Excellence in Teaching 2020

District Teachers of Promise

Criteria:
  • Second year teaching
  • Full time contract assigned to a classroom with students
  • Professional curiosity and enthusiasm for teaching
  • Evidence of a range of instructional strategies used effectively
  • Member of Irvine Teachers Association
  • Contribution to the school community.

Any teacher, nurse, counselor, or administrator may nominate a second-year teacher for IUSD Teacher of Promise by completing the official nomination form. ITA Site Reps will help facilitate collaboration at the sites so only one nomination form is submitted per nominee.

A committee of ITA Members, IUSD Administrators, and a member of the Exchange Club will select four (4) teachers–kindergarten through high school—from the nominations submitted.

The Irvine Teachers of Promise will be guests of honor at the Excellence in Teaching Awards Banquet to be held Monday, May 18, 2020 and will receive small monetary awards.

To nominate a second-year teacher for 2020 IUSD Teacher of Promise, complete the Teacher of Promise Nomination Form and return it to the ITA office by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, December 9, 2019.

Teacher of the Year

The Orange County Teachers of the Year (TOTY) program provides recognition for outstanding teachers in Orange County. Irvine nominates 3 candidates: Elementary, Middle, and High School. Candidates are honored at a fall recognition ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel.

IUSD Teachers of the Year are our Nominees for OC Teachers of the Year

IUSD Site Administrators will announce and post the nomination forms for Teachers of the Year and notify all site members that the nominations are due in the ITA office by Monday, December 9. ITA members are encouraged to nominate the teachers who were chosen by their sites for the IUSD Excellence in Teaching Awards if they meet the eligibility criteria for the OC Teachers of the Year.

The ITA/IUSD/Exchange Club of Irvine Teacher of the Year committee will interview the nominated candidates and choose 3 representatives—elementary, middle school, and high school— for the OCDE Teachers of the Year Award. The OC application requires district winners to answer essay questions, submit letters of recommendation, etc. These nominees will be honored at the ITA/IUSD/Irvine Exchange Club Excellence in Teaching Awards ceremony Monday, May 18, 2020 at UCI’s Barclay Theater.

California Teachers of the Year

The four Orange County winners compete in the California Teachers of the Year program. A state selection committee reviews candidates’ applications and conducts site visits. A select group of those teachers are interviewed at the California Department of Education in Sacramento. The State Superintendent then selects six semi-finalists, six finalists, and five statewide winners who are named as California Teachers of the Year. The awards banquet for nominees and award recipients will take place in fall 2020 at the Disneyland Hotel.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility for the Orange County Teachers of the Year Program is limited to candidates who are finalists in their district competitions and meet all of the following requirements:

  1. Fully credentialed teacher for a minimum of eight years
  2. Currently assigned to teach students at least .5 FTE
  3. Member of Irvine Teachers Association
  4. Assigned to teach students for the next school year
  5. Not previously nominated as an Orange County Teacher of the Year

For more information: http://www.ocde.us/TOTY/Pages/default.aspx

OC TOY Nomination Form