Indiana State Teachers Associa on
HORACE MANN EDUCATOR
OF THE YEAR AWARD
CurrentISTA/NEAmembers,includingteachers,educationsupportprofessionalsandhighereducation
facultyandstaffareeligibleforthisprestigiousaward.MembersoftheProfessionalPracticesand
StandardsCommitteeortheirimmediatefamilyarenoteligiblefortheaward.
MaterialsmustbepostmarkedbyMarch1.Sendoriginalmaterialsbycerti ied,return‐receiptmailto
theISTACentralOf icetotheattentionofMarkShoup,PPSCommitteeLiaison.Retainacopyofallsub‐
mitteddocumentsforfuturereference.
SELECTION PROCESS
TheISTAProfessionalPracticesandStandardsSubcommitteetheNEAFoundationAwardforTeaching
ExcellenceSubcommitteewillreceive,analyzeandinterviewcandidatesforthisaward.Candidatesand
theirimmediatefamiliesandthosenominatingandwritinglettersofrecommendationarenottoserve
ontheselectioncommittee.Aspartoftheanalysisprocess,thesubcommitteewillusearubrictoevalu‐
atetherequireddataintheapplicationpacket.TherubricisavailableuponrequestfromtheISTAof ice.
Semi‐ inalistswillparticipateinatelephoneinterview.Additionalinformationmaybeneededifthe
HoosierEducatoroftheYearisselectedasaNEAFoundationfortheImprovementofEducation inalist.
RECOGNITION
Thewinnerwillbehonoredwith:A$2,500monetaryawardprovidedbyHoraceMannInsurance,a
recognitionplaque,anopportunitytoaddresstheISTARepresentativeAssembly,expensessupported
byISTAthatarenotcoveredbyNEAtoattendthenationalcelebrationinWashingtonD.C.,futurerecog‐
nitionatISTAandsubmissionofher/hisnameintoconsiderationfortheNEAFoundationAwardfor
TeachingExcellence.
Applicationsmustbepostmarked/submittedbyMarch1andsubmittedwithallsupportive
materialsenclosed/attached.
1
CRITERIA
Nominationsarejudgedaccordingto ivecriteria.Panelistsratenomineesoneachcriterionusingthe
pointvalueindicatebelow.
ProfessionalPractice:Thenomineedemonstratesinstructionalexpertise,creativityandinnovation.The
nomineeusesavarietyofpedagogicaltechniquesandeffectivelyaddressesstudents’differentlearning
stylesandneeds.Thenomineeisaninstructionalleaderatthelocal,stateand/ornationallevel.(15
points)
AdvocacyfortheProfession:Thenomineeisacurrent,activememberofthelocal,stateand/orNational
EducationAssociationandhasassumedleadershiprolesatoneormoreoftheselevels.Thenomineeis
anactivememberofotherprofessionalorganizationsandengagesinactivitiesthatadvancetheprofes‐
sionandpubliceducation.Thenomineespeaksoutonbehalfofpubliceducation,educatorsandstu‐
dents.(15points)
CommunityEngagement:Thenomineefrequentlyinteractswithparentsandothercommunitymem‐
bersonsubstantiveeducationissues.Thenomineebringscommunityresourcestotheclassroomand
conductsservicelearningprojectswithhisorherstudentsinthecommunity.(5points)
LeadershipinProfessionalDevelopment:Thenomineecontinuallyengagesinexperiencestoimprove
hisorherpracticeandtogainnewskillsandknowledge.Thenomineesharesthisnewlearningwith
colleaguesinavarietyofvenues.Thenominee’sparticipationinandcommitmenttoprofessionaldevel‐
opmenthasavisibleimpactonhisorherinstitution,studentsandcommunity.(10points)
AttentiontoDiversity:Thenomineeworkstoprovidealearningenvironmentthatmeetstheneedsofall
students,regardlessofdifferences.Thenomineerecognizesandexplicitlyaddressesthefullarrayofval‐
ues,culturesandexperiencesrepresentedinourdiversemodernsociety,boththroughcurriculumand
instructionandinotherinteractionswithstudents.(5points)
NOMINATIONPACKET—Nominationpacketsmustincludeallofthematerialslistedbelow,inthespec‐
i iedorder.Besuretoincludeall ivepartsofthepacket.Nominationsthatdonotconformtothese
speci icationswillbedisquali ied.
Datasheetasthecoversheetrequestingcontactinformationaboutthecandidate.(Datasheetenclosed
andmustbetyped.)
 NominationLetter—Thenominationletterfromthestate,federalordirectaf iliatepresidentad‐
dressestheawardcriteria,citingasmanyspeci icexamplesaspossible.Alternately,alocalpresident
canwritetheof icialnominationletteroutliningtheawardee’squali icationsandthestatepresident
canattachanadditionalpagewithonesentencecertifyingthenomination.Thelettermustbeword‐
processed,double‐spaced,12‐pt.orlargerfont,withoneinchorlargermarginsonallsides,and
threepagesmaximum.Itmustbeontheletterheadofthestate,federalordirectaf iliateandbe
signedbytheaf iliatepresident.
 Resume/Biography(maximumofonepage)—Thissectionwillincludeabrief,factualoverviewof
thenominee’scareer,includingpositionsheld,degreesattained,honorsreceived,etc.Thissection
mayalsodescribepersonalachievementsoractivitiesthatarenotnotedelsewhere.Theresumeis
onepagemaximum,double‐spaced,12‐pt.orlargerfont,one‐halfinchorlargermarginsonallsides.
Usenarrative,bulletedlistsorboth.
 Nominee’sStatement—Thenominee’sstatementmustbewrittenbythenominee,asa irst‐person
narrative.Thestatementincludesspeci icexamplestoillustrateall iveoftheawardcriteria.The
questionsthemselvesdonotneedtobereproducedinthetext;however,nomineesarestronglyen‐
couragedtoincludeheadingsorkeywordstoaidthepanelistsintheirreading.This
statementis ivepagesmaximum,double‐spaced,12‐pointorlargerfont,withone‐inchorlargermar‐
ginsonallsides.Reviewthe ivecriteriaonthepreviouspageandincludethequestionsbelowinyour
statement.


