Awards & Scholarships

Excellence deserves recognition! The Horace Mann/IPA Awards for Excellence program does just that by recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of school leaders so they receive the acclaim they deserve. State winners are selected from a pool of IPA Region winners. The Awards Selection Committee is made up of past IPA presidents, IPA State Diversity & Equity Chair and a representative of Horace Mann. State winners are recognized annually at an Awards Ceremony held in conjunction with the Education Leaders Annual Conference every October.

The Horace Mann/IPA Elementary Principal of the Year is a program to recognize excellence among elementary principals. Self-nominations are welcome.

Criteria

• Membership in the Illinois Principals Association
• Not a paid employee of the IPA at the time of nomination
• A minimum of 5 years administrative experience (principal/assistant principal/dean) with 2 of those years serving as an elementary principal
• Employed as an elementary principal at the time of regional and state selection
• Demonstrates positive impact on education and advocacy for children
• Demonstrates a commitment to the principalship through active association membership
• Highly respected by students, colleagues and the community
• Maintains an orderly purposeful learning environment
• Shows strong leadership by setting high standards for staff and students
• Assumes an active leadership role in the community
• Active principal at a school in which commitment is clearly evident through programs designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students through firmly established community ties with parents and local business associations

Award

State Recognition: A plaque and a $1,000 honorarium is presented to the winner at the annual Education Leaders Annual Conference.

National Recognition: The winner will have the opportunity to participate in the National Association of Elementary School Principals National Distinguished Principal Program, if eligible.

Entry Deadline

October 31

The Horace Mann/IPA Junior High/Middle School Principal of the Year Awards program annually recognizes outstanding middle school leaders who have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students. The principals have made exemplary contributions to the profession and are acknowledged by their peers. The program honors junior high/middle school principals who have demonstrated that they excel in the seven areas addressed by the selection criteria. Self-nominations are welcome.

Criteria

• Membership in the Illinois Principals Association
• Not a paid employee of the IPA at the time of nomination
• A minimum of 5 years administrative experience (principal/assistant principal/dean) with 2 of those years serving as a junior high/middle school principal
• Employed as a junior high/middle school principal at the time of regional and state selection
• Demonstrates positive impact on education and advocacy for children
• Ensures the school climate is positive and reflects high staff and student morale
• Demonstrates a commitment to the principalship through active association membership
• Demonstrates creativity and imagination in bringing about positive change
• Willing to take risks to improve student learning
• Moves actively to implement the goals and objectives of the school
• Works collaboratively with teachers and other staff to improve the educational program and student achievement
• Anticipates emerging problems and acts effectively to resolve them
• Involves the community in the life of the school and uses community resources for students

Award

State Recognition: A plaque and a $1,000 honorarium is presented to the winner at the annual Education Leaders Annual Conference.

National Recognition – The winner will have the opportunity to participate in the National Association of Elementary School Principals National Distinguished Principal Program or National Association of Secondary School Principals Awards programs, if eligible.

Entry Deadline

October 31

The Horace Mann/IPA High School Principal of the Year Awards program annually recognizes outstanding high school leaders who have succeeded in providing high quality learning opportunities for students. The principals have made exemplary contributions to the profession and are acknowledged by their peers. The program honors high school principals who have demonstrated that they excel in the seven areas addressed by the selection criteria. Self-nominations are welcome.

Criteria

• Membership in the Illinois Principals Association
• Not a paid employee of the IPA at the time of nomination
• A minimum of 5 years administrative experience (principal/assistant principal/dean) with 2 of those years serving as a high school principal
• Employed as a high school principal at the time of regional and state selection
• Demonstrates positive impact on education and advocacy for children
• Ensures the school climate is positive and reflects high staff and student morale
• Demonstrates a commitment to the principalship through active association membership
• Demonstrates creativity and imagination in bringing about positive change
• Willing to take risks to improve student learning
• Moves actively to implement the goals and objectives of the school
• Works collaboratively with teachers and other staff to improve the educational program and student achievement
• Anticipates emerging problems and acts effectively to resolve them
• Involves the community in the life of the school and uses community resources for students

Award

State Recognition: A plaque and a $1,000 honorarium is presented to the winner at the annual Education Leaders Annual Conference.

