PM’s Excellence Awards open for 2016

&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;" alignright size-full wp-image-1903" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;schoolnewsnz&period;fastrackdev&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2015&sol;11&sol;SND21-wk2-Excellence&lowbar;Awards&lowbar;-Hekia&lowbar;Parata1&period;jpg" alt&equals;"SND21-wk2-Excellence Awards -Hekia Parata1" style&equals;"margin&colon; 5px&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" width&equals;"300" height&equals;"254" &sol;>Education Minister Hekia Parata is urging early childhood services and schools to enter the Prime Minister&&num;8217&semi;s Education Excellence Awards&comma; which opened on Friday&period; <&excl;--more--> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;The awards are a wonderful opportunity for those involved in the education of kids and young people to showcase their amazing work&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Great teachers&comma; great early childhood services and great schools transform lives&period; The awards celebrate the very best teaching and highlight the importance of strong leadership and community and parental engagement&comma;&&num;8221&semi; Ms Parata said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Entry is open to those working in the early childhood&comma; primary and secondary sectors as well as Communities of Learning&period; The awards focus on collective effort and collaboration and are open to groups&comma; teams and partnerships&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The four main categories are&colon; excellence in governing&comma; excellence in leading&comma; excellence in teaching and learning and excellence in engaging&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The winning entry in each category will receive &dollar;20&comma;000 and a professional development opportunity&period; The winner of the Prime Minister&&num;8217&semi;s Supreme Award for the partnership or group that has had the most impact on raising student achievement will receive an additional &dollar;30&comma;000&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The 2016 Education Focus Prize will be for initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Entries close on March 18&comma; 2016&period; Entry forms and information are available <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;pmawards&period;education&period;govt&period;nz&sol;enter&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank">here<&sol;a>&period;<&sol;p><&sol;p>&NewLine;