Staff Awards

Eligibility

This award is open to CUPE staff members, including:

• Office – Clerical – Technical staff
• Custodial and Maintenance staff
• Educational Assistants (EAs)

Please review the Educational Services Staff Award application information.

Nominations

Nominations for this award are accepted in the spring of each school year, and the winner will receive an award at the October Board meeting. We also present the winner with a $500 cash award to help support their project or initiative. All nominees receive a certificate.

The Durham District School Board (DDSB) Director of Education will present the Maxwell B. Nelson Leadership Award annually to a member who has demonstrated vision, courage, sacrifice and outstanding leadership, in the Durham District School Board, particularly recognizing leadership that impacts the creation of equitable outcomes for all. This leadership extends beyond the expectations of one’s day-to-day responsibilities to actions grounded in the principles of Indigenous Education, Human Rights, and Safe and Respectful Workplace and Harassment Prevention. All active DDSB members and retirees of the 2023-2024 school year are eligible for nomination. 

Nominations for this award are accepted in the spring of each school year and the winner will receive an award at the June Board meeting.

View the promotional video

Criteria For Consideration

Areas: Leadership, Vision, Courage and Sacrifice

Evidence may include the following:

• Leadership demonstrating vision and courage;
• Disruption of current structures and norms to create systemic transformation;
• Courage and showing up above and beyond and giving of one’s self
• Demonstrated actions/sacrifices that have lead to better outcomes for others
• Collegial networking to support more productive school systems;
• Leadership in development and implementation with a focus on Indigenous Education, Human Rights, and Safe and Respectful Workplace and Harassment Prevention;
• Collaboration with community/provincial partners to foster systemic change;
• Achievement and/or serving on DDSB or other education related committees.

Process For Submission

• Nominations must be submitted on the “DDSB Nomination Form” for the Maxwell B. Nelson Leadership Award.
• Detail should be provided to give a clear overview of the leadership contributions made by the member being nominated for the award.

Nominations are now closed for 2024.

Process For Selection

• The DDSB Director of Education, or designate, and committee may recognize one or more award winners per year, or at its discretion, may identify no winner in a given year.
• All active Administrators and Administrator retirees of the current school year are eligible for nomination. 
• A nomination must have the support of at least three (3) DDSB staff.
• The DDSB Director of Education, or designate, will present the award winner(s) at a Board meeting in June, prior to the Activation Day in August.
• Honouree(s) will also be announced on the Activation Day in August.
• Selection of the award winners will be based solely on the detail in the submission.
• The Award: An acknowledgement Award will be given to the recipient and their name displayed as a record of legacy at the Durham Board of Education.

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