Daniel-Mickel Foundation Master Teacher Award

Additional Links:
Back
Front Page
Communications Center

DANIEL-MICKEL FOUNDATION MASTER TEACHER ENDOWMENT FUND

Philosophy, Policy, Criteria, and Process

A. Background

The Daniel-Mickel Foundation has for many years promoted excellence in education. Christ Church Episcopal School has as its mission the preparation of young people for college and for life in a Christian environment of integrity and sensitivity to others. In 1989, as another expression of its commitment to quality education, the Daniel-Mickel Foundation pledged $100,000 to Christ Church Episcopal School provided matching gifts of $100,000 were secured to create a Master Teacher Endowment. By mutual agreement, the initial gift of $20,000 from the Daniel-Mickel Foundation was utilized to renovate the Cavalier Campus theatre-auditorium. The remaining $80,000 and the matching $100,000, donated by many generous donors, have been placed in the Master Teacher Endowment Fund.

B. Purpose

The purpose of the award is to recognize excellence in teaching. In addition to excellence in classroom instructional performance, some additional selection criteria will be considered.

C. Policy

Annually, a faculty member(s) will be selected as the Daniel-Mickel Foundation Master Teacher(s) for the following year. The recipient(s) will receive a cash award as indicated in the following guidelines and will be recognized at appropriate school ceremonies and in school and civic publications.

D. Eligibility

1. At least five (5) years of teaching experience (may include public school experience).
2. At least two (2) years of service at CCES.
3. Current certification in teaching area or meets all of the SACS accreditation standards--at least 12 semester hours of credit in professional education, then six hours/credits every five years thereafter, etc.
4. Graduate degree or Bachelor's degree with equivalent hours (30 or more hours).
5. Open to teachers in all grade levels, P-12, and in all teaching areas.

E. Criteria

1. Established track record of excellence as confirmed by students, colleagues, parents and administrators. Teacher's students have shown exceptional improvement or maintained superior performance.
2. Contributed to curriculum development and/or the teaching profession in general.
3. Demonstrates colleagueship in sharing educational expertise; is an educational leader.
4. Keen interest in students as young human beings, each with various talents, abilities, and learning styles.
5. Demonstrated interest and effort to keep abreast in the professional field through participation in conferences, seminars, and workshops, publication of articles and leadership in professional organizations.
6. A clear understanding of and commitment to the philosophy of independent school education and to the mission of CCES.
7. Participates in and contributes to the total life of the School.
8. Involvement in service to the community.
9. Evaluation of students is timely, thorough and sensitive.
10. Is of excellent personal character.
11. An ambassador for CCES and a role model for students.

F. Process

1. May be nominated in writing by colleagues, by students, by administrators. Candidate may personally apply.
2. Nominations annually - late March, early April.
3. Selection(s) made by May 15th.
4. Award announcement(s) during closing ceremonies in May/June.
5. *(Revised May 1995) Only one Master Teacher will be selected for each school year. Selection will be from a pool of teachers rather than by division.
6. Reference to completed Faculty Evaluation and Professional Development instruments and to student and administrator evaluations of teachers.
7. Review of written recommendations by department chairs/curriculum coordinators and division heads/assistant heads.
8. The Selection Committee will read all files in advance of meeting and may wish to interview candidates.
9. While consensus is desirable, a simple majority vote of the Selection Committee will determine the Master Teacher award.
10. The proceedings of the Selection Committee will be confidential.
11. Selection Committee members and faculty are invited to critique the process and the application forms annually.

* Subsequently changed to more than one, depending upon the pool of qualified candidates.


G. Selection Committee

The Selection Committee shall include:
1. The Head of School, serving as Chair, or his/her designated representative will preside.
2. The three Division Heads.
3. The School Board Chair or his/her designated Board representative.
4. A Daniel-Mickel Foundation representative or other donor representative.
5. The current or a past-president of the Parents' Organization.
6. An Alumni Association officer.

H. Recognition/Awards

1. Recognition will include a cash award (specific amount to be determined), personal memento, press release and interview, school ceremonies and school and civic publications. Whenever possible a Daniel-Mickel Foundation representative will be involved in the recognition events.
2. The cash award will have no relationship to a teacher's salary situation.
3. The designation as Master Teacher shall be for one year and may be renewed upon re-nomination and review by the Selection Committee.
4. Funding of cash award and associated expenses shall be solely from endowment earnings; the corpus shall not be invaded.
5. An award may not be given if there is no teacher clearly and fully qualified. In such case, that portion of the total earned income for that award year shall revert to increase the corpus.
6. In case a nominee selected is not continuing at CCES the following year, the Master Teacher award still shall be made to that individual.
7. New (May 1995) A portion of earned income each year shall be devoted to sponsoring professional programs for all faculty to promote teaching excellence.

I. Modifications

1. Any changes to these criteria, the process, committee composition, or the recognition must be with the mutual agreement of both The Daniel-Mickel Foundation and the School Administration.

This document reviewed and approved by the
Daniel-Mickel Foundation Board on August 23, 1994.

Revision - May 5, 1995
Further revision - May 25, 1995
Further revision - April 1996