ProfessionalPractice

Whatdoyouconsidertobethemostsuccessfulinnovationthatyouhaveintroduced
inyourclassroomorschool?

Whatstrategiesormethodsdoyouusetoensurethatallstudentsachieveatahigh
level?

Howdoyouactasaninstructionalleader?
AdvocacyfortheProfession

HowhasyourinvolvementintheNationalEducationAssociationorNEAaf iliate(s)
contributedtoyoursuccessasaneducator?

Howwouldyoupersuadeanewcolleaguetojoinorbecomemoreactiveinthe
Association?

Inwhatotherwaysdoyouserveasanadvocatefortheprofessionandforpublic
education?




CommunityEngagement

Whatcommunityresourcesdoyoubringtotheclassroomtoenhanceyourlessonsand
studentachievement?

Whatservicelearningprojectshaveyouconductedwithyourstudentstobene itthe
community?
LeadershipinProfessionalDevelopment

Whatexperiencesoractivitieshavebeenmostbene icialtoyourprofessional
knowledge,skillsandpractice?

Howhaveyoucontributedtotheprofessionaldevelopmentofyourcolleagues?

Howhasyourprofessionalgrowthmadeadifferenceforyourschooloruniversity,
yourstudentsandyourcommunity? Includeexamplesfromyourexperiences.
Diversity

Howdoyouaddressissuesofdiversityinyourcurriculumandinstructionandinother
interactionswithstudents?Whatistheresultofsuchefforts?

Howdoesyourapproachtodiversityaffectyourwork?
Student/NewTeacherImpact

Ifyouhavenotalreadydoneso,tellastoryabouthowyourapproachtoteachingmade
adifferenceforastudentoragroupofstudents.

