Top Teacher & Employee Awards

2025 Nominations Are STILL Open. DEADLINE EXTENDED: JAN 5th!

Nominate Using Our Online Form HERE

2024 WINNERS

Judging Criteria

Top Teachers Criteria 2025

Do you have a teacher at your school who does more than educate students? Who gets students excited about learning, teaches life lessons, is valued by parents, peers, administration and students, and whose classes consistently rank among the top in test scores? Nominate him or her to be honored by Parenting OC in our upcoming March 2025 Top Teachers issue.

Teacher Award Categories

• Preschool Teacher
• Grade School Teacher
• Middle School Teacher
• High School Teacher

Nomination Rules

• Only one nomination per category, for each school
• Teacher must be actively teaching in Orange County
• Nomination must be approved by principal or school head.

Judging Criteria for Teachers

• Creativity in teaching method
• Teaches other teachers
• Passion/personally involved
• Community service/nonprofit work
• Multiple school duties
• Heads up and starts up other school programs
• Years of service
• Writes grants or raises funds for school
• Student and/or parent favorite

Top Employees Criteria 2025

We are looking for those employees who go above and beyond, not in the classroom, but behind the scenes—in the offices, the kitchens, the libraries, the buses, on the school grounds. They are classified workers, whose ranks include instructional assistants, custodians, office clerks, technicians, bus drivers and other non-certificated staff members.

Nomination Rules

• Only one nomination for each school
• Employee must be actively working in Orange County
• Nomination must be approved by principal or school head

Judging Criteria for Employees

• Multiple school duties
• Contributes beyond job description
• Passion/Personally involved
• Years of service
• Student and/or parent favorite

Leadership Award Criteria 2025

The Leadership Award is a lifetime achievement honor that goes to an individual who has paved the way for others, created change, and led the way, and has devoted their career to education. We want to recognize a leader in Orange County Schools. This year nominate a ground-breaking educator, a principal, a school head, or a district or countywide official who has met the COVID challenge head on.

Nomination Rules

• One nomination per school, and one per district office
• Nominee must be actively working
• Must be approved by an administrator or district office

Judging Criteria for Leaders

• A long career of service
• A leader among their peers or a peerless leader
• Inspires others
• An innovator