ESP of the Year Award--Deadline May 15

In recognition of the hard work and dedication of Vermont's thousands of Education Support Professionals, Vermont-NEA is pleased to offer an award that acknowledges outstanding ESPs.

Below are links to everything you need to nominate someone for this prestigious -- and lucrative -- award.

Background and more information

In recognition of the important role of Education Support Professionals within the Association, and to honor their outstanding contributions to communities and children, Vermont-NEA presents an annual Education Support Personnel Award.

Background
The 1992 Vermont-NEA Representative Assembly established the annual Education Support Professional Award to recognize the importance of ESP.

How to Nominate
All Vermont-NEA Local Associations are encouraged to nominate one of their members who has made outstanding contributions to their school and their Association. The local Association President(s) must sign off on the application from the Association to prevent duplicate nominations from the same local Association. Only one application per local Association will be accepted.”

Members will be considered based on their:

• professional achievement and growth,
• advocacy and Association involvement (ex: serve as a local officer or building rep; served on a committee for Vermont-NEA such as professional development; serve as a regional contact for Vermont-NEA political action work, etc.),
• impact on the school,
• community engagement (ex: volunteering for community organizations, engaging the community on behalf of school programs, promoting public education in the community, etc)
• personal achievement,
• and enhancement of the ESP image at the school, in the Association and in the community (ex: promoting ESP involvement in the local and state Association, educating the school community on the important role of ESPs in the school, etc).

Please fill out the attached nomination form. All nominations must be received in our office by May 15.

Who Can Be Nominated
The person being nominated must have been a Vermont-NEA member for at least three years (including this year). Exceptions will be made if the local Association is less than three years old.

Deadline for Nominations:
All materials must be received by Vermont-NEA by May 15. We prefer email at sparker@vtnea.org or, mail to Vermont-NEA - 10 Wheelock Street - Montpelier, Vermont, 05602-3737 or Fax to 802.223.1253.

Selection of the Winner
Nominations will be reviewed by the Vermont-NEA ESP Award Nominating Committee, which will make a recommendation to the Vermont-NEA Board of Directors. The Vermont-NEA Board will select the winner.

The winner will be presented a $1,000 award, will automatically become Vermont-NEA’s nominee for the National Education Association ESP Award, and will receive an all-expense paid trip to the NEA ESP Conference in 2011.

Award Presentation
The Vermont-NEA ESP Award will be presented at the Vermont-NEA Representative Assembly in the spring. The national award will be presented at the NEA ESP Conference.