Whatadvicewouldyougivetosomeoneenteringtheprofessiononhowtoattain
teachingexcellence?
 LettersofEndorsement—Endorsementsmaycomefromthelocalaf iliatepresident,colleagues,
currentandformerstudents,students’parentsorcommunityleaders.Eachendorsementmaybeone
‐twopagesinlengthandmustnotehowlongthewriterhasknownthenomineeandinwhatcapacity
thewriterisabletocommentonthenominee’sprofessionalwork.Lettersshouldbesignedandthe
salutationshouldaddressthestateaf iliateselectioncommittee—TheISTA/NEAFoundationAward
forTeachingExcellence.Uptothreelettersofendorsementmaybeincluded.
DATA SHEET
State, Federal, or Direct Affiliate Informa on
President:______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Af iliateName:_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City:________________________________________________________________State:____________Zip:___________________
Phone:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
E‐mail:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LocalAf iliateInformation
President:______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Af iliateName:_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City:________________________________________________________________State:____________Zip:___________________
Phone:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
E‐mail:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nominee Informa on
Nominee:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City:________________________________________________________________State:____________Zip:___________________
Phone:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
E‐mail:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
School/Institution:___________________________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City:________________________________________________________________State:____________Zip:___________________
Phone:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
E‐mail:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
JobTitle:
Forteachers,whatdoyouteach?Subject(s):_______________________________________________________________
Grade(s):_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Nominee’s Employer Informa on
SuperintendentorInstitutionPresident:___________________________________________________________________
DistrictorInstitution:________________________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City:________________________________________________________________State:____________Zip:___________________
Phone:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
E‐mail:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PrincipalorDean:_____________________________________________________________________________________________
SchoolorCollege:_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City:________________________________________________________________State:____________Zip:___________________
Phone:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
E‐mail:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In conjunc on with ISTA, Horace Mann is pleased to recognize
outstanding Indiana educators.
WhoisHoraceMann?
ThefatherofAmericanpubliceducationandthenamesakeoftheHoraceMannCompanies.
TheHoraceMannCompaniesprovidelifelong inancialwell‐beingforeducatorsandtheirfamilies
throughpersonalizedservice,adviceandafullrangeoftailoredinsuranceand
inancialproducts.
WhatistheISTA‐HoraceMannHoosierEducatoroftheYearAward?
Thepurposeofthisawardistorecognize,rewardandpromoteexcellenceinteachingandadvocacy
fortheeducationprofession.
HoraceMannwillaward$2,500totheIndianahonoree.
Thewinner’sportfolioissenttotheNEAFoundationfortheImprovementofEducationastheIndiana
nominationfortheNEAFoundationAwardforTeachingExcellence.
Af iliatenomineeswithtechnologyleadershipexperiencewillbeconsideredforaseparateanddis‐
tincthonor,TheAOL@SCHOOL‐NEAFoundationAwardforTechnologyLeadership.
WhatistheNEAFoundationfortheImprovementofEducation?
TheNEAFoundationwasfoundedandissustainedbythemembersoftheNEA.TheFoundation
awardsgrantstopublicschooleducatorswhoproposepromisingideasthatinspirestudentstolearn
andthatimprovethequalityofteaching.
WhataretheHoraceMann‐NEAFoundationAwardsforTeachingExcellence?
Theawardshonor iveoutstandingeducatorschosenfromNEAstateaf iliatenominees.
The iveaf iliatenomineeseachreceive$10,000cashandexpenses‐paidtraveltotheNEAFounda‐
tion’sSalutetoExcellenceinEducationGalainWashington,D.C.
TheNEAFoundationAwardforTeachingExcellencehonoreereceivesanadditional$25,000.
Applicationsmustbepostmarked/submittedbyMarch1withallsupportive
materialsenclosed/attached.
Send/Emailto:
IndianaStateTeachersAssociation
Attn:MarkShoup
mshoup@ista‐in.org
150W.MarketSt.,Suite900
Indianapolis,IN46204
800‐382‐4037317‐263‐3400
www.ista‐in.org