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WCASS Member Awards

WCASS is fortunate to count among its ranks many outstanding members who work tirelessly on behalf of their school districts and Wisconsin's children, particularly those with special needs. The following awards are an opportunity to showcase WCASS members' contributions to their districts, and to provide the public with a better understanding of the exemplary work WCASS members do to benefit students. 

Each year WCASS gathers nominations for two state level awards to recognize the outstanding contributions of WCASS professional members. The nomination window is December 1st - February 1st each year. Please contact your regional representative or the Executive Director for more information. Learn more about WCASS Membership Award History. 

Member awards include:

  • WCASS Outstanding Special Services Administrator Award
  • WCASS  Early Career Special Services Administrator Award
  • WCASS Regional Recognition – Recognition of staff and students within the 12 regions of WCASS

Outstanding Special Services Administrator Award

The WCASS Outstanding Special Services Administrator Award is presented annually at the spring WCASS Membership Meeting, and will also be forwarded as a nomination for the national CASE awards. The recipient is also recognized at the state convention in January. 

Consistent with the CASE Outstanding Administrator of Special Education Award, there is an expectation that the award recipient demonstrates contributions and commitment to the profession through

  • Leadership consistent with CASE standards

  • Innovation and contributions to special education and/or the quality of services to students with exceptionalities

  • Additional education and community accomplishments and recognition

  • Professional memberships and activities

  • Innovation and contributions to special education and/or WCASS

  • Impact on administrator preparation and/or quality of services to students

  • Additional relevant education or community activities 

Recipients of the award are WCASS professional members who have:

  • Developed and implemented innovative and effective programs that have positively influenced special education/student services, expanded opportunities, equity impact, & positive outcomes for students and

  • Positively impacted the field of special education/student services administration and/or the preparation of special education/pupil services administrators, creating tools for use in the field, building connections with post-secondary institutions, mentoring colleagues, policy and legislative advocacy, and

  • Dedicated at least ten years of administrative service to special education and/or student services and

  • Bonus consideration in rubric: Served as a member of the WCASS Board of Directors, or in activities of other professional organizations

 

Nominations are not secret and the nominated individual is asked to provide a Candidate Statement as part of the process. The individual making the nomination will include a letter of support for the nominee when completing the nomination form. Awards committee chairs will reach out for additional supporting documents and contact nominees’ superintendent to complete the nomination packet. Nominations will be sought through regional outreach, WCASS website, direct member communication and through RSN, AWSA and WASDA member outreach. Note that because professional membership is a requirement for this award, WCASS will verify nominees' membership status as part of the selection process. 

 

WCASS Early Career Special Services Administrator Award

The WCASS Early Career Special Services Administrator Award  is presented annually at the spring WCASS Membership Meeting, and will also be forwarded as a nomination for the CASE Early Career Special Education Administrator Award. The recipient is also recognized at the state convention in January. 

Consistent with the CASE Early Career Special Education Administrator Award, the WCASS award will be presented to a Student Services Administrator who is a member of WCASS and in their first five years administering special education and/or pupil services programs or services, and who exemplifies WCASS’s ethics, values, and standards.  

There is a required narrative regarding the nominee for the Early Career Special Education Administrator Award in the areas below:

  • Leadership consistent with CASE standards

  • Innovation and contributions to special education and/or the quality of services to students with exceptionalities

  • Additional education and community accomplishments and recognition (any time in educational career–rubric note)


Nominations are not secret and the nominated individual is asked to provide a Candidate Statement as part of the process. The individual making the nomination will include a letter of support for the nominee when completing the nomination form. Awards committee chairs will reach out for additional supporting documents and contact nominees’ superintendent to complete the nomination packet. Nominations will be sought through regional outreach, WCASS website, direct member communication and through RSN, AWSA and WASDA member outreach. Note that because professional membership is a requirement for this award, WCASS will verify nominees' membership status as part of the selection process.

Regional Recognition

Each year WCASS encourages our regions across the state to recognize and honor the educators and support staff who have demonstrated exemplary service to students, parents, staff, and communities. There is also a category for recognizing students with an IEP for a significant personal achievement. A lot of great things happen in our regions and we need to CELEBRATE the people doing this work! Please contact your regional representative for more information