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School Support Staff of the Year Award

This award honors a school-based support staff member whose daily contributions significantly strengthen student well-being, support colleagues, enhance the school environment, and exemplify RPS' values.


Purpose

The School Support Staff of the Year (SSSOY) Award recognizes the tremendous work of the part-time and full-time school-based staff who wrap our students in love each and every day. The school’s winner is voted on by the building’s teachers and staff. All school winners are invited to submit an application for the division-wide School Support Staff of the Year award.

Submit a Nomination

 

Eligibility

Must be an RPS full-time or part-time: 

  • School-based Office Associate, Administrative Office Associate
  • School nutrition staff
  • Instructional Assistants and Early Intervention Assistants
  • Care & Safety staff
  • Family Liaisons
  • Facilities Staff
  • Lunch Monitors
  • Custodial staff
  • Nurses
  • Bus drivers, Bus monitors, Fleet Services staff
  • Social workers
  • Interpreters
  • Long term or annual substitutes
  • Physical Therapists
  • Instructional Deans
  • Instructional Coaches
  • Assistant Principals

Selection Criteria

1. Impact on Students
  • Specific actions you have taken to positively impact student learning, social-emotional well-being, health and/or safety.  
  • impact is defined as the effect or change over time that we can see, demonstrate, measure or capture.  
2. Impact on colleagues
  • Specific actions you have taken and how those actions have positively impacted colleagues at your school campus, school district, or worksite.
3. Impact on school environment
  • Specific actions you have taken to create a positive, supportive and inclusive environment, conducive to student learning. 
4. Exemplary Member of the RPS Community
  • Demonstrates a high level of integrity and professionalism
  • Pursues relationship-building with staff and RPS community
  • Adopts high performance standards
  • Serves as a role model for students and staff
  • Embodies the core values of RPS-Equity, Engagement, Excellence

Nomination Process

  • Nominations (up to 100 words) may be submitted by peers, supervisors, students, families, or community members.
  • Nominees are compiled onto a ballot, each school votes over a week-long period. 
  • The top vote-earner is celebrated by the school as the building’s School Support Staff of the Year.
  • The top vote-earner from each school is invited to submit an application.

Application Includes

  • Personal Statement-written (up to 500 words) or video/multimedia presentation (4-5min)- reflecting on their personal and professional commitment to 1) have an impact on students, 2) impact on colleagues, 3) impact on the environment, and 4) being an exemplary RPS employee. The statement should provide insight into the nominee’s values, practices, and contributions.
  • A Letter of Recommendation from supervisor (up to 300 words) which addresses how the nominee meets the criteria listed (impact on students, impact on colleagues, impact on school environment, and being a role model), including specific examples. 

Terms & Conditions

  • No campaigning (campaigning = to organize a series of activities to try to achieve something) 
  • No self nominating.
  • Chiefs and Directors are not eligible.
  • Teachers in preschool through grade 12, including library media specialists, school counselors, career and technical educators, mathematics specialists, and reading specialists are not eligible for School Support Staff of the Year,  they are eligible for Teacher of the Year.
  • Shines is a once in a lifetime award.