The purpose of the Excellence in Education program is to celebrate excellence in teaching and honor individuals who  have made outstanding contributions to the students of Indiana County.  The initiative, in partnership with the Colonial Family of Dealerships, will highlight various students and teachers from each of the seven county public school districts as well as Indiana County Technology Center (ICTC) throughout the school year, and will culminate with the Indiana County Excellence in Education Awards in the spring.  One student and one teacher will be selected at this banquet, with each being awarded a brand-new automobile donated by Colonial.

Criteria for Nomination:
1. Possess a valid Pennsylvania Instructional II certificate;
2. Be exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled pre-kindergarten through grade twelve teachers
3. Plan to continue in an active teaching status through the current school year;
4. Incorporate effective and innovative instructional strategies, particularly elements of the Standards Aligned Systems (SAS);
5. Have the respect and admiration of students, parents, and colleagues;
6. Demonstrates excellence and expertise in the field, guiding students of all backgrounds and abilities to achieve success;
7. Collaborates with colleagues, students, and families to create a school culture that is respectful, inclusive, and
positively impacts student growth and learning;
8. Intentionally connects the classroom/school and key stakeholders to build strong community partnerships
resulting in success for all;
9. Demonstrates leadership and innovation in and outside of the school building walls and helps students/education stakeholders be successful;
10. Is inspiring, compelling, professional and expresses themselves in an engaging and articulate way. The candidate is both timeless and relevant and has the ability to connect with and represent the state.

Any parent, community member, student, or educator can nominate an individual who meets the criteria in the section above to be a River Valley School District Teacher of the Year. Nominees must complete the application form for consideration. Once the nominees are all chosen by the school districts, an independent panel will review all of the nominations and choose one individual to be Colonial’s Indiana County Student of the Year and one to be Colonial’s Indiana County Teacher of the Year.  The panel will not be affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce, any of the seven school districts, or Colonial but will instead be composed of out-of-county educators, human resource directors, and county leaders.  All applications are due by February 28th.