Throughout Iowa's history, contibutions from volunteers have helped
make our cities, our towns, our schools, and our state a much better
place in which to live, work, and raise a family.
The Governor’s
Volunteer Award program was established in 1982 to honor and recognize the
commitment, service and time that hundreds of volunteers contribute each
year. This program is an opportunity for
you to recognize volunteers in your school, college, or community for
outstanding service or contributions in a formal ceremony by the Governor. This
year the program has been expended to provide Iowa’s nonprofit organizations with an
opportunity to recognize their volunteers and allow organizations to honor
their long-time volunteers with a Length of Service Award.
2008 Nomination Forms
The deadline to apply is Friday, March 7, 2008. Absolutely no applications can be accepted after this date.
The Awards
The Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards
provide recognition and unrestricted financial awards
of $25,000 each to exceptional elementary and secondary
school teachers, principals and other specialists who are
furthering excellence in our nation’s schools. This year,
a total of $2.5 million in Awards will be presented to
some of America’s finest K-12 educators. The largest
teacher recognition program in the U.S., the
Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards were
created to reward, retain and attract the highest quality
K-12 educators to the profession. Each Milken Educator
receives an unrestricted financial award of $25,000 and
an all-expenses-paid trip to Los Angeles to participate
in the annual Milken National Education Conference in
April, 2003.
History
The Milken Educator Awards program was established by the Milken
Family Foundation in 1985. The first Awards were presented in 1987.
Iowa joined the Milken Educator Awards Program in 1993.
National Statistics
• 100 $25,000 new Milken Educator Awards in 46 states
• Program established by the Milken Family Foundation in 1985
• 1,777 Milken Educator Award recipients since inception
• Over $44 million in awards since inception
Iowa Statistics
• $50,000 to be awarded in Iowa
• 2 Iowa recipients in 2002
• 39 recipients since program began in Iowa
• $975,000 awarded in Iowa since program began
16th Annual National Notifications
During the 16th annual National Notifications, 100 exceptional
teachers, principals and specialists – recommended without their
knowledge by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state’s
department of education – will be surprised by the news of their
$25,000 Awards, which can be used however they choose. Typically,
these announcements are made during emotional, all-school
assemblies throughout the country, attended by students,
educators, local and state officials and media.
Milken Educator Network
The Milken Educator Network is a voluntary association of nearly
2,000 Milken Educators and other exemplary educators and business
leaders from across the country who are dedicated to improving
teacher quality and utilizing research and expertise to shape
education policy at state and local levels.
Milken National Education Conference
A gathering of educators, policymakers and business leaders working
to improve the state of American education, the Milken Family
Foundation National Education Conference has been held annually in
Los Angeles since 1990. The Conference includes professional
development activities and is highlighted by the celebration of the
new Milken Educators and the presentation of their $25,000 award
checks.
Milken Family Foundation
The Milken Family Foundation was established in 1982 to discover
and advance inventive and effective ways of helping people help
themselves and those around them lead productive and satisfying
lives. The Santa Monica, California-based foundation advances
this mission primarily through its work in education and medical
research.
Contacts
Foundation
Milken Family Foundation
1250 Fourth Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310)998-3088
Stephanie Germeraad
(310) 998-2878 sgermeraad@mff.org
College Community Principal Receives $25,000 Milken Award
Des Moines, October 15, 2002) – A College Community educator
today received a 2002 Milken Family Foundation National
Educator Award. Ying Ying Chen, Prairie Crest principal,
learned of the honor during a surprise announcement made in
person by Governor Thomas J. Vilsack and Jane Foley of the
Milken Family Foundation. The Milken Educator honor carries
with it a $25,000 financial award.
College Community Principal Receives Milken Award
West Des Moines Teacher Receives $25,000 Milken Award
(Des Moines, October 15, 2002) – A West Des Moines school teacher
today received a 2002 Milken Family Foundation National Educator
Award. Paula Olson, a first grade teacher at Phenix Elementary
teacher, learned of the honor during a surprise announcement made
in person by Governor Thomas J. Vilsack and Jane Foley of the
Milken Family Foundation. The Milken Educator honor carries with
it a $25,000 financial award.
Question:
What is a Milken Educator Award? Answer: The Milken Family
Foundation National Educator Award provides public recognition and an
unrestricted financial prize of $25,000 to elementary and secondary
school teachers, principals and other education professionals who are
furthering excellence in education.
