Employee Excellence Award nominations

The Excellence Award recognizes individual employees and small teams (three people maximum) for creating a positive, caring and productive school environment through exceptional effort, dedication or performance in their areas of responsibility. For example, that person might have implemented a successful teaching strategy, provided extra support for fellow staff members or helped a student overcome extreme difficulties. Any colleague, student, parent or community member may submit a nomination.

All nominations will go through a review by the nominee’s supervisor and the district’s human resources department. Approved nominations also will be reviewed and selected by the Excellence Award committee, comprised of staff members from across the district.

Nominations are considered for two months. Five employees or small teams (three people) are recognized between October and June of each school year.

Current Vancouver Public Schools employees and emergency replacement subs who:

  • Are approved by their supervisors and the district’s HR department
  • Have been employed by the district more than 1.5 years
  • Have not received the award before (previous Excellence Award winners are ineligible to receive the award a second time)
  • Are currently working
  • Are not retired and will not be retired at the time of their recognition
  • Are not short-term substitutes
  • Are not contracted employees

Persuasive nominations can go a long way toward securing an Excellence Award for an employee. Here are a few tips for crafting your nomination:

  • Tell a story. Focus on a few compelling details, and make the nominee’s personality shine.
  • Be specific. Give examples of notable things the employee has done.
  • Ask others to nominate the employee, too. A group effort can sometimes make a good impression on the selection committee. However, one strong nomination also can clinch an award.

Nominees who pass the vetting process are sent to the selection committee for review. The selection committee assesses nominees’ positive and caring attributes, contributions to a productive work environment, exceptional effort, dedication and performance.

The committee votes monthly from October to June. The five individuals or small teams with the most votes receive the award.

Please contact the VPS communications office at 360-313-1230 or recognitionaward@vansd.org.

Nomination schedule

Award month Nomination deadline at noon Recipients recognized at school board meeting
October 2023 Aug. 9 Oct. 10
November 2023 Sept. 13 Nov. 14
December 2023 Oct. 11 Dec. 12
January 2024 Nov. 8 Jan. 9
February 2024 Dec. 13 Feb. 13
March 2024 Jan. 10 March 12
April 2024 Feb. 7 April 9
May 2024 March 13 May 14
June 2024 April 3 June 4

Even if a deadline has passed, you can still submit a nomination. Nominations are accepted all year long!

Recent winners

Complete list of winners

Submission form

Please fill out the following form completely.