TO: All Administrators and Principals
FROM: Dr. Sharon I. Byrdsong, Superintendent of Schools
Michael Cataldo, Ed.D., Acting Deputy Superintendent of Academics
SUBJECT: 2020 Teacher of the Year Program
All Norfolk Public Schools are invited to participate in the Teacher of the Year program to potentially select the next Virginia Teacher of the Year and to honor teachers who represent the best in teaching in the Commonwealth and the Nation.
The program is open to all teachers in pre-kindergarten through grade twelve who possess a current teaching license, including media specialists, guidance counselors, and reading specialists. Teachers holding provisional licenses are not eligible to participate in the program. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) requires all candidates to be three-year tenured teachers within their school district. Candidates should be dedicated, knowledgeable, skilled, and plan to continue in active teaching status. Candidates who accept administrative or supervisory positions will relinquish their eligibility.
All teachers, faculty and staff can share in the process of selecting their Teacher of the Year. All schools will allow self or peer nominations for Teacher of the Year using the 2020 Nomination Form. Nomination forms will be given to the principal or designee, and a final candidate will be voted on by faculty and staff. As part of the application process, each Teacher of the Year candidate will complete an application and be required to submit a 10-15 minute video teaching a lesson, which will serve as a classroom observation. The video must be submitted at the same time with the application. Please submit your Teacher of the Year names to Karen Tanner (ktanner@npsk12.com) via e-mail by Friday, February 21, 2020.
Each school candidate will become a member of the All-City Teaching Team. When selecting Norfolk’s Teacher of the Year, NPS employs a process similar to the state’s Teacher of the Year selection process. An external team will observe the Teacher of the Year candidates and select the top eight (8) winners. From the top eight (8), three (3) outstanding candidates will be selected to move on to the final phase of selection.
The following items can be found on the Teacher of the Year webpage at www.npsk12.com/TOY: (1) Application Guidelines and Online Application; (2) Suggestions for Nomination and Selection; (3) Nomination Form; and (4) Principal Nomination Form. The selection timeline for the 2020 Teacher of the Year will be as follows:
On February 21: Principals will forward the names of all staff nominated for Teacher of the Year to Karen Tanner, Public Relations Coordinator, for placement on the All-City Teaching Team list and media announcement via the NPS website.
By March 20: All completed Teacher of the Year online applications and videos must be submitted for review by their respective Executive Directors. Applications/videos must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
March 23-April 10: The Executive Director Vetting Team will review the Teacher of -the Year portfolios and recommend eight (8) teachers (two elementary, four secondary and two auxiliary) to the Selection Committee.
April 21: The Teacher of the Year Selection Committee will review all observations and documentation to determine the top three (3) semi-finalists.
The All-City Teaching Team will be recognized at the Teacher of the Year Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. at Norview High School. Honorees will receive formal invitations.
We realize this is an extremely busy time of the year and appreciate your support in selecting Norfolk Public Schools’ 2020 Teacher of the Year. Thank you in advance for your hard work and dedication to make this year’s Teacher of the Year successful.
Please contact Karen Tanner at ktanner@npsk12.com if you have questions.
