2011-2012 Selection Process

CRITERIA
The Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program seeks to identify and recognize teachers in the Collier County Public Schools who exhibit excellence in the classroom. The criteria used to determine this excellence are as follows:

• Evidence of a positive learning environment
• Knowledge of curriculum and pedagogy
• Quality of instruction
• Effectiveness of classroom management
• Strength of teacher-student relationships
• Contributions to learning communities.

ELIGIBILITY
While all teachers are eligible to be nominated, those who wish to be considered for the Golden Apple award itself must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be able to provide a teaching schedule which reflects at least 50% of weekly time as observable.
• Be a full-time (1.0) Florida Certified Teacher or a CCPS District Career and Technical Education Certified Teacher.
• Have taught full-time for a minimum of two years in the Collier County Public Schools.
• Meet the standards set forth in the “Code of Ethics and the Principles of Professional Conduct of the Education Profession in Florida” and give permission for background review by Collier County Public Schools.

GOLDEN APPLE COMMITTEES
Two groups of community volunteers contribute countless hours to the Golden Apple selection process. The Golden Apple Core Committee members (approximately 40) make the initial classroom observations; they may not observe any teachers they know personally. The Golden Apple Selection Committee members (approximately 12) read the applications, observe all Teachers of Distinction, conduct the interviews, and make the final selection; they may not have an immediate family member or significant other currently teaching in the Collier County Public Schools. Both groups sign a “confidentiality agreement” prior to serving.
Following is the Golden Apple selection process:

NOMINATION
Teachers may be nominated for the Golden Apple Award by students, former students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. Nomination forms are available in the spring and in the fall, as well as online at www.educationforcollier.org. Nomination forms must be returned to The Education Foundation.

SUBMISSION OF EDUCATOR PROFILE FORM
Nominated teachers who wish to be considered for the Golden Apple Award will complete the Educator Profile form, which asks for certain professional information and the teacher’s response to questions about classroom activities and individual strengths.

SELECTION OF CLASS OF 60
The Golden Apple Selection Committee will read all Educator Profiles “blind” (that is, with the teachers’ names and schools removed) and, using an application scoring rubric, will assign scores to all applications and rank-order them. Taking the highest scores, they will name the Class of Sixty (60). These 60 teachers will continue to the next stage ofthe process. They will submit to The Education Foundation two additional forms: (1) the Schedule Information form, which is used to schedule Core Committee observations, and (2) the Classroom Information form, which will help the observers understand what they see in the classroom. These forms are also available at www.educationforcollier.org.

INITIAL CLASROOM OBSERVATIONS
During the month of November, members of the Class of 60 will be observed by four members of the Golden Apple Core Committee. During these unannounced observations, the committee members will use an observation scoring rubric based upon the Golden Apple criteria to assign a score to each teacher.

SELECTION OF TEACHERS OF DISTINCTION
The scores assigned to the Educator Profiles and to the Core Committee observations will be combined and the teachers rank-ordered accordingly, still “blind” with no names attached. The Selection Committee will then name the thirty (30) teachers with the highest scores as Teachers of Distinction. Those teachers will be notified in surprise classroom visits. Those not continuing in the process will be notified by letter. The Teachers of Distinction will submit a second Schedule Information form to aid in scheduling Selection Committee observations.

FINAL CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS
In January and February, all Teachers of Distinction will be observed by all Selection Committee members, who will use an observation rubric based on the Golden Apple criteria to assign a score to each teacher.

TEACHER INTERVIEWS
After the conclusion of the classroom observations, the Selection Committee will interview all thirty (30) Teachers of Distinction. Each interview will be divided into two fifteen-minute sessions, with half of the committee serving on each panel. Teachers will be assigned an interview date in the middle of February.

SELECTION OF GOLDEN APPLE RECIPIENTS
The Selection Committee will select six (6) Golden Apple recipients based upon the combined scores assigned to the Educator Profiles, classroom observations, and teacher interviews. The recipients will be notified in surprise classroom visits. They will be honored at the Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program Celebration at the Philharmonic Center for the Arts on May 8, 2012.

BENEFITS

• Various public recognition and celebration opportunities
• Teachers of Distinction will receive a $200 cash prize
• Golden Apple Teachers will receive an additional $1,800 cash prize