Miami Lakes Educational Advisory Board expands Awards of Excellence eligibility and refines categories

The Miami Lakes Educational Advisory Board on Jan. 13 voted to change eligibility for the Awards of Excellence so nominees may either live in Miami Lakes or attend a Miami Lakes school, and discussed revisions to award categories and nomination requirements.

Why it matters: the change broadens eligibility to include students who attend town schools but live outside town limits, which board members said will increase participation and reflect current school enrollment patterns.

Key decisions and next steps - Eligibility change: The board approved a motion to allow nominees to qualify either by residence in Miami Lakes or by attending a Miami Lakes school. Members said the change aims to include out-of-area students who are nevertheless part of town schools. - Category revisions: Members proposed splitting the STEM category into three separate awards — science, mathematics and digital media/digital art — so the awards better reflect student activities and modern coursework. The board also discussed keeping fine arts, journalism and athletics categories and removing or consolidating some non-teaching staff categories to focus awards on classroom teachers for the “Outstanding Teacher” recognition. - Nomination and judging requirements: The board directed staff to require a short narrative (a paragraph or brief narrative) as the principal nomination text rather than a single sentence, and to require at least one supporting recommendation. Board members asked staff to draft a concise rubric tied to the award descriptions so reviewers can evaluate nominations consistently. - Timeline and launch: Staff will revise award descriptions, prepare nomination forms and produce a draft rubric for board review at the February meeting, with a planned public launch in March. The awards program will include different grade-level groupings (elementary, middle, high) in some categories. - Fundraising and sponsorships: The board discussed a draft sponsorship package that lists a $2,000 title-sponsor level. Members said that while $2,000 has been customary in prior years for some title sponsors, they will not change the package without checking long-standing sponsors first. Staff will distribute the draft package to past sponsors and board contacts and generate invoices with QR payment options when sponsors respond.

Discussion details and concerns Board members stressed the need for clear nomination instructions and deadlines so nominations are comparable. Several members asked for a short, consistent form that captures nominee achievements, examples and contact information to avoid one-line nominations and speed reviewer evaluation. Members also raised budget considerations for adding awards and asked staff to estimate award costs before finalizing categories.

What remains: staff will circulate revised award category language and a proposed rubric ahead of the February meeting, share the fundraising/sponsorship package with potential sponsors and report back with quotes for any additional event costs such as catering, video recording or printed materials.

Ending note: by expanding eligibility and refining award categories, the board aims to increase participation while standardizing nomination materials and scoring so award selection can proceed efficiently this spring.