How to Write Award Winning ACSA Nominations

1. How to Write Award Winning ACSA Nominations Jennifer Root June 25, 2013

2. Top Ten to Winning Awards • How I got started… • My track record…2 state level winners and 11 or so local winners in about 8 years

3. #1- You can’t win if you don’t play!

4. Who in your District Would you Nominate Right Now? • In two minutes, complete the list for your charter identifying who you think would be viable candidates to nominate. • Most important…are they ACSA members? All nominees (with the exception of Every Student Succeeding, Ferd Keisel, Partners in Excellence, and Outstanding Media Coverage) • Our list goes out in September to gather names. All members have the privilege of nominating their colleagues.

5. #9- Establish an Awards Chairperson as part of your Charter Board • If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail…Benjamin Franklin • Identify who is a person in your charter who could serve as your Awards Chairperson? They need to be organized, good writing and editing skills, and be outgoing to ask for letters of reference and narratives)

6. #8 Solicit the Advice and Thoughts of Your Members • Never doubt that a small group of committed thoughtful people can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has! Margaret Mead • Survey your members for who they think would be good candidates for nomination. Ensure that they understand the selection criteria. Is your charter nominating simply to recognize at the charter level or are you trying to win the awards at the Region and State level?

7. #7 Give Yourself Enough Time • You may delay but time will not. Benjamin Franklin • We are all busy and have these things called jobs that get in the way of our ACSA volunteerism. • Start in September! The administrators don’t usually change between August and January so make your selections early so you have time to do a quality time writing and editing as well as gathering reference letters.

8. #6 How to Complete the Nomination Form • Accept business only at a price permitting thoroughness. Then do a thorough job, regardless of cost to us. Arthur C. Nielsen • Where do I find the nomination form? http://www.acsa.org/FunctionalMenuCategories/AboutACSA/AwardsProgram/FAQ.aspx • Be creative (but honest)…the goal should be to fill all of the lines ESPECIALLY about ACSA participation.

9. #5 How to Write the Narrative • Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. Benjamin Franklin • Sell your candidate! This is your chance to show the selection committee that your candidate is the BEST. It’s not the time to be humble. • Set up a meeting with your candidate and chat with them about their accomplishments. Talk with their boss and get quotes about their performance. • Follow this structure for the letters: Why are you nominating the candidate (paragraph 1), What has the candidate accomplished, What sets the candidate apart from others in their job alike category and How has the candidate served others in education (paragraph 2-5), What is the candidate’s ACSA involvement (paragraph 6), conclude with a BANG (paragraph 7) • Use powerful adjectives, look for consistent messaging, and edit for content, spelling and grammar.

10. #4- Letters of Reference • It’s getting the right person that’s the challenge. Bob Schieffer • Get 2 letters of reference for every nomination. When you submit one, it makes the readers think there wasn’t anyone to write a second one. • Divide up the letters amongst multiple people so that the writers can spend quality time writing it. • Provide your letter of reference writers with the nomination form and narrative to ensure they know what you’re highlighting. Also ensure that the writers know the criteria for the awards. • Make certain that it is edited for spelling and grammar. • Assign you board members and Superintendent to the letters for your strongest candidates.

11. #3 Nominations for Other Awards • I don’t care who does the electing as long as I get to do the nominating. Boss Tweed • Candidates for the Valuing Diversity, Ferd Keisel Memorial Award, Marcus Foster Award, Robert E. Kelly Award and Robert Gray Award can be nominated to the Region Board for consideration. Please submit a letter with your region’s candidates and the reasons for your nomination to Jennifer Root by January 14, 2014.

12. #2 Recycle, Reduce, Reuse! • Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Mahatma Gandhi • Keep an electronic bank of narratives and letters of references. This gives you a starting point to get people to help with the writing when they can see an example of what a good narrative or letter of recommendation looks like.

13. #1- All Awards Materials Must be Complete and Submitted On Time! • How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before it is June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon? Dr. Seuss • Completed awards packets MUST be submitted to and received by Jennifer Root no later than Monday, January 14, 2014. Jennifer Root Director of Student Services 519 E. Badillo St. Covina, CA 91723 OR jroot@cvusd.k12.ca.us or (626)974-7060. • On or before January 15 you will receive a list of all of the nominees from your district to verify that we have received them all.