R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence
Established in 1988, the R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence recognizes public school teachers who distinguish themselves by their inspiring classroom performance. The program is based on the belief that a positive educational experience at the elementary, middle and high school levels helps children form positive life-long habits toward learning and discipline.
Through a nomination process, approximately 15 outstanding teachers are selected each year to receive cash grants to support professional development activities. Award recipients have earned graduate degrees, climbed mountains, traced their ancestors and met peers from around the world - all to reignite their own passion for learning and to pass it on to their students.
Our Timeline
| January 9, 2024: | Nominations open |
| February 20, 2024 by 5:00 pm: | Nomination and Letter of Support Deadline |
| March 22, 2024 by 5:00 p.m: | Nominee Release and Response and Principal Evaluation Deadline |
| August 1, 2024, by 5:00 pm: | Finalist Proposal Deadline |
| Early November 2024: | Recipients Announced |
What We Look For
- Eligibility for the award is limited to full-time, classroom teachers in grades K-12 employed by the public school divisions of the City of Richmond, Counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico, and the Department of Juvenile Justice in these localities.
- Teachers must have completed a minimum of three years of full-time service.
- Past winners become eligible at the beginning of the sixth year following their last award.
- A teacher cannot be selected as an award finalist more than twice during a five-year period.
The qualities of an outstanding teacher may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Strong knowledge of subject matter;
- Dedication to the teaching profession;
- Inspires students and peers;
- Motivates students to develop skills and form positive habits towards learning and discipline;
- Utilizes creative methods to engage students in the subject matter.
- Only nominations that include all required elements by the stated deadlines will be eligible for review by the Selection Committee.
- No individual may nominate more than one teacher.
- Nominators are requested to obtain the nominee’s consent.
- Nominations are welcome from all individuals with the exception of the nominee’s principal who will be responsible for an independent evaluation.
- Nominations made by students in grades K-5 must be accompanied by an endorsement from an adult within the space provided online.
- Teachers may not self-nominate.
Competitive proposals will be invited from final candidates selected by the R.E.B Awards Steering Committee. The size of individual grant awards will range from $5,000 to $15,000.
View Frequently Asked Questions – link to PDF
Community Foundation – Alicia Dickinson - 804-409-5606
Chesterfield County Public Schools – Peyton Anderson - 804-639-8690
Hanover County Public Schools – Amy Thompson - 804-365-4558
Henrico County Public Schools – Tracie Weston - 804-652-3840
Richmond City Public Schools – Rodney Robinson - 804-780-7704
Department of Juvenile Justice – Dr. Tamara Slater - 804-652-9168
Nominate a Teacher
All nominations must be submitted online. Click the 'Nominate Here' button below to access the online system. Please review all requirements carefully and completely before you begin.
The R.E.B. Foundation will consider each of the following items in selecting final candidates:
1
Nomination and Letter of Support
Nominations are invited from parents, students, educators, and the community at-large. Nominations made by students in grades K-5 must be accompanied by an endorsement from an adult within the space provided online. A letter in support of the nomination must be written by another individual and submitted with the nomination. Please obtain the letter of support before beginning the online nomination process.
2
Nominee Response & Release
At the conclusion of the nomination process, the nominator will be prompted to send an email to the nominee to complete the Nominee Response and Release. The teacher will be asked to answer three standardized questions concerning his or her accomplishments in education and provide permission for the Foundation to request performance information from his or her principal.
Principal’s Evaluation
The nominator will also be prompted to send an email to the nominee's principal to complete the Principal Evaluation, an assessment of the nominee’s classroom performance.
Nomination Instructions:
To nominate a teacher, click the button below. New users, create a profile in our online system and then enter REB in the Access Code field in the upper right. Returning users, log on and you will be taken to your dashboard of previous submissions. Click Apply at the top of the page and then enter REB in the Access Code field.
Please use the ‘Forgot your Password’ feature if you are a returning user and having trouble logging on.
Once you have started a nomination, it will appear on your dashboard each time you log on. Click Edit Application to continue working on the nomination.
Nominees whose online nominations do not contain all four elements by the stated deadlines will not be considered further. Award recipients will be announced in November and all decisions are final.