Chris Adrian, a social studies teacher at Jefferson Middle School, has been named a finalist for the Illinois State Board of Education’s Teacher of the Year Award. Just being one of the 200+ teachers nominated for this award is a tremendous accomplishment, and so it’s pretty amazing that she’s made it this far in the process — although, for those familiar with what she does in her classroom, news of her being one of the final nine under consideration is no surprise.
From Unit 4’s press release:
Champaign Unit 4 School District is pleased to announce that Jefferson Middle School social studies teacher Christine Adrian is one of nine finalists for the 2012-13 Illinois Teacher of the Year award, a program of the Illinois State Board of Education. The Teacher of the Year finalists are selected from nominees through the State Board of Education’s Those Who Excel educator recognition program.
Adrian was one of more than 200 teachers nominated from across the state. A selection committee made up of administrators, teachers and representatives from educational service personnel, student support personnel and previous Illinois Teacher of the Year award recipients reviewed the nominations.
Nominations are scored based on personal background information, the nominating recommendation and letters of support from colleagues, parents and students. In addition, nominees answer questions that focus on student success, collaboration, continuous learning and leadership. Teachers who earn an Award of Excellence are finalists for Illinois Teacher of the Year.
Adrian has previously been named Outstanding Middle School Social Studies Teacher of the Year by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) in 2011, as well as the Illinois History Teacher of the Year in 2010.
The 2012–13 Illinois Teacher of the Year will be announced during the Those Who Excel banquet on October 20, 2012. The Teacher of the Year will represent Illinois at NASA Space Camp in Alabama and in the Council of Chief State School Officers’ National Teacher of the Year Program.