ABC Awards of Excellence
Program Overview
The Abbotsford School District is committed to providing a workplace that fosters creativity, inspires excellence, and challenges everyone to embrace growth. The ABC Awards of Excellence Recognition Program was established to promote an engaged and motivated organizational culture that encourages and recognizes employees who demonstrate dedication and innovation in support of our strategic goals and organizational values: Respect, Trust, Integrity, Community, Teamwork.
Process
Nominations for the ABC Recognition Awards can be submitted by peers and leaders across the district through an online form, from June 1 - June 30 of each year. The nominations will outline a detailed story of an employee or a team who has gone above and beyond in the current school year, in one of the following five categories:
Teaching/Educational Support Category:
1. Exemplary Teaching Practice Award:
Recognizing teachers who demonstrate a high level of pedagogical knowledge and skills in the classroom.
2. Supporting Student Success Award:
Recognizing teachers and support professionals for actions and initiatives that enhance the student experience and help a student or group of students achieve their goals, e.g. social/emotional learning, student agency and voice.
3. Excellence in Educational Equity:
Recognizing efforts to ensure equal educational opportunities for all students and promoting learning and development for everyone.
Leadership Category:
1. Leadership in Education:
Recognizing individuals who demonstrate strong leadership skills in guiding and mentoring colleagues, or leading school-wide initiatives.
2. Leadership in Curriculum Development:
Recognizing individuals who have played a key role in developing and implementing new curricula, learning materials, or educational programs.
3. Leadership in School/Workplace Culture:
Acknowledging individuals who have demonstrated leadership in building school or workplace practices or initiatives that contribute to a healthy, engaged, and respectful environment.
4. Leadership in Indigenous Education:
Recognizing individuals who demonstrate commitment and leadership in advancing the goals of the district’s Enhancement Agreement for Indigenous Students.
5. Leadership in Technological Innovation:
Recognizing individuals who have demonstrated innovation in introducing or integrating new technology into their teaching or school activities.
Service Category:
1. Years of Service (nominations not required):
Recognizing employees for their commitment and dedication to the education system through milestone celebrations.
2. Community Impact:
Acknowledging employees who have made a positive impact on the broader community through their work in education.
3. Everyday Hero:
Recognizing individuals who consistently provide excellent service to students, parents, or other stakeholders.
Teamwork Category:
1. Teamwork Award:
Recognizing individuals or teams who have worked collaboratively to achieve significant goals or outcomes.
2. Inclusive Team of the Year:
Awarded to a team committed to inclusion, collaboration, and valuing diverse perspectives.
Employees of the Year*:
1. Educator
2. Educational Support Employee
3. Operational Support Employee
Each ABC award category will include specific awards, for a total of 15 awards, in addition to the long service awards. Specific awards targeting equity/inclusion and Indigenous Education will be introduced in order to highlight the work in these important areas.
*Nominations for the three ‘Employee of the Year Award’ will require three reference/endorsements.
Selection Committee
An ABC Awards of Excellence Committee will be established by Human Resources to review all nomination submissions and select award recipients. This committee will include unionized (Teachers and Support staff) and excluded employees, consisting of six to eight members representing different portfolios/departments in the school district (e.g., Elementary, Middle, Secondary, Operations, Learning Support Services, Curriculum, Indigenous Department). The committee members will be nominated and identified through the Senior Leadership Team. The ABC Awards of Excellence Committee will select award recipients based on the following criteria:
· Reviewing the submission with the school or department leader to gain a full understanding of how the nominee(s) have gone above and beyond in their position(s);
· Reviewing the nominee’s efforts and resources;
· Reviewing the impact of the employee or team’s actions;
· Reviewing the practical use and sustainability of the employee or team’s initiative or improvement.
Awards
- Award winners in all categories will receive a plaque and certificate;
- Long service award recipients will receive an additional gift;
- Employees of the year will receive a gift card.
Awards of Excellence Ceremony
The nominees who are selected by the ABC Awards of Excellence Committee will be acknowledged at an Awards ceremony to occur in February or March in the school year following the nomination year. This ceremony will be held in conjunction with our Long Term Service celebrations. Employees who do not want to be recognized in this public forum may choose to receive their award and acknowledgement from their leader at their work site.
To nominate a leader or co-worker, please complete the nomination form below between June 1 - June 30th of each year.