Congratulations to our newest Golden Apple Fellows!

Welcome to the winners of the 2008 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching!  All our finalists are deserving of recognition.  And we are delighted to welcome our newest seven to the Golden Apple Academy of outstanding teachers.

• Christine Beverly, English, Del Norte High School, Albuquerque

• Janet Bruelhart, Science, Lovington High School, Lovington

• Christine Castillo, Adaptive PE and Special Olympics, Manzano High School, Albuquerque

• Sandy McMurray, U.S. History and Law, Eldorado High School, Albuquerque

• Harry Nordgren, Government and History, Hot Springs High School, Truth or Consequences

• Gail Ranshaw, Graphic Arts, Los Lunas High School, Los Lunas

• Franklin Smith, Music, Portales High School, Portales

The process for selecting these award-winning teachers is comprehensive and in-depth.

• In the fall, a teacher may be nominated by his or her principal, current or former students, parents of students, colleagues, or community members.
• Each nominated teacher then submits an application to be further considered in the selection process. 
• Golden Apple Fellows who have been selected in prior years read and evaluate the applications and then make recommendations for semifinalists to a Nomination and Selection Committee composed of current educators and recently retired teachers from the New Mexico Association of Educational Retirees.
• The Nomination and Selection Committee does a second reading and evaluation of those teachers who have been recommended as semifinalists and narrows the list to a group of 15-20 finalists.
• Each finalist is visited by a team of three members of the Nomination and Selection Committee who observe the teacher’s classroom practices and interview the candidate teacher and his or her colleagues, students, principal and parents of students.
• From the finalists, seven Golden Apple Fellows are selected.

An awards banquet in the spring honors the selected Golden Apple Fellows.  As part of their award, Fellows receive a $1,500 stipend, funding toward a comprehensive professional development plan prepared by the teacher, ongoing professional development through the Academy Institute and regular meetings, and membership in the prestigious Golden Apple Academy of Fellows.