This prestigious award recognizes and honors an outstanding administrator who, through his/her professional work, has demonstrated exemplary support for science education at the school, district, higher education, and/or county level. This award honors an administrator whose primary responsibility is outside the area of science instruction.
This award has been suspended for 2023
Eligibility
Outstanding administrators who provide exemplary support for K-12 science education are eligible to be nominated for this award. The applicant must be nominated by a current NSELA member. Examples of applicants include superintendent, central office administrator (e.g. assistant/deputy superintendent for curriculum/instruction, curriculum and instruction coordinator, professional development coordinator, assessment director, school principal), or higher education administrator (e.g. principal investigator for a science/STEM grant, director/associate director of a science/STEM center). Applicants must demonstrate strong leadership support that impacts K-12 science teachers and students.
As the nominee, it is your responsibility to assemble these application requirements before submitting. These include the following items:
Award Selection Criteria
Outstanding contributions and/or accomplishments in providing exemplary support for science education are the main selection criteria. These may include:
- unique or extraordinary short-term leadership accomplishments, such as initiating, collaborating on, or supporting whole-heartedly one or more science education professional development and/or curriculum implementation projects; or achieving impressive data-based results in supporting science education reform or improvement projects;
- significant contributions toward science education support over a long period of time; and/or
- a series of substantial contributions that support science teachers/leaders and students.
Submission Requirements
The nominator should submit a letter limited to two pages briefly describing the nominee and his/her qualifications for this award. Nominator information needs to include name, position/title, email, work and home phone numbers, and work and home addresses.
The nominator should inform the nominee that it is the nominee's responsibility to assemble an application packet that includes the following items. As the nominee, it is your responsibility to assemble these application requirements before submitting.
- The nominator's letter that summarizes the nominee's qualifications for this award.
- Curriculum vita or résumé (not more than three pages) that addresses the award selection criteria. The vita should include: name, position/title, email, mobile phone number and home address. The vita should document the candidate's educational record of earned degrees, dates and field of study; any professional memberships and positions in/contributions to those organizations; any special awards or other forms of professional recognition; presentations including those related to science education; any notable publications; and any prior work experience that exhibited exemplary support for science education.
- Evidence of leadership in science education that is no more than three pages in length that provides specific examples of leadership that supported science teachers and students. This may include work at previous positions that demonstrated support for science education over an extended period of time. Please refer to the above Award Selection Criteria in preparing this section.
- Three (3) letters of recommendation that substantiate the nominee's leadership accomplishments in support of science education with specific examples. One letter of support must be from a superintendent or immediate supervisor and one letter from a subordinate. If the candidate is a superintendent or has no supervisor, a third letter can be submitted by another qualified individual (e.g. science specialist, teacher, school board member, higher education faculty member).
- Name, address, and website of nominee's local newspaper.
All submitted items become the property of NSELA and will not be returned. Any late materials will not be accepted.
Questions?
Please contact Awards Chair, Rebecca Hite, Awards Chair
Past Outstanding Administrative Support Award Winners:
2022 Dr. Rachel Ruggirello, Missouri
2021 Dr. Darlene C. Ryan, North Carolina
2020 Daniel Daneker, Pennsylvania
2019 Judy Diamond, Nebraska
2018 Jane Steinkamp, California
2017 Sharon Delesbore, Texas
2016 Linda Atkinson, Oklahoma
2015 Manley Midgett, North Carolina
2014 Tom Manke, Washington
2013 Ann Blakeney Clark, North Carolina
2012 Nanciann Gatta, Illinois
2011 Danny Bell, Louisiana
2010 Steve Gonzalez, California
2009 Ruth Ann Carr, Oklahoma
2008 Ray J. Bandlow, New Jersey
2007 Pamela T. Henson, Alabama
2006 Gene Harris, Ohio
2005 Michael Klentschy, California
2004 Larry Mabe, North Carolina
2003 No Award
2002 Sheldon Berman, Massachusetts
2001 Ernest Bibby, North Carolina
2000 Jerry Valadez, California
1999 Renee Williams, Texas
1998 Wayne Lett, Virginia
