The Holy Spirit Catholic School Division encourages students, parents, colleagues, principals, supervisors and community leaders to nominate an outstanding teacher or early childhood educator for the 2026 Prime Minister’s Award.
These national awards recognise exceptional educators whose dedication, innovation, and leadership have made a difference for children and youth across Canada.
The nomination deadline for the 2026 awards is January 14, 2026.
What are the awards?
The Prime Minister’s Awards include categories for teaching excellence and early childhood education. They honour educators who create positive learning environments, engage students in meaningful learning, and support children’s growth across many dimensions.
Recipients receive a certificate from the Prime Minister, national recognition of their work and promotion of best practices in education. See the 2025 Prime Minister’s Award recipients.
Who is eligible?
Eligible nominees must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
For the teaching categories, nominees must be certified to teach in a public or private school in Canada.
For early childhood education, nominees must have appropriate training in early childhood education and care and provide direct education and care for young children in a licensed setting.
What is the nomination process?
Anyone with direct knowledge of the nominee’s contributions may submit a nomination. This includes students, parents, school colleagues, supervisors, or community members.
The nomination package must include a completed nomination form, detailed description of the nominee’s work, letters of support and documentation that confirms eligibility. The selections are made through a two-tier review process with a committee of volunteers from the education sector. View more on the selection process of the Award.
Why it matters for our division
In the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division we believe that every student deserves a caring, inspiring educator who helps them grow academically, socially, spiritually, and emotionally. By nominating a deserving educator, we recognise the daily commitment and impact of teachers and early childhood educators in our communities.
This is an opportunity to say thank you and to highlight excellence in teaching and learning within our Catholic school family.
Important deadlines and next steps
The nomination deadline for the 2026 awards is January 14 2026. We encourage families, staff, and community members to download the nomination package as soon as possible and to work together to prepare strong submissions.
Visit the federal program website for the nomination form and further details: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/programs-and-initiatives/prime-ministers-awards
If you know a teacher or early childhood educator whose work you value, now is the time to act. Nominate them for the 2026 Prime Minister’s Awards and help showcase the extraordinary contribution they make to children, families, and our Catholic school community.