The Colorado Teacher of the Year Program is our state's oldest and most prestigious honors program which recognizes the contributions of the classroom teacher – the backbone of the American educational system. No one person has a greater impact on the education of a child than does the teacher who creates the primary learning and instructional environment. It is the mission of the National Teacher of the Year Program to honor our nation’s greatest teachers while providing rigorous professional learning for teachers to be leaders and advocates.
The candidate must be a dedicated, knowledgeable, and skilled teacher in any state-approved or accredited school, kindergarten through grade twelve, who is planning to continue in an active teaching status. (Supervisory and administrative responsibilities should be of secondary consideration.)
The Colorado Teacher of the Year candidate must have the respect and admiration of their colleagues and:
1. Is an expert in their field who guides students of all backgrounds and abilities to achieve excellence;
2. Collaborates with colleagues, students, and families to create a school culture of respect and success;
3. Deliberately connects the classroom and key stakeholders to foster a strong community at large;
4. Demonstrates leadership and innovation in and outside of the classroom walls that embodies lifelong learning; and
5. Expresses themselves in an engaging and articulate way.
Complete the application questions below by Wednesday, July 11, 2018 by 11:59 pm. Incomplete applications will be eliminated from this process.
Note: This online application is intended to be completed in one session. We recommend that you review the PDF version of the application before beginning this session to gather all of the required information and plan your responses. It is recommended that you cut and paste your responses into the online form. The application can be printed or downloaded prior to beginning your session at: http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeawards/teacheroftheyear.
For additional information, please contact:
Kim Burnham, Office of Competitive Grants and Awards
Burnham_K@cde.state.co.us | (303) 866-6916
Patricia Gleason, Office of Competitive Grants and Awards
(303) 866-6143 | Gleason_P@cde.state.co.us