Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza today announced that nominations for the eighth annual Big Apple Awards are now open. The Big Apple Awards are a citywide recognition program to honor full-time teachers in New York City public schools. They celebrate and honor teachers who demonstrate strong teaching practices and enrich their school communities with strong, rigorous instruction.
“Great teachers change lives and transform entire communities,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “The Big Apple Awards help us give our teachers the recognition they deserve. To our students, staff, family members, and all New Yorkers: nominate your teachers for this wonderful honor!”
“Every day our educators put the children of New York City first,” said UFT President Michael Mulgrew. “The Big Apple Award recipients exemplify the dedication and professionalism of our public school teachers, and on behalf of their union, I congratulate them.”
Students, families, educators, school staff, and community members can nominate teachers and counselors by visiting the Big Apple Awards website, today through December 2, 2019. Nominees must be current, full-time public school teachers or college counselors in a district school, charter school or early childhood education center in New York City who demonstrate exceptional success in the classroom.
Last year, 17 exemplary New York City public school teachers were selected from a record 7,100 nominations, triple the number of nominations received in the first year of the Awards. More than 70 percent of the nominations were submitted by students and families. Chancellor Richard A. Carranza, the Deputy Chancellors, and members of his cabinet surprised each of the 17 educators in their classrooms with their awards, bringing students and school staff together to celebrate their teachers’ outstanding work.
Big Apple nominees are reviewed based on their ability to demonstrate exceptional success in three key competencies aligned with the Framework for Great Schools: impacting student learning, demonstrating strong instructional practice, and contributing to their school community.
The Big Apple Awards are made possible, in part, by support from The Fund for Public Schools. For the eighth year, the Fund will partner with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts – which works in collaboration with the DOE on several arts education programs – to sponsor the Arts Education Award. Additionally, the Physical Education Award will be funded for a fourth consecutive year by New York Road Runners, a longtime DOE partner that has provided free youth fitness and wellness programs in NYC schools for 20 years, annually serving more than 125,000 children across the City.
Last year, a board of judges comprised of DOE officials and representatives from the United Federation of Teachers and the Fund for Public Schools, selected 17 award recipients, with New York Road Runners supporting the selection of the Physical Education teacher and Lincoln Center supporting the selection of the Arts Award recipient.
Following the nomination period, a selection committee reviews the nominations and invites a select group of up to 1,000 nominees to complete a comprehensive application for the Big Apple Awards. The DOE will identify up to 250 finalists, who will showcase their accomplishments for their district superintendent through an interview and/or a classroom visit. You can learn more about past award recipients here.
The recipients will represent teachers citywide during the 2020-21 school year as Big Apple Fellows and members of the Chancellor’s Teacher Advisory Group while continuing to educate and inspire students in the classroom. Last year’s Big Apple Award recipients are currently serving as Big Apple Fellows and meet monthly with one another, becoming leaders and ambassadors for their profession. The Advisory Group meets bi-monthly to further impact policy across the DOE.
Since the award’s inception in 2013, The Big Apple Awards has recognized 105 outstanding New York City educators. Award recipients come from schools and neighborhoods across the City and represent a variety of subject areas, experiences, and backgrounds.
To nominate a teacher for a Big Apple Award, visit: www.schools.nyc.gov/big-apple-awards
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