We are now accepting campus nominations for the 2023-24 Teachers of the Year. Each campus will select ONE winner. Campus winners must be full-time, certified employees. Classroom teachers traditionally are nominated. Nominees must remain at the nominating campus through the end of the current school year. Librarians and counselors who teach at least four hours a day are also eligible. Administrators are not eligible, according to state and national guidelines.

All campuses must follow the campus selection process outlined:

• Use a democratic process to select your nominee.
• Principals on each campus should ask all staff for nominations.
• Nomination forms should include supporting statements.
• Previous campus winners may not compete for two years before being selected to represent the campus again.
• All faculty and staff should be allowed to vote.
• Secondary schools should allow all faculty, staff, and students to vote.
• One campus representative should be chosen from among the nominees by a vote of all teachers and staff on the campus.
• Once campus representatives are chosen, they will be entered in the district-wide competition.

Included on the webpage is a data sheet for your campus Teacher of the Year to fill out online at www.episd.org/toy by THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30. Your nominee will be required to also complete an essay and email it to teacheroftheyear@episd.org by THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30.

The following is an outline of the selection process which mirrors that of the Texas Teacher of the Year Program:

• Share the webpage with your nominee in order to complete the data sheet and essay online.
• Your nominee will be required to compose an 800-word essay, double-spaced, 12-point font. The data sheet should be completed via www.episd.org/toy and the essay should be emailed to teacheroftheyear@episd.org by THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30.

The essay must incorporate the following:

• • Describe your personal feelings and beliefs about teaching, including your own ideas of what makes you an outstanding teacher. Describe the rewards you find in teaching.
  • How are your beliefs about teaching demonstrated in your personal teaching style?
  • How do you incorporate innovation and student engagement in day-to-day instruction?

• The panel of judges will review all submissions and select finalists.
• Only finalists will be required to go through an in-person interview. The finalists will be notified of the date and time for their interview.
• All other campus nominees must send in a photo of themselves in their classroom along with their essay submission.
• The interview process will take place January 31 and February 1.
• The winners, along with all the other campus nominees, will be honored the week of March 18, 2024.

If you have any questions, call Sonia Villa 230-2570. Thank you and good luck!