CCSD Hall of Fame Nominations Are Open Through Oct. 16: How to Honor a Teacher Who Changed Your Life

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

On Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, CCSD posted a notice in its online newsroom saying it is accepting nominations for the Excellence in Education Hall of Fame. The district says the program honors people who have made "exceptional and enduring contributions" to education in CCSD. The most recent class was honored in 2026. Now the district is building the 2027 class.

All nominations must be sent through the official online nomination form. It is a Google Form run by CCSD, and it has four pages. The deadline is Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. The district did not mention any paper option, so plan to do it online. If you have questions, the form lists an email address for the district's events team: events@nv.ccsd.net.

The form says nominations are open for a wide range of people and groups. That includes CCSD employees, but it also includes programs, departments, schools, and events. It goes beyond the district, too. Citizens, community groups, and parent or guardian organizations can all be nominated. So a longtime PTA, a volunteer who has run a reading program for years, or a business partner that shows up for students could all be in the running.

Every nomination goes through a blind review process. That means the people scoring the nominations are meant to judge the work, not the name. CCSD says this is to keep things fair and impartial. From all the nominations, up to 10 individuals or programs will be chosen. The form also notes that honorees may be asked for a high resolution photo or logo once they are selected.

The 2027 class will be announced in early spring 2027. The honorees will then be formally recognized by the Board of School Trustees and the Superintendent of Schools at a public Board of Trustees meeting. Their names will also be added to the Hall of Fame digital displays at the Edward A. Greer Education Center and the CCSD Administrative Center.

A teacher writing equations on a green chalkboard in a classroom, the kind of everyday work the CCSD Excellence in Education Hall of Fame is meant to honor

The Eight Things CCSD Is Looking For

CCSD listed eight qualities that a strong nominee should show. It helps to read these closely before you start writing, because the reviewers will be looking for them. Here they are in plain language.

1. Lasting impact beyond their job. The person or program should have made a difference in CCSD that reaches past their own classroom or office.

2. Better student results. The district wants proof that students learned more or did better because of this person or program.

3. New ideas. Did they try something fresh that worked? A new program, a new way of teaching, or a new approach that others copied?

4. Wide reach. The impact should touch a lot of students, teachers, or community members, not just a few.

5. Going above and beyond. The work should go well past what the job requires.

6. Getting involved outside their role. Taking part in education efforts and issues that are not part of their daily duties.

7. Working with others. Partnering with parents, guardians, community members, or other educators to help kids succeed.

8. A proven track record. This one is a firm bar. Nominees need at least three years of documented achievement. A great first year is wonderful, but it will not qualify on its own.

That last point matters. The word "documented" is doing a lot of work. Reviewers will want to see real proof, so gather anything you can before you start. More on that below.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

CCSD is one of the largest school districts in the country. It covers all of Clark County, from Summerlin and Centennial Hills to Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City, and the rural towns out past the valley. With a district that big, it is easy for great people to get lost in the crowd. The news about CCSD is often about budgets, test scores, and staffing. Those stories matter. But they do not tell you about the teacher who stays late every day to tutor, or the custodian who knows every kid by name.

The Hall of Fame is one of the few places where the district stops and says thank you in public. Honorees are recognized at a Board of Trustees meeting, in front of the people who run the district. Their names go on the wall, or in this case the screen, at two central district buildings. For a teacher who has spent 20 years in the same classroom, that kind of thank you can mean a lot.

It also matters because the nomination comes from you. The district is not just picking favorites from the top down. Parents, students, alumni, coworkers, and neighbors all get a voice. If you have ever wished you could tell someone at the district how much a teacher meant to your kid, this is a formal way to do it.

There is a practical side, too. When families see good work being noticed, it builds trust in local schools. And when teachers feel valued, they are more likely to stay. Teacher retention has been a real challenge in Southern Nevada for years. Recognition alone will not fix that, but it is part of what makes a place feel worth staying in.

Finally, this is good news, and good news is worth sharing. It is free, it takes less than an hour, and it could make someone's year.

Background and History

According to the CCSD nomination form, the Excellence in Education Hall of Fame was created in 1987. Its goal from the start was to recognize people and programs that made exceptional, lasting contributions to education in the Clark County School District. Since then, the district says, 281 people and programs have been inducted.

Think about that number for a second. The Las Vegas Valley has grown enormously since 1987. The district has opened a lot of new schools and hired a lot of new staff over that time. Yet fewer than 300 names have made the Hall of Fame in almost four decades. That makes it a rare honor. It is not a participation trophy.

