Current Year Teaching Chairs

2026 TEACHING CHAIRS

Nominations for Teaching Chairs will be accepted until January 15, 2026. Anyone can nominate a teacher – a peer, a student, a parent, a community member. Teachers may also nominate themselves.

This spring, 6 of the 15 Endowed Teaching Chairs are open for nominations. The first five Teaching Chairs described below recognize a certified classroom teacher who has taught in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School (CHCCS) District for at least three years with a start date no later than Sept 1, 2022. The final chair recognizes a teacher new to the profession (Beginning Teacher in year 1,2 or 3) who shows promise and who has taught for fewer than three years.  Check the descriptions below to see if a teacher you would like to nominate is eligible for a Chair this school year.

Elementary School Chairs

Sockwell Chair for Excellence in Teaching Primary Grades (PreK-2)
The Chair was the first elementary-level Teaching Chair established by the Foundation. It honors former school board chair Phyllis Sockwell and her aunt who were teachers. The Chair is funded by an endowment and is awarded to teachers of grades preK to 2nd grade on a two-year cycle. Nominate a Teacher for the Sockwell Chair

Middle School Chairs

GlaxoSmithKline Chair for Excellence in Teaching Middle School Science or Math     
The GSK Chair was the first middle school Teaching Chair established by the Foundation. This Chair honors outstanding Science or Math teachers at the middle school level. This award is presented in a two-year cycle. Nominate a Teacher for the GlaxoSmithKline Chair

High School Chairs

Bernadine Sullivan Chair for Excellence in Teaching High School English or Social Studies     
The endowment was created by the family of English teacher Bernadine Sullivan at Chapel Hill High School, and was expanded in the 2013-14 school year from an English teaching award to include Social Studies. The award is presented on a two-year cycle. Nominate a teacher for the Bernadine Sullivan Chair

District-wide Chairs

PSF Chair for Excellence in Teaching Cultural Arts
This Chair, first awarded in the 2013-14 school year, honors outstanding Arts teachers in the district who teach music, voice, visual and/or dramatic arts at any grade level. The Chair is awarded on a three-year cycle. Nominate a Teacher for the Cultural Arts Chair

Zora Rashkis Chair for Excellence in Teaching World Language
Established in  2022-23 by a gift from the Zora Rashkis Trust to benefit PSF Teaching Chairs, this award  honors outstanding licensed World Language teachers, including teachers of French, Latin, Spanish, German, Japanese, and Chinese in grades K-12.  Eligible candidates will have at least three years as a certified teacher in the CHCCS District.  The Chair is awarded on a three-year cycle to one eligible teacher. (note: Dual Language teachers are not included in this award category). Nominate a Teacher for the Zora Rashkis Chair

Burton Stuart Chair for Promising New Secondary Teachers in Math or Science
The endowed fund, created by his son, honors “Bud” Stuart, a long-time Math teacher at Chapel Hill High School and the first recipient of the first Teaching Chair awarded in the District. First awarded in the 2013-14 school year, the Stuart Chair is presented on a three-year cycle to a beginning teacher (less than three years teaching) who shows great promise in teaching Math or Science in either middle or high school. Nominate a Teacher for the Burton Stuart Chair