National Recognition – The winner will have the opportunity to participate in the National Association of Secondary School Principals Awards program, if eligible.

Entry Deadline

October 31

The Horace Mann/IPA Assistant Principal of the Year Award is open to all Illinois Assistant Principals, K-12. Self-nominations are welcome.

Criteria

• Membership in the Illinois Principals Association
• Not a paid employee of the IPA at the time of nomination
• A minimum of 3 years experience as an assistant principal
• Employed as an assistant principal at the time of regional and state selection
• Demonstrates positive impact on education and advocacy for children
• Ensures the school climate is positive and reflects high staff and student morale
• Demonstrates a commitment to the principalship through active association membership
• Demonstrates creativity and imagination in bringing about positive change
• Willing to take risks to improve student learning
• Moves actively to implement the goals and objectives of the school
• Works collaboratively with teachers and other staff to improve the educational program and student achievement
• Anticipates emerging problems and acts effectively to resolve them
• Involves the community in the life of the school and uses community resources for students.

Award

State Recognition: A plaque and a $1,000 honorarium will be presented to the winner at the annual Education Leaders Annual Conference.

National Recognition – The winner will have the opportunity to participate in the National Association of Secondary School Principals or National Association of Elementary School Principals National Awards programs, if eligible.

Entry Deadline

October 31

Considered the highest honor bestowed by the Illinois Principals Association, the Herman Graves Award was established in 1991 to recognize Herman for his outstanding service to the IPA. Herman was selected as the first honoree and the award was established because of the intrinsic contributions he made. Yes, Herman had been an officer at the regional level, was a director and served on the Executive Board, and for many years was a state standing committee chairman, but that was not the reason he was honored and an award established in his name. The real reason was that Herman Graves was known as “Mr. IPA” in Region VI and southern Illinois. He never passed up an opportunity to extol the virtues of IPA, whether he was addressing a recently appointed principal, a legislator, a district superintendent or any other individual whom he felt should be informed. He contacted the IPA office, leaders or whomever necessary on a regular basis to alert them to issues he felt were important to the health of the organization. Furthermore, he never contacted anyone without an offer to devote his own time and resources to attack the issue. His enthusiasm for the profession and for the association was always contagious to those around him.

Criteria

• Membership in the Illinois Principals Association
• A minimum of 7 years of active service to the IPA
• Not a paid employee of the IPA at the time of nomination
• Demonstrates positive impact on education and advocacy for children
• An advocate and spokesperson for the IPA
• Longevity of membership in the IPA
• Promotes IPA membership
• Service on IPA state and/or regional levels
• Service on IPA state and/or regional committees as a member or as the chair
• Specific accomplishments and contributions to the IPA

Award

Each region winner is recognized at the regional level with a plaque. The state winner is presented with a $1,000 honorarium and plaque at the annual Education Leaders Annual Conference.

Entry Deadline

October 31

The Horace Mann/IPA Reaching Out & Building Bridges Award is designed to recognize an IPA principal or assistant principal AND an agency, association, or community member displaying an outstanding effort in creating partnerships between schools, principals, associations and organizations for the betterment of all.

Criteria

• Membership in the Illinois Principals Association
• Not a paid employee of the IPA at the time of nomination
• Demonstrates positive impact on education and advocacy for children
• Employed as a principal or assistant principal at the time of regional and state selection
• Emphasis should be on the improvement of elementary, middle and/or secondary education
• Based upon a partnership initiated or supported by nominees. Based on a single or long term project
• Partnership must be an ongoing project benefiting the nominee’s school, the profession of education, and the welfare of children.
• Partnership may be with but not limited to businesses, governmental or social agencies and other associations.

Award

A plaque will be presented at the annual Education Leaders Annual Conference and a $750 honorarium.

Entry Deadline

October 31

Horace Mann is the proud sponsor of the Illinois Principals Association Awards for Excellence Program. Horace Mann – the largest national multi-line insurance company focusing on educators’ financial needs – provides auto and homeowners insurance, retirement annuities, life insurance and other financial solutions. “Founded by Educators for Educators” in 1945, the company is headquartered in Springfield, IL. Visit www.horacemann.com for more information.