Responsive Classroom to Sponsor 2013 Bammy Awards

Educators, advocates, organizations, and companies celebrate what's right in American education

TURNERS FALLS, Mass., April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc. (NEFC), developer of the research-based Responsive Classroom® approach to elementary education, announced today that it will be an official sponsor of the 2013 Annual Bammy Awards. Presented by the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences International, the Bammy is a cross-discipline honor recognizing educators throughout the education field. Based on the notion that it takes a village to educate a child, the Academy hosts the Bammy Awards to identify, recognize, and celebrate what's right in American education throughout the entire field—from teachers, principals and superintendents to school nurses, support staff, advocates, researchers, early childhood specialists, education journalists, school facilities maintenance staff, special needs professionals, school board members, education professors, parents, and more.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130108/DC38968LOGO)

"As an organization dedicated to helping provide a high quality education to every child, every day, we are very pleased to help support the Bammy Awards, that recognize the enormous contributions made by so many people to improving the lives of our children," said Lora Hodges, Executive Director of NEFC. "We urge all educators to submit their nominations for the awards today to honor their colleagues who are helping to create a positive future for America's children."

The awards program was created in response to the tremendous national pressure on educators and education leaders to improve student outcomes and the intense scrutiny that today's educators face as a result. The Bammy Awards honor the contributions made by all of the various stakeholders in the education field. The awards aim to elevate education successes in the public eye and raise the voices of the many undervalued and unrecognized people who are making a difference.

"The positive response to the inaugural Bammy Awards in 2012 was overwhelming. Clearly the notion of collaboratively acknowledging what is going well in American education is an idea whose time has come," said Errol St. Clair Smith, executive producer of the Bammy Awards. "We commend and appreciate all of the early supporters of this national initiative."

Modeled on the broad scope of the Oscars, Grammys, and Emmys, the Bammy Awards accepts nominations from the public in dozens of education categories, selects nominees for awards, and holds a red-carpet event that brings together constituents from the entire education community to recognize the honorees. The nominations and first round of voting will happen online at www.bammyawards.org.

Two honors, the Educator's Voice Award and the Bammy Award, will be presented in every category. Educator's Voice Award honorees are selected by popular online vote and will be announced in June. Bammy Award honorees are then selected by members of the Academy of Education Arts & Sciences and will be announced at the Bammy Awards red carpet event on September 21st in Washington, D.C., at the Arena Stage Theater.

Nominations may be submitted at www.bammyawards.org.

About the Academy of Education Arts and Sciences
The Academy consists of a Board of Governors, Council of Peers, and the executive committee and includes a cadre of some of the nation's most prominent educators, education leaders, professors, journalists, activists, visionaries, and pioneers. The Academy also includes the executive directors from the leading national education associations, among which are the American Association of School Administrators, National Association for Middle Level Education, National School Plant Management Association, National Association of School Nurses, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National School Boards Association, National School Supply and Equipment Association, and National PTA. The full list of Academy members is available at www.bammyawards.com/index.php/about-us/academy-of-education-arts-and-sciences.

About Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc., and the Responsive Classroom® approach
The not-for-profit Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc. (NEFC) was established in 1981 by elementary school educators who envisioned a way of teaching that would bring together academic and social learning throughout the school day. That way of teaching, called the Responsive Classroom approach, is now being used in schools across the country. It has been recognized by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) as one of the nation's most effective academic and social-emotional learning programs. NEFC offers Responsive Classroom onsite consulting services for schools and districts; workshops and institutes for educators in locations around the country; and numerous books, videos, and other resources for teachers and administrators.

SOURCE Northeast Foundation for Children, Inc.