TURNER – Nominations will be accepted until Nov. 1 for the Patience W. Norman Prize for Teacher Excellence from the Maine Community Foundation. A $5,000 cash award accompanies it.
The foundation describes Patience Norman as a “history teacher with a fine, inquisitive mind who believed her students were capable of academic excellence, required her students to work hard and challenged them to surpass her, and their own expectations.”
According to Jean Warren, scholarship funds manager at the foundation, “An anonymous person fortunate enough to have been a student of Miss Norman has created what is to be an annual award to promote teacher retention in District 52 by recognizing an educator who exemplifies excellence in teaching.”
The deadline in future years will coincide with Columbus Day.
Students, parents, faculty and administration of SAD 52, including alternative schools such as the River Valley School, are invited to nominate an outstanding, full-time teacher for the prize.
The foundation states that nominees should have a demonstrated commitment to SAD 52, as evidenced by a minimum five-year tenure. Teachers should also demonstrate high effectiveness in the classroom; commitment to students, including responsibility and concern for academic progress; creativity and innovation in teaching; and leadership that provides a positive model for students.
A selection committee comprising Superintendent Thomas Hanson, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Darlene Burdin, and the chairwoman of the SAD 52 School Board, Elizabeth Bullard of Turner, will review the nominations and select the recipient. Hanson said he will be visiting the schools in the district and meeting with citizens to encourage nominations for the award.
He said, “I’m just delighted that a truly meaningful award has been created to recognize good teachers for their outstanding work. This is a wonderful opportunity for our district and our communities.” He said that after the selection, an appropriate award ceremony will be held involving the entire district, as well as another at the school of the teacher selected.
The Maine Community Foundation, with offices in Ellsworth and Portland, works in partnership with donors and community groups to strengthen Maine communities.
Due to the anonymity of the donor of the award prize, Warren could not reveal information as to why SAD 52 was selected. She did say that she hoped it would be seen “as a marvelous confluence of a person’s generous desire to give back with a teacher’s dedication to excellence.” She added that the $5,000 award accompanying the prize is cash, with no restrictions as to its use.
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