Staff Awards

The Educational Services Staff Award recognizes a CUPE staff member or staff team in Education Services who has made an exceptional contribution to the support of students, schools or the growth of others in the school board.

The successful recipient will receive an award at our October Board meeting and will be presented with a $500 award towards a project or initiative of their choosing.

All nominees will be recognized.

Eligibility

This award is open to CUPE staff members, including:

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

Nominations

• Nominations may be made by any staff member in the DDSB.
• Nominations may consist of letters, testimonials, or artifacts.
• Nominations are to be submitted to Dorothy Leaver, Office Manager of the Director’s office by June 30 at 4:00 p.m.

Please review the Educational Services Staff Award application information.

The 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 and Safe and Respectful Workplace and Harassment Prevention.

All active DDSB members and recent retirees are eligible for nomination. See process for selection below.

Nominations for this award are accepted in the spring of each school year and the nominees and award recipient will be notified of results in May/June.

Criteria For Consideration

Areas: Vision, Courage, Sacrifice and Leadership

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 are now being accepted until May 6, 2026.

SUBMIT NOW

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.

• Nominations can be made by anyone from the school community. 

• Nominees are current members of DDSB Administration, or retired DDSB Administrators within the last 12 months of the nomination closure date. A retired nominee must not be employed by another school board.

• A nomination must have the support of at least three (3) DDSB staff.

• Honouree(s) will be notified in May/June.

• The DDSB Director of Education, or designate, will present the award winner(s) at a System Leadership Meeting in June or August.

• Selection of the award winners will be based solely on the details 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.

The Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Early Childhood Education honours an ECE for their leadership, exemplary education practices and their commitment to building the foundation children need to achieve success.

The Governor General's Award is given out annually to an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of Canadian history.

The Ontario Public School Boards' Association gives out a variety of awards to teachers and school trustees for their work and achievements.

The Canadian Association of Principals gives out annual awards for the outstanding work of Principals and Vice Principals.

The Learning Partnership gives out an annual award to an outstanding Principal.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation gives out a variety of awards to teachers and staff working in secondary schools.

The Elementary Teachers Federation gives out a variety of awards to elementary teachers each year.

This Council for Exceptional Children gives out an award to an Educational Assistant, ESL teacher, or support educator.

The Science Teachers' Association of Ontario gives out awards to teachers in the fields of science and technology for excellent leadership and achievement.

The Coaches Association of Ontario gives out an annual award for excellence in coaching.

The Ontario Association for Mathematics Education gives out awards to mathematics teachers each year.

The Ontario Business Educators' Association gives out awards to business teachers each year.

The Ontario Cooperative Education Association gives out awards to cooperative education teachers.

The Ontario Council for Technology Education gives out awards for teachers working in science, technology and mathematics.

The Ontario Modern Languages Teachers' Association gives out awards to language arts teachers.

The Ontario School Counsellors' Association gives out awards to school counsellors for outstanding work.

The Ontario Library Association gives out awards to outstanding library educators.

The Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan gives out awards for outstanding work by educators in Ontario.