Frequently Asked Questions
When should I nominate a teacher?
How do I nominate a great teacher?
Who sponsors the Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Awards?
Q. When should I nominate a teacher?
A. You may nominate a teacher at any time, however, nomination packets will be sent to the nominee beginning in September, 2001.
Q. How do I nominate a great teacher?
A. Anyone -- parents, administrators, and colleagues -- can nominate a worthy teacher online by completing the attached form or by calling 312/335-KIDS. You will receive a letter confirming your nomination.
A. To be eligible, one must be a full time teacher of children from birth to age 8 (infancy through third grade) in the the six-county Chicago metropolitan area (Cook, Lake, DuPage, Will, McHenry and Kane). The teachers may teach in preschools, child care centers, Head Start programs, licensed family child care homes, and kindergarten through third grade classes in public, private and parochial schools.
The teachers need to have taught a minimum of three full years as an early childhood lead teacher. (Teaching assistants, librarians, counselors and resource teachers are not eligible.)
A. The Kohl McCormick Awards are seeking nominees who embody the finest practices of educators who teach young children, from infancy to age eight. Awardees exemplify the best characteristics of quality teaching: dedication, innovation, leadership, respect for children and their families as well as a commitment to professional growth.
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A. After being nominated, teachers will be notified and will receive application instructions. Each teacher must then submit completed application materials: including a resume, an essay of educational philosophy, references and other support materials. The deadline for teachers to submit their application materials is January 15, but earlier submission is recommended.
A. A committee of education and community leaders reviews all candidates' applications to select a group of finalists. The finalists are then interviewed and observed in their classrooms.
Q. When are the winners chosen?
A. Five Award winners will be selected in Spring, 2002 and will be recognized at a special ceremony to be held in Chicago.
Q. Who sponsors the Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Awards?
A. The Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Awards are sponsored by the Dolores Kohl Education Foundation and the McCormick Tribune Foundation, and are part of the McCormick Tribune Foundation's Focus on Quality initiative, which has invested more than 35 million dollars to improve the quality of early childhood education in the Chicago area.
While there are numerous teaching awards programs in the United States, the Kohl McCormick Early Childhood Teaching Awards is the first awards program to formally recognize the contributions of early childhood teachers working with children from infancy through third grade in a variety of settings. Now entering its sixth year, the Kohl McCormick Awards have become a model for recognition of outstanding early childhood educators.
Q. Do you have additional questions?
A. Visit the www.rrmtf.org website to learn more about the awards and the past winners. Email KMcAwards@aol.com if you have additional questions.