The James Logan Courier

The process for choosing Logan’s teachers-of-the-year got underway today, as nomination forms were distributed to staff and students.

This is the 12th year of the program, according to organizers, through which parents, students, staff and administrators are invited to participate in choosing teachers for the honor of House Teacher-of-the-Year.

This year, there will be three winners, said Language Arts teacher Tim Campbell, one of the event’s organizers. Due to the expansion to six houses two years ago, organizers last year decided that there would be one winner from Houses One and Four, one representing Houses Two and Five, and one winner from Houses Three and Six.

“We didn’t want to have to run six elections simultaneously,” said Patrick Hannigan, who’s been helping to organize the selection process since it began as a project of the School Climate Committee, a defunct collaboration group from the 1990’s he chaired.

Staff and students with access to the New Haven schools email system can download a copy of the official nomination form that was attached to the email announcing the start of the process.

Others can click here to download a copy, or pick up one of the nomination forms in the house offices, fill it out and return it to the collection box where you found the form.

Nominating statements can also be sent via email to Hannigan's email address: phannigan@nhusd.k13.ca.us. Paper copies can also be placed in his school mailbox, or that of colleague Tim Campbell.

"The official nomination form is not required," Campbell said. "Anyone who wants to — parents, staff or students — can just write down why they think the teacher or counselor nominated deserves the award."

"You can nominate as many teachers or counselors as you like," said Hannigan, "We encourage participants to let us know about all the great educators at Logan. Many more deserve the honor than win it."

Some teachers assist the process by distributing the forms to students in class, Hannigan said. He said that teachers who want to distribute forms should either contact him for copies, or make their own copies of the form. “They’re free to reproduce them themselves, if they want,” Hannigan said. "We wish they would. The more participation, the better."

Students and staff also can expect find stacks of copies in their house offices starting tomorrow, where they can also find collection boxes for completed nomination forms, Campbell said.

The deadline for submitting nominations is April 23.

“We hope that some students will take some of the down-time during Spring Break as an opportunity to help us recognize good teachers,” Hannigan said.

The nominating statements will be reviewed by a panel of readers consisting of volunteer teachers and administrators. Each reader will choose three favorites from among the nominees. Their choices will be tabulated and a slate of three candidates from the three combined houses will be chosen.

He said that nominating statements which refer to “The Perfect 10,” which is a sort of rubric for judging teachers that is printed on the nominating form, are most effective.

“It helps to include details of why you think a teacher deserves the award,” Hannigan said.

In late April, teachers will elect a winner from each house’s three candidates, and they will recognized as House Teachers-of-the-Year at a special faculty meeting, tentatively scheduled for early May.