2025 Outstanding Elementary Teacher Award Process

Nominating a candidate for the Outstanding Elementary Teacher Award begins at the school level through each school's awards liaison. The liaison provides information about the nomination process and deadlines. 

Who Is Eligible

Any FCPS employee or community member can nominate a teacher for this award, but employees may not nominate themselves. Eligible candidates must have completed at least three full years of teaching and be aware of and in agreement with this nomination. 

Award Criteria 

Nominees are teachers who:

• Instill in students a desire to learn and achieve.
• Understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents, and foster their self-esteem.
• Showcase a thorough knowledge of their subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students.
• Proactively facilitate cooperative relationships with their colleagues, students, and the community.
• Demonstrate outstanding leadership.
• Foster an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrate keeping equity at the center of their work.

Who Can Nominate

Any FCPS employee, student, or community member can nominate a teacher for the Outstanding Teacher award. All nominations must be submitted through their school’s awards liaison. Teachers may not nominate themselves.

How To Nominate

Once you have decided you would like to nominate an employee, please contact the awards liaison at your school for information about the nomination process and deadlines. 

The Selection Process

All schools will conduct a local nomination process to determine their Outstanding Elementary Teacher. The Outstanding Elementary Teacher from each school advances to the pyramid level, where a Pyramid Elementary School Teacher is selected to advance to the region level. The Region Outstanding Elementary School Teacher is selected from each group of pyramid level winners and is a finalist for each award. The annual overall FCPS Outstanding Elementary Teacher is chosen from each group of finalists. 

Awards and Recognition

All school-level honorees will be recognized. The annual FCPS Outstanding Elementary Teacher will be announced at the FCPS Honors event and will receive $4000. In recognition of collaborative teamwork, the FCPS award winners and their colleagues will also receive a celebration at their worksite. 

Questions?

• Please contact the school's awards liaison.