Innovative Leadership Award

Written By Lauren Wooden

CVEDC’s Innovative Leadership Award Nominations are open! We just increased the Award to $3000. Vermont educators have so many qualities that create an amazing learning environment. Learn more about the award and please nominate a leader who exemplifies them.

Who do you think of when you picture an innovative Vermont educational leader? Do you have someone in your mind? Is she or he typically a few steps ahead of the rest of us? We see this person as a risk-taker and a student advocate. Is she or he someone with connections with other innovators and shares what they know back in their district or region?

Ned Kirsch, former FWSU Superintendent

If so, then please nominate her/him for the CVEDC Innovative Leadership Award. We created this award in memory of Ned Kirsch, a former superintendent from Franklin West who was an active member of our Advisory Council. Not only did he have the best wit in education, but he was always thinking five steps ahead of his peers. He was extremely student-focused and wanted to start making bigger strides in changing education to a more forward-thinking, innovative landscape. He motivated us and questioned the status quo. He made sure that student learning was provocative, engaging and important. He created opportunities for professional learning that inspired his staff. We wanted to honor his memory with this award.

“No one could turn a student-centered idea into systemic innovation like Ned. His leadership was inspirational. With Ned, the stagnant status quo didn’t stand a chance.” Linda Keating, former FWSU Director of Curriculum.

As an advisory committee, we brainstormed the qualities that we admired about Ned and would hope to see in a nominee. The list was ridiculously long and probably daunting for someone to measure up to. Here is a distilled list that might spark a remembrance in you of an educator who has some of these traits.

Examples of Innovative Leadership Qualities 

  • Breaking down barriers and shifting mindsets to move innovation forward

  • Engages beyond Vermont and beyond today

  • Inspires change through courageous vision, innovative actions, and a belief in what’s possible both within their system and others

  • Scans environments for new opportunities 

  • Challenges the status quo by design thinking 

  • Articulates a vision for World Class Education with both global and local perspective and actions

Timeline and Details

$3000 award

  • Nominations Open November 2023

  • Nominations close - nominees are reviewed & referenced March 29, 2024

  • Committee reviews nominees and makes a selection April 19, 2024

  • Recipient announced/award given May 14, 2024

Please check in with us if you have any questions.









Lauren Wooden
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