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Record Number of Metro Nashville Public Schools Teachers Receive Blue Ribbon Teacher Awards

Record Number of Metro Nashville Public Schools Teachers Receive Blue Ribbon Teacher Awards

By MP&F Staff

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 20, 2020) – Metro Nashville Public Schools, the Nashville’s Agenda Steering Committee, and the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announced today the winners of this year’s Blue Ribbon Teacher Awards.

“Nashville’s success depends on the success of our teachers, and we have a lot of great ones educating our students every day,” said Director of Schools Dr. Adrienne Battle. “We see that even now, when public health demands that we create new kinds of classrooms and adapt to teaching and learning remotely. I applaud each of our Blue Ribbon Teachers on earning this tremendous honor with their dedication, creativity, and skill, and I thank them for the example they set year after year in schools across the city.”

Now in its sixth year, the Blue Ribbon Teacher awards aim to recognize teachers who exhibit instructional excellence, promote student growth, and exemplify teacher leadership. More awards were given this year than ever before – 58 teachers were honored, 42 individually and 16 as members of school-based teaching teams. This year’s winners join an elite group of the city’s top public school educators. More than 300 teachers have received this distinction to date.

“Now more than ever, it is important to recognize our teachers and the invaluable work they do,” said Janet Miller, chair of the Nashville’s Agenda Steering Committee and a member of the Nashville Public Education Foundation board of directors. “We are honored to recognize these fantastic educators as Blue Ribbon Teachers. Their work is critical to creating schools where all of our children thrive, and when our children thrive, so does our community.”

Winners are determined following a rigorous selection process that included a review of evidence of outstanding teaching practices by a team of experts. This year, the focus was on recognizing teachers who exhibit instructional excellence, promote student growth, and exemplify teacher leadership. For the first time, teaching teams were eligible to apply in the teacher leadership category. The addition of this award category acknowledges that excellent instruction is often the result of collaboration between teachers. 

“Over the last few weeks, our teachers were faced with a natural disaster followed by an unprecedented global health crisis and once again have shown us how truly remarkable they are,” said Katie Cour, president and CEO of the Nashville Public Education Foundation. “This year’s Blue Ribbon Teachers exemplify what makes our district and city great, and we are so pleased to recognize them.”

Along with Blue Ribbon status, each teacher receives a cash prize – supported exclusively by private donations.

The Blue Ribbon Teacher Awards program began in 2014 and is a joint project of the Nashville’s Agenda Steering Committee, the Nashville Public Education Foundation, and Metro Nashville Public Schools.

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About the Nashville Public Education Foundation

The Nashville Public Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises private funds to support teachers and leaders, to champion success, and to advocate for change for Metro Nashville Public Schools. More information is available at nashvillepef.org.

About Metro Nashville Public Schools

Metro Nashville Public Schools is one of the nation’s top 50 largest school districts, preparing 85,000 students for higher education, work and life. With the goal of being the first choice for Nashville families, Metro Schools is committed to delivering a great public education to every student, every day. The district is earning a national reputation for urban school reform, social and emotional learning, and rising academic achievement. For more information, visit MNPS.org, or follow us on Twitter @MetroSchools or Facebook.com/MetroSchools.