The Surrey Teachers’ Association would like to formally recognize those members who have rendered exceptional services to our profession and union, whose achievements in their careers and/or whose contributions in our union have earned them distinction and brought honour to our profession and Association.

Within this community, there are a few exceptional individuals whose dedication, commitment and extraordinary contribution include achievements of such significance across a broad range of areas that our union wishes to recognize these exceptional leaders by awarding them a Honourary Associate Membership, Honourary Life Membership and Honourary Membership. This award may not be presented every year. This award may not be presented every year.

Honourary Associate Membership

    1. The Association shall grant Honourary Associate Membership to retired members on receipt of an application.
    2. Upon the recommendation of the Representative Assembly or the Executive Committee, the Association in general meeting may grant Honourary Associate Membership to the following persons:
      1. other members whom the Association wishes to honour on the occasion of leaving the profession;
      2. members who leave teaching for public service, such membership to expire at the end of their term of office;
      3. former members who the Association wishes to honour on the occasion of their Surrey Teachers’ Association retirement;

Honourary Life Membership

    1. Active and retired members who have given outstanding service to education at a local level may be nominated for Honourary Life Membership.
    2. The rights of Honourary Life Membership vary with employment and are equivalent to the membership category related to employment status of the individual.
    3. Membership fees are waived for all Honourary Life Members.
    4. Honourary Life Members have voice but no vote at the Association’s Annual General Meeting.

Honourary Membership

    1. Persons who have made a contribution to education in Surrey may be nominated for Honourary Membership.
    2. Where the Association grants Honourary Membership to a person in recognition of public office, such membership shall terminate when his or her term of office ends.

Tips for Preparing a Nomination

Because the information contained in it is used to evaluate the candidate, the nomination needs to be prepared with care. Key points must be effectively highlighted in each section, and the information must be as exact and as complete as possible. Assume that the reader does not know the candidate you are nominating.

When nominating someone, aim for clarity, comprehension, and highlight the candidate’s leadership and the exceptional nature of their services—these are decisive elements.

Here are a few tips to help you, and in turn, your nominee:

Describe the positions held by the candidate and their roles and responsibilities for each of the most remarkable achievements you want to highlight.

    • It is important to highlight the way, the period of time, and the circumstances in which the candidate distinguished themselves. Discuss the candidate’s vision, efforts, and results. Ultimately, the information you include in this section should make it possible to measure the candidate’s real impact over the course of their career in the various positions they held.
    • Outline the candidate’s volunteer involvement in the affairs of the profession and/or union, as well as the roles and responsibilities assumed as they related to their most remarkable achievements.
    • It is important to specify the time in which the candidate was involved in the main committees or task forces and provide the necessary details on their remarkable achievements, such as: the amount of time spent on the volunteer activities mentioned; the changes in the candidate’s roles if they were involved for several years; the impacts of the candidate’s initiatives (or leadership) on the profession and/or union; and the results achieved (or how their contribution positively affected or advanced the profession and/or union).
    • Here you describe the candidate’s volunteer contributions to professional, community, or charitable organizations, their roles and responsibilities, and the real impact of these activities. It is important to specify the time in which the candidate carried out their most important volunteer activities and provide the necessary details about their outstanding achievements. These could include the initiatives or activities that resulted from the candidate’s efforts, the benefits to the profession and/or union, the amount of time spent on the volunteer activities, and the changes in the candidate’s roles if they were involved for several years.

The importance of the letters of support cannot be emphasized enough:

    • They provide real examples and personal insight into the way the candidate is perceived by someone who has observed the candidate’s significant contributions to the advancement of a cause, the development of an organization, or the completion of a major project. For that reason, the letters of support must highlight the candidate’s achievements, the expectations that were placed on them, and the results they achieved. Specifically, the letters need to describe the difference that the candidate’s contribution has made.

PLEASE SUBMIT ALL NOMINATION LETTERS TO THE SURREY TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION. Attention: 2nd Vice President, Awards Chairperson. Courier no. 000 or sta@surreyteachers.org.