2011 Excellence in Teaching Award winner reflects

Airdrie and area residents have the opportunity to nominate their favourite teachers for this year's distinction up until Feb. 8

When Glyn Hughes picked up the phone about a month after the 2011 Excellence in Teaching Award nomination ceremony, he certainly didn’t expect then minister of education Dave Hancock to be on the other end.

Hughes said the phone call was completely out of the blue and that he was “over the moon” when Hancock congratulated him on being selected as a recipient of the 2011 Excellence of Teaching Award.

“It’s the ultimate honour just to be nominated,” said the former social studies teacher from George McDougall High School and most recent Airdrie recipient of the award.

The Excellence in Teaching Award recognizes teachers and principals who are “creative, innovative and effective,” according to a press release from the Alberta government.

“It is important to celebrate education,” said Hughes, who retired last June after 28 years of teaching.

“There are so many positive things going on in education now.”

Two colleagues at George McDougall High School nominated him for the award in 2011. He was also nominated in 2008.

“It was a tremendous honour to be recognized by my peers,” he said.

He added he thinks there are many dedicated, wonderful teachers who have been educating for years that don’t get nominated.

“Sometimes people work in the trenches, so to speak, and don’t get the recognition. This (award) is a great way to recognize them.”

Nominations for the 2013 awards are now being accepted and can be made by any Albertan including parents, students and teaching staff.

“It doesn’t take a lot of work to nominate someone,” Hughes said.

This is the 25th year the Excellence in Teaching Award program has been in operation. Since the program originated in 1989, there has been 9,628 teachers and principals nominated.

All nominees will receive a certificate of recognition and roughly 130 semi-finalists from the 2013 nominations will be invited to attend a regional celebration on April 18 in Calgary

“It’s a great evening for everyone who is a semi-finalist,” Hughes said of the regional celebration.

Both semi-finalist and award recipients will receive access to funds for professional development: $1,500 for semi-finalists and $4,000 for award recipients. The funds are intended to allow teachers and principals the opportunity to attend leadership courses, conferences and seminars.

Twenty of the semi-finalists will be selected as recipients of the award by a selection committee comprised of representatives from several education associations including Alberta Education, the Alberta Teachers’ Association and the Alberta School Board Association. Winners will be formally honoured at a dinner and ceremony with current Minister of Education Jeff Johnson in May.

Since its conception in 1989, 515 teachers and principals have been recognized with the award.

Nomination will be accepted until Feb. 8 and nomination packages are available at www.education.alberta.ca