Question:
How are Milken Educators selected? Answer: Based on guidelines
established by the Milken Family Foundation (see next FAQ), the
department of education in each of the 46 participating states appoints
an independent blue ribbon committee to recommend candidates for
selection to the Foundation. There is no nomination or application
procedure for the Award.
Question:
What are the criteria for selection? Answer:
• Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by outstanding instructional practices in the classroom, school and profession.
• Outstanding accomplishments and strong long-range potential for professional and policy leadership.
• Engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.
Question:
How are the Awards announced? Answer: The main element is
surprise! Each fall newly selected recipients are taken completely by
surprise at school-wide assemblies. With an entourage of media and
distinguished officials, a Foundation representative or the state chief
of education typically notifies the recipient, often accompanied by the
governor and other state leaders.
Question:
Are the recipients required to do anything specific with their monetary awards? Answer: Milken Educators may
use their unrestricted $25,000 Award in any way they wish. A Foundation
survey found that the largest number of past recipients have used their
Award to finance their children’s education or their own continuing
education. Others have bought equipment for their schools, funded
scholarships for their students and, even financed the adoption of
their children.
Question:
When do the recipients receive their monetary prize? Answer: Recipients are
notified of the Award in the fall. The following April, they
participate in the Milken Family Foundation National Education
Conference in Los Angeles, culminating in an awards ceremony at which
recipients receive their $25,000 checks. At the 2003 Conference, 100
Milken Educators will receive awards totaling $2.5 million.
Question:
Are both elementary and secondary school educators selected each year? Answer: The Award alternates
each year between elementary and secondary educators except in those
states that are new to the program. These new states are allowed to
select both elementary and secondary educators in their first year.
Question:
What other benefits besides the $25,000 do recipients receive? Answer:
• Professional
development opportunities and public recognition at Notification events
and the annual Milken Family Foundation National Education Conference;
• Membership in state and national networks of nearly 2,000 distinguished educators, including the Milken Educator listserve;
• Opportunity to participate in ongoing projects like the Milken Family Foundation Festival for Youth.
Question:
Why does the program put such an emphasis on teacher quality? Answer: Recognizing and
rewarding quality educators has been a hallmark of the Milken Educator
Awards program since its inception. However, as the lack of advancement
opportunities drives classroom teachers out of the profession and fewer
young people pursue a career in education, the nation faces a
potentially catastrophic shortage of quality classroom teachers. Over
the next 10 years, schools will need to hire over two million new
teachers, but will come up short by more than a third. Studies show
that only one in 10 college-bound high school students are strongly
interested in teaching as a career, due in part to competition from the
private sector, which is having a particularly damaging effect on the
supply of science and math teachers.
In 1999, Milken Family Foundation
Co-Founder and Chair Lowell Milken introduced the Teacher Advancement
Program (TAP), a comprehensive strategy for restructuring the education
profession to attract, retain and motivate quality teachers. TAP works
by integrating five key principles: multiple career paths; broad
market-driven compensation; performance-based accountability; on-going,
applied professional growth; and expanded supply of high quality
teachers. TAP is currently being implemented in Arizona, Arkansas,
Colorado, South Carolina and in Indiana by the Archdiocese of
Indianapolis.
Question:
What are the other areas of interest of the Milken Family Foundation? Answer: The Milken Family
Foundation was established in 1982 to discover and advance inventive
ways of helping people help themselves and those around them lead
productive and satisfying lives. The Santa Monica, California-based
foundation advances this mission primarily through its work in medical
research and education. Milken Family Foundation initiatives include:
• American Epilepsy Society/Milken Family Foundation Epilepsy Research Award, Grant & Fellowship Program
• Association for the Cure of Cancer of the Prostate (CaP CURE)
• Festival for Youth community service program
• Jewish Educator Awards
• Mike’s Math Club
• Milken Archive of American Jewish Music
• Milken Institute, an economic think tank focusing on jobs and capital issues
• Milken Scholars program
• Teacher Advancement Program (TAP)
Question:
Does the Milken Family Foundation have a Web site? Answer:
Yes -- http://www.mff.org. For additional questions, call the Milken Family Foundation at (310) 998-3088.
The Award
The Iowa Teacher
of the Year Award was established in 1958 and is sponsored by the Iowa
Department of Education through an appropriation from the Iowa legislature. The award provides an
opportunity to recognize an Iowa teacher who motivates, challenges, and
inspires excellence; who is respected by students and peers; who is a dedicated
professional that helps nurture hidden talents and abilities; who is a
creative, caring individual; who takes teaching beyond textbooks and blackboards;
and who is an exceptional teacher helping to redefine American education.
