Dear Colleagues,
During this bleak period in American public education history where educators are beset on all sides by enemies and reminders of the War on Teachers, it is absolutely fitting that we take time to pat ourselves on the back. We do that this year by awarding our first Member Recognition Award.
We all know who this person is—they’re the one who walk by you when you’re putting up a bulletin board stop and help you cutting into their own lunch period. They’re the one who ask staff centric questions at staff meetings and get away with it because they’re knowledgeable and respected by colleagues and administration alike.
They bring you a Snickers bar when you’re down and don’t bust your chops about why. They offer to car pool to union meetings and buy the first round at the restaurant waiting for the School Advisory Board meeting to begin.
I used to love a certain Art Teacher at my first school. Every school develops a family, and at that school he was the grandfather. Even at the end of the day, when we were all drained, he would have us doing jumping jacks at a faculty meeting just to pump up the energy. In a community with very few males and even fewer grandfathers, this guy was everyone’s go-to abuelo.
So go ahead and take a look around your building, who’s that member we should recognize? And don’t be bashful, take a look in the mirror—it may be you.
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If you would like to nominate someone, please fill out the attached application.
In Solidarity,
John M. Abeigon
President/Director of Organization
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Rules and Deadlines:
1) NTU members may nominate themselves or any other member of the NTU using the attached application. Feel free to use more sheets if space provided is not enough.
2) Candidates should:
a. Be an NTU member for at least 5 years.
b. Be exceptional, dedicated, knowledgeable.
c. Have energy, enthusiasm, a positive attitude, and dependability.
d. Inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn and succeed.
e. Have the respect and admiration of colleagues, students, and parents.
f. Play an active role in the school community.
3) The nominator MUST secure permission of the nominee to enter his/her name for consideration. If we receive one complete nomination form for a particular nominee, that member is considered nominated. The number of nominations for any member has no relevance in the selection process. The first nomination received will be considered the governing nomination.
4) Applicants will be pre-screened by the NTU staff before being given to the impartial selection committee who will make the final decision rewarding awardees using specific criteria. All applications will be reviewed at all stages without the screeners and selection committee seeing the applicants’ names.
5) Awardees will be notified by March 28, 2016.
6) All recipients will be honored at our Annual NTU Scholarship And Member Recognition Dinner Wednesday, May 18, 2016 @ 6:30 PM, Robert Treat Hotel, 50 Park Place, Newark, NJ
Time Line for Nominations:
- Tuesday, March 8 – All nominations due
- March 8 – March 25 – Selection committee will meet to review applications and select Recipients
- Week of March 28 – Recipients will be notified
- May 18 – Recipients honored at NTU Shanker Scholarship Dinner.