher of the Year

"A Cut Above"

Selection Process

Since 1969, the Texas State Teacher of the Year Program has honored excellence in classroom education and provided a forum to showcase many outstanding educators whose efforts and examples have inspired their students, their colleagues, and the communities they serve.

Every Fall, the Texas State Teacher of the Year program honors two State Teachers of the Year — one in elementary education and one in secondary education — and Regional Teachers of the Year from each of the 20 Education Service Center regions. These educators become spokespeople for teachers in the state. They also serve as traveling ambassadors for public education with a schedule of speeches, workshops and presentations, while continuing to teach in the classroom. The program’s mission is to select outstanding classroom teachers who are also able to speak for, motivate, and exemplify the contributions of all teachers.

The state program is affiliated with the National Teacher of the Year Program, the oldest and most prestigious awards program to focus public attention on excellence in teaching. Texas’ final selection committee nominates one teacher to be considered for national honors. A selection committee representing the major national educational associations selects the National Teacher of the Year from the nominees submitted by the 50 states. Every Spring, the National Teacher of the Year is announced by the president during a Rose Garden ceremony at the White House and is honored at special events in the nation’s capital. The National Teacher of the Year takes a year’s sabbatical from classroom instruction and serves as a roving ambassador for the teaching profession.

Tyler ISD has established a procedure to be used in the selection process for the Tyler ISD Teacher of the Year nominee from our District. Along with this selection process, detailed plans have been made to recognize the campus nominees and the winners at both elementary and secondary levels.

Each Campus Teacher of the Year will be recognized at the banquet and have an opportunity to be named District Teacher of the Year. The selection process includes two phases: the local campus and the district level. Each campus will submit one nominee to the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee will interview each campus nominee and select the Elementary Teacher of the Year and the Secondary Teacher of the Year from these finalists.

* PHASE ONE – LOCAL CAMPUS SELECTION PROCESS
Minimal guidelines and recommendations required as listed below:

Each local campus of the Tyler Independent School District will establish a Teacher of the Year nominating committee. This committee will be composed of the following members: principal who shall act as chairman, CPOC representative, president of local PTA, and three classroom teachers who are elected by the faculty at large. The nominating committee shall nominate at least two candidates for Teacher of the Year. The nominees must be approved by the principal prior to the voting of the faculty. The consent of all nominees must be obtained prior to placing his/her name on the ballot. The nominating committee may solicit Teacher of the Year nominations from the student council or a similar student organization. The nominating committee will prepare and distribute a ballot containing the names of the nominees accompanied by a brief biographical sketch and list of accomplishments of each nominee.

The ballots will be distributed to all professional staff members on the local campus. Ballots are to be marked and placed in a ballot box located in a central location. Upon completion of the final day of balloting, the nominating committee will canvass the ballots and announce the final campus nominee for Teacher of the Year. In the event of a tie, the nominating committee will conduct a run-off election. The nominating committee will then compile the necessary background information on the nominees to be forwarded to Angela Jenkins, Director of Communications at the Administration Building.

Each campus having a Teacher of the Year nominee will be responsible for providing a special reception for the nominee.

* PHASE TWO – DISTRICT SELECTION PROCESS
Phase two of the selection process is the interview by the Selection Committee. A detailed list of materials required of candidates (teacher portfolios) is included.

Criteria for Selection
TEACHER OF THE YEAR
(Based on criteria statements prepared by the
Texas Education Agency)

1. Nominees should be classroom teachers. School districts may no longer nominate librarians and counselors for regional, state, and national honors. Administrators are not eligible. All nominees must be employed by an accredited public school in Texas during the 2007 - 2008 school year to be eligible for nomination. The nominating district shall be the district in which the teacher worked during the 2007 - 2008 school year.

2. Nominees must have at least three years of teaching experience.

3. Nominees should be planning to continue in active teaching as a career. Teachers planning to retire or transfer to another district at the end of the school year are not eligible.

4. Nominees should be exceptionally skillful and dedicated teachers in their fields of specialization.

5. Nominees should have the respect and admiration of parents, students, and co-workers.

6. Nominees should have superior ability to inspire the love of learning in students of all backgrounds and abilities.

7. Nominees should play active and useful roles in their communities, as well as their schools.

8. Nominees should have the talent to perform in leadership roles.

9. Nominees should be poised and articulate in the presence of both pupil and adult groups.

10. Nominees should have the energy to withstand a busy schedule.

11. Nominees should have demonstrated a commitment to the teaching profession through continuous improvement activities.

12. Nominees should be considered without regard to age, sex, race or religion.