The Iowa Teacher
of the Year may serve as the Iowa Ambassador to Education, acting as an
education liaison to primary and secondary schools in this state.
Nominations
Anyone,
including school administrators, colleagues, students, parents, college
faculty, and associations may nominate teachers for the award. Winners are
chosen by a committee that includes representatives of the Iowa Department of
Education (DE), the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA), the School
Administrators of Iowa (SAI), the Parent Teachers Association (PTA), the past
Iowa Teacher of the Year, and representatives from higher education
institutions.
The Iowa Department of Education selected Andy Mogle as the 2008 Iowa
Teacher of the Year. Mogle is a family and consumer science teacher at
Norwalk High School in Norwalk. He has taught grades nine through 12 at
Norwalk since 1999. Mogle has a Bachelor of Science degree in liberal
studies and a Master of Education degree in family and consumer science
education studies from Iowa State University. Mogle was the Norwalk
Teacher of the Year in 2007. Prior to becoming a teacher, Mogle was a
chef and restaurant manager for more than 15 years. This
past experience is evident in his work as an educator. He has created
the
Warrior Café, a fully functioning restaurant in his classroom where
students
receive hands-on experience in the culinary arts.
The following is a podcast with
Mogle and Iowa Department of Education Director Judy Jeffrey about the Iowa
Teacher of the Year program.
2008 Iowa Teacher of the Year Andy Mogle and
Iowa Department of Education Director Judy Jeffrey pose for pictures
at the Teacher of the Year Award's Banquet held at the Science Center of Iowa on October 26, 2007.
Peggy Hall Beatty
Beatty is a gifted and talented teacher and a classroom and instrumental music teacher at Decorah Middle School in Decorah. She has 30 years of teaching experience. Beatty has a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and English from Luther College, where she graduated summa cum laude. Beatty also has a Master of Arts degree in oboe performance from the University of Iowa.
Claudette Vernel Bees
Bees is a mathematics teacher at Hempstead High School in Dubuque. She has 25 years of teaching experience. Bees has a Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education with teaching fields of mathematics and physics from the University of Texas at El Paso. She has a Master of Arts degree in mathematics education from DePaul University and is presently enrolled at the University of Northern Iowa's Advanced Studies/Principal program.
Sheila Coyle
Coyle is a visual art instructor at North Middle School is Sioux City. She has 26 years of teaching experience. Coyle has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Briar Cliff University and has participated in postgraduate studies in fine arts at Wayne State College and Morningside College.
Debora Masker
Masker is a vocal music teacher at Kirn Junior High School in Council Bluffs. She has a total of 29 years of teaching experiences. Masker has a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary and secondary education, with emphasis in vocal music education, from Northwest Missouri State University. She also has a Master of Science degree in elementary administration from Creighton University.
The Iowa Department of Education has implemented an agreement with the Ministry of Education in the Republic of China (Taiwan) that will offer experienced and newly licensed Iowa elementary teachers the opportunity to teach in Taiwanese schools for one academic year. Participants work with local Taiwanese teachers to develop curriculum and teach English to elementary students. Applications will be processed and recommendations made by the Iowa Department of Education.
The Visiting Teacher from Spain Program is an exciting venture between the Iowa Department of Education and the Ministry of Education and Culture of Spain. The program provides local school districts with the opportunity to fill vacant Spanish teaching positions. With this program, Iowa school systems have the option of recruiting highly qualified Spanish educators for a period of up to three years and at the same time provide Iowa students, parents, and communities the opportunity to work with professionals from other countries. The visiting teachers are certified Spanish language educators with at least two years of experience. Local school districts hire the visiting teachers in accordance with all other local policies in terms of salary scale, licensure, and local system requirements.
This program strives to:
Promote cultural and educational relations that will benefit the State of Iowa and Spain
Foster knowledge and appreciation of the culture shared by these two global communities
Foster an educational environment that supports both students and teachers in their continued and future effort toward personal, academic, and professional success
Effectively utilize technology to promote teaching and learning of world languages.
Information of the 2008-2009 Visiting Teachers from Spain Program, application
of intent and requirements for participation.
Teacher Awards & Exchange Programs 
2008 Governor's Volunteer Award Nomination Form (2008-02-11)
2008 Governor's Volunteer Award Nomination Form
