Manitoba Early Childhood Educator Awards of Excellence

Instructions for Nominators

Please respond only to the prompts associated with the award category for which you are nominating an individual or team.

Prompts have been included to guide nominations and support a clear description of how the nominee meets the intent of the award criteria. Nominators are not required to respond to every prompt; rather, the prompts are intended as a guide.

Responses should describe how the nominee (or team) consistently demonstrates excellence in their role, where excellence means going beyond the normal professional expectations of ECEs. Nominators are encouraged to reference as many specific examples as possible that illustrate ongoing commitment, creativity, and impact over time.

Focus your responses on describing:

• How the nominee (or team) consistently demonstrates excellence
• How their work positively impacts children, families, educators, and/or the community

1. Outstanding Early Childhood Educator

• Describe how the nominee demonstrates knowledge and skills that provide or support high-quality early learning and child care that fosters children’s holistic development.
• Describe how the nominee fosters strong relationships with parents, families, and their community and how it makes a difference. 
• Provide examples of the nominee’s engagement in ongoing learning and reflection in support of Truth and Reconciliation, and applying these principles to promote respect, inclusion, and equity.
• Explain how the nominee consistently adapts their programming to meet the diverse developmental, cultural, and language needs of children, and how this ongoing work supports equity, belonging and positive outcomes for children and families.
• Describe how the nominee demonstrates practices or approaches that improve children’s learning or well‑being, including examples to illustrate the impact you have observed over time. This may include how the nominee applies inclusive, equitable or reconciliation-focused practices in their work.
• Describe how the nominee demonstrates professionalism and leadership in their role, such as through mentoring others, contributing to a positive culture, and engaging in ongoing professional development.
• Provide examples of how the nominee improved children’s health, safety, well-being or sense of connection through routines or the environment and explain what changed because of their actions.
• Is there anything else that makes this nominee exceptional and distinguishes their practice beyond the high standards expected of everyday early childhood educators?

Indigenous designation:

• In addition to describing the nominee’s exceptional contributions in response to the questions above, describe how the nominee includes Indigenous perspectives in their role, such as language, land-based learning, culture or relationships with Elders/Knowledge Keepers, and the outcomes that followed.

Francophone designation:

• In addition to describing the nominee’s exceptional contributions in response to the questions above, describe how the nominee promotes French language learning and Francophone culture in their role and the impact of these efforts.

Rural and Northern designation:

• In addition to describing the nominee’s exceptional contributions in response to the questions above, describe the nominee’s unique contributions to providing high-quality child care in their rural or northern communities and the outcomes.

2. Community Collaboration Award  

• Describe how the nominated team of ECEs works in collaboration with an external partner(s) toward shared goals or sustaining ongoing collaborative practices that demonstrate effective communication and meaningful partnership in support of children, families, and the community.
• Describe how the team and partner(s) engage in innovative ways to support or deliver services. This could include how ideas are developed, how decisions are made, or how responsibilities are shared.
• Explain how the partnership results in positive changes for children and/or families and share specific examples of observed impacts or improvements.
• Describe how the collaboration helps to reduce barriers or improve quality access, inclusion, or cultural safety, or other factor, for children and families.
• Provide examples of positive impacts that continue because of this collaboration, such as ongoing relationships, shared practices, or future plans—even if the partnership itself is time‑limited.
• Provide examples of the nominees’ engagement in ongoing learning and reflection in support of Truth and Reconciliation, and applying these principles to promote respect, inclusion, and equity.

3. Leadership Excellence Award (Director/Assistant Director/Supervisor)

• Describe how the nominee provides leadership fosters a positive work environment that strengthens the centre’s environment for children, families, and educators.
• Describe how the nominee participates in ongoing continuous improvement by pursuing professional development and participating in networking opportunities, and how they support educators and staff within the centre to do the same.
• Provide examples of how the nominee supports staff teams to provide high quality programming (e.g., recruitment, onboarding, mentorship, retention, or day‑to‑day support), and how this leads to positive outcomes for educators, children, and/or families.
• Describe how the nominee fosters the development of the board of directors or parent advisory committee to ensure the facility is advancing its priorities.
• Provide examples of creative and innovative methods the nominee has implemented to support the recruitment and retention of staff and ensure the integration of all staff well-being into overall operations
• Explain how the nominee reduces barriers or enhances quality, access, inclusion, or a sense of belonging for children and families, including how partnerships, external supports, or resources contribute to this work.
• Is there anything else that makes this nominee an outstanding leader, going beyond the expectations of their role?

4. Special Recognition – Exemplary Home-Based Early Learning Environment

• Explain how the nominee facilitates play-based learning that nurtures children while supporting their growth and development
• Describe how the nominee demonstrates consistent professionalism and commitment to health and safety (e.g. through planning, documentation or routines)
• Describe how the nominee’s home environment (indoor and outdoor) supports rich, play-based learning.  Include examples of how the environment contributes to children’s engagement, exploration and learning over time.
• Describe how the nominee responds to and supports the diverse needs of children and families through ongoing adaptations or approaches.
• Describe how the nominee builds and maintains trusting relationships with families, such as through communication, shared goal setting or culturally relevant practices.
• Describe how the nominee demonstrates consistent professionalism and commitment to health and safety (e.g. through planning, documentation or routines)
• Describe how the nominee connects families with community, culture, or services, and the positive impact these connections have made for children and families.
• Is there anything else that makes this nominee stand out as an exceptional home‑based early learning provider?

5. Special Recognition - Early Learning and Child Care Impact Award

• Describe the positive impact of the nominee’s research, education, advocacy, policy, or sector support, including who benefits and how children, families, educators, communities, and/or the sector are strengthened as a result.
• Explain how the nominee supports high quality, inclusive early learning and child care through leadership, collaboration, or innovation.
• Describe how the nominee shares or extends their work or impact beyond their immediate role or setting (e.g., through partnerships, mentoring, resources, or knowledge sharing), and the impact of these efforts.
• Describe how the nominee draws on knowledge, experience, evidence, and/or collaboration to inform and shape their work, including how others are involved in achieving the impact.
• Describe how the nominee’s work advances equity, inclusion, or cultural safety in early learning and child care, and why this is meaningful for the communities or groups involved (e.g., Indigenous/Francophone language access, rural/Northern reach, supports for additional needs)
• Describe how the nominee’s work influences thinking, practice, or conversation in the early learning and child care sector, even if the work itself was time‑limited.
• Is there anything else you would like to share that highlights the scope, significance, or lasting impact of this nominee’s contributions to early learning and child care sector?