Teacher Awards Nominations

Is the Teacher Award nomination required?

It is not required, just strongly encouraged.

On a related note, let me also say that the nomination can be sent along after the deadline if it is the only thing holding up sending in the forms. We would request it be sent by June 1 if not by May 18.

Okay! Thank you.

Does it have to be a school teacher or can it be a teacher from your art discipline?

Either is fine! And, it doesn't have to be a teacher you currently have. Someone might want to nominate their first grade teacher, and that's okay too!

I still haven't done my Teacher Nomination form because I seriously don't know how to ask a teacher their home address without seeming like a creep. LOL.

Does a teacher need to still be teaching, or is it okay to choose someone who is currently retired from teaching?

LAMeadows... just tell them what its for. I'm sure they'll be happy to give it to you.

Lyn... They can be retired.

I'd like to nominate a teacher but I don't want them to feel obligated to come all the way down to camp for one day (I live a way aways)

I'll take your advice into consideration, I plan on asking my teacher tomorrow.

@iheartnyc2010: It's still a huge honor for your teacher to be nominated, and no matter what, they'll get their certificate recognizing the honor (even if they don't come to campus).

After they find out about their nomination, you can let them know that they don't have to come to campus since it would involve a long trip, and possibly having to book a night somewhere at a hotel. While getting the chance to have them visit Governor's School and attending the Teacher Recognition ceremony is nice, Virginia is a pretty big state, and it's not unusual for a teacher to take a pass on making the trip.

Believe me, your teacher will want to know how much they've meant to you. Don't let distance get in the way of that. Nominate away!

On the address question, if you want to keep the nomination a surprise, you can also give the form to your school and they can put the address on it and send it to us directly, separate from the other forms you turn in.

We send a letter to the nominated teachers in June informing them of their nomination and inviting them to campus on July 17. When the program was in Richmond, I'd say about 150 teachers would come for the day which less than half those nominated. With the added distance for most, I suspect that number may drop. Then again, maybe some will make a long weekend of it and head to the beach!

When exactly would our teachers find out about their nomination if we decide to keep it a surprise?

Usually, we deal with the second student mailing (circa June 5) and once that's out, turn our attention to the teacher mailing.

How long should the Supporting Statement be? And can it just be an essay in which we outline why that teacher is important to you and how they have impacted you as a student? Or is just about them as a teacher?

The supporting statement doesn't have to be long. A compilation letter is created using lines from all of the student statements (anonymously) that attempts to put into words what these teachers represent to all their students. We don't share the original nominating statements with the teachers, though some students do choose to share them with their teacher on their own.

What is the address that we have to send them in with? Due to the fact that I already sent in all of my information, I don't have the address. Thank you.

Sheryl A.M. Johnson, Director
Governor's School, Ratcliff 122

1 University Place

Newport News, VA 23606

can i just use this?

There is no length requirement on the supporting statement. We would like something more developed than "he's cool," but whether you can express what you have to say in a page or six is up to you. We woud like to know how the teacher has impacted you more so than an objective assessment of the teacher. Teaching is a subjective art not an objective science, but I am guessing you know that.

Hello
The teacher that I nominated for the teacher day just found out yesterday that she won't be able to make it due to a trip overseas that she got into. I was wondering if it's too late for me to nominate another teacher? If not, then how would I nominate another?
Thank You!

Allstagdup - yes, that address will work.

aliciaminnn - less than half of the teachers nominated are able to come, and we will mail the certificate to those who are not in attendance. We don't encourage students to switch teachers - go with the first instinct - but as we haven't yet mailed out the notifications, we would allow a substitution. Just know that the original teacher will get nothing from us - it will be as if they were never nominated. But once the invitations/notifications go out, we will not make a change. ("Yeah, the student thought you were cool but changed their mind and has un-invited you." -- not going to send that message!)

okay, i totally understand! thank you Yeah, my teacher really wanted to come but she had just found out that she wasn't able to make it so I wanted to be able to nominate my other teacher who is really think has influenced me