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About the Awards
Background
The Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education are designed
to recognize teachers in communities across North America who have made a commitment
to the field of Jewish education. The Awards honor outstanding classroom-based
teachers in formal Jewish educational settings (early childhood through grade
12). Awards Winners are chosen through their central agency for Jewish education
or, where no central agency exists, through their federation. The Awards were
first established by the Grinspoon Foundation in 2000 and joined by the Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish
Life in 2002.
Eligibility
Nominees for the Awards must:
- demonstrate exceptional achievement and serve as a role model in Jewish education
- have a minimum of 3 years experience in the field
- teach at least 6 hours per week in Jewish day school or other formal Jewish educational setting (educators can fulfill the hour requirement in more
than one institution)
- be classroom-based Jewish educators in one of the following categories:
- early childhood educator
- day school teacher, grades K-12
- congregational school teacher, grades K-12
Local communities may add additional criteria for eligibility; they may also
include their own similar criteria from a pre-existing local award.
Nominations of previous Grinspoon Awards and Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards recipients
will not be considered.
Procedures
Teachers may ONLY be nominated by their principal or school administrator. Nominations
are then submitted to the local Central Agency for Jewish Education or, where
no Central Agency exists, to the local Federation. Once the local community
has selected their nominee(s) their final applications should be forwarded via
email to gsawards@jesna.org
where a National Awards Panel will confirm selection of the final recipients.
While this Committee may seek additional information about a candidate before
confirming his/her nomination, the judgment of each local selection committee
is the most important criterion. Please note: JESNA will not compare candidates to one another.
Awards Benefits
The Awards offer national recognition to its recipients, each of whom will be
awarded a minimum of $2,500. Each winner must use $1,500 of the Awards stipend
for his or her own professional development.
The remaining $1,000 is for use
at the recipient's discretion. In addition, the Awards Winners will be
invited to a professional development seminar and reception in their honor.
2008 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Brochure
2008 Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards Application
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