The Hall of Fame is not limited to single teachers, either. Schools and programs have been inducted too. One recent example: Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, the downtown magnet school, was inducted as part of the 2026 class. The school shared the news on its website in February 2026. It said its name would be permanently displayed on the Hall of Fame screens at the Edward A. Greer Education Center and the district's Sahara administrative building. The school invited its community to pack the room at a Board meeting on March 12 to see the honor in person.

Las Vegas Academy of the Arts graphic celebrating its induction into the 2026 CCSD Excellence in Education Hall of Fame

That example shows how the program works in real life. A nomination goes in. The review happens behind the scenes. Then, months later, the district makes an announcement, and families and staff show up at a public meeting to celebrate. It is a moment that school communities remember.

The Hall of Fame also sits alongside other ways CCSD recognizes its people. The district runs a Teacher of the Week feature on its website, and Nevada names a State Teacher of the Year each year. This week, we covered how Valley High's Brooke Wheatley was named Nevada's Teacher of the Year. The Hall of Fame is different because it is about the long haul. The three year minimum track record makes that clear. It rewards people who have kept showing up, year after year.

What Happens Next

Here is the timeline, based on what CCSD has shared so far.

Now through Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.: Nominations are open through the online form. Late nominations should not be expected to count, so do not wait until the last night. Online forms can time out, and it is easy to lose your work if you close the tab.

Late fall and winter: CCSD will review all nominations through its blind process. The district has not shared how many nominations it usually gets or who sits on the review panel. What we do know is that up to 10 honorees will be chosen.

Early spring 2027: The district will announce the 2027 class. Honorees may be asked to send in a high resolution photo or logo.

At a public Board meeting after the announcement: The Board of School Trustees and the Superintendent will formally recognize the honorees. CCSD has not yet named the exact date. Board meetings are public, so friends, family, students, and coworkers can usually attend. If someone you nominated is picked, that is the meeting to show up for.

After the ceremony: The honorees' names will be added to the digital Hall of Fame displays at the Edward A. Greer Education Center and the CCSD Administrative Center.

We will keep an eye on the district's announcements this spring and share the 2027 class when it is named.

Ryan's Take

I talk with families every week who are moving to Las Vegas or moving across town. Almost every one of them asks about schools. Most of the time, they start with ratings and test scores. That makes sense. But when I ask parents who already live here what they love about their school, they almost never mention a number. They mention a person. The kindergarten teacher who made their shy kid feel safe. The band director who got their teenager to care about something. The front office staffer who always picks up the phone.

Those people are a big part of what makes a neighborhood a good place to raise a family. You cannot see them on a listing sheet, and they do not show up in a home value estimate. But they matter. So I love seeing the district make room to honor them, and I love that the nomination comes from regular residents. If someone at your kid's school has been going above and beyond for years, take 30 minutes and write it down. It costs you nothing, and it could be one of the nicest things that person ever hears about their work.

A handwritten thanks note and a black pen on a wooden desk, a reminder to thank a Clark County teacher by sending a Hall of Fame nomination

What You Can Do

Pick your nominee. Think broadly. It can be a teacher, a principal, a counselor, a coach, a school nurse, a support staff member, a whole school, a program, a department, a community group, or a parent organization. Make sure they have at least three years of work you can point to.

Gather your proof first. Before you open the form, collect what you need. Good examples include how many years they have served, programs they started, how many students they reached, awards or grants they earned, and results you can name, like a club that grew or a class that improved. Short quotes from students, parents, or coworkers can help too. If you are not sure about a fact, ask the nominee's school or a coworker rather than guessing.

Match your story to the eight qualities. Reviewers are scoring against CCSD's list. Try to touch on as many of the eight as you honestly can: lasting impact, student results, new ideas, wide reach, going above and beyond, getting involved outside their role, working with others, and a proven track record. Specific stories beat general praise every time. "She tutored 40 kids every Tuesday for six years" is much stronger than "She is very dedicated."

Use a simple structure. If you are stuck, try this. Start with one sentence on who they are and how long they have served. Then tell one or two short stories that show their impact in action. Next, add any numbers or results you can back up. Finish with why their work has lasted, and who else has been helped because of it. Keep it honest and specific. Reviewers read a lot of nominations, and the clear, concrete ones are the easiest to remember.

Write it in a document first. Draft your answers in a notes app or document, then paste them into the form. That way you will not lose your work if the page times out. The form is four pages long, so give yourself some time.

Submit early. The deadline is Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Aim to be done a few days before that.

Ask for help if you need it. Questions about the process can go to the CCSD events team at events@nv.ccsd.net.

Spread the word. Share this with your school's PTA or PTO group chat, your neighborhood Facebook group, or alumni friends. The more great people who get nominated, the stronger the 2027 class will be.

You can find the official announcement and nomination form links in the Sources section below.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.