Lewis Award Expansion Dreams

Natalie Tackitt, Principal, Blessed Sacrament School, Burlington; Bishop Michael Burbidge; Dr. Michael Fedewa, Superintendent of Schools, Diocese of Raleigh

Goals:

To expand current ways the Lewis Award honors outstanding educators and to develop other avenues of opportunity to attract and retain excellent teachers and administrators for the Diocese of Raleigh Schools System.

To promote the Diocese of Raleigh Schools System to be recognized as among the outstanding school systems in the nation.

To achieve these goals by growing the Lewis Award Endowment to a minimum of $1,000,000. The annual income shall fund that year’s Award activities; and of the annual income, a minimum of 15% is to be returned to the Endowment corpus for its continued growth. The Endowment corpus should not be invaded.

Wish List Ideas:

As Endowment income allows, to significantly increase honorarium to Recipient and Finalists of the Excellence in Teaching Award and of the Lifetime Achievement in Catholic Education Award.

Increase Recipient and Finalists school honorarium proportionately and establish an honorarium for the Lifetime Achievement Recipient’s school of choice.

Provide an annual stipend to purchase classroom supplies of their choosing to actively teaching full time

Bishop Michael Burbidge and Msgr. Lewis

Recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award and of the Lifetime Achievement in Catholic Education Award, and Finalists of the Excellence in Teaching Award.

Establish a Grant Fund to which Recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award and of the Lifetime Achievement in

Catholic Education Award, and Finalists of the Excellence in Teaching Award, as long as they remain actively teaching or employed full time in the diocesan school system, may apply for tuition costs for continuing education courses, studies for advanced degrees, and/or other such enrichment programs.