Cove School District Opens Nominations for Heart of the School Award

Nominations are now open for Cove School District’s Heart of the School Awards, with the district setting an April 9 nomination deadline and announcing that recipients will be notified on May 4 and honored at the May Day Program on May 7. The district posted the announcement March 2, 2026 on its website and published the nomination form under the title "The Heart of the School Award Nomination Form 2025/2026."

The Cove School District frames the awards as a recognition of staff who “go the extra mile in their schools and show superior dedication to student success.” The district’s announcement specifies who may be nominated in plain terms: “Anyone can be nominated: teachers, educational assistants, counselors, support staff, bus drivers, food service employees, custodians, etc. any employee who works for Cove School District.” The post also makes clear who may submit nominations: “Anyone can nominate someone for The Heart of the School Award! Community members, teachers, coworkers, students, staff, parent/guardian(s), etc.”

Cove’s announcement gives a single district contact for questions and complaints. The page lists Earl Pettit as “Superintendent & Title IX Coordinator/Civil Rights Coordinator” with an office at 803 Main St., Cove, Oregon 97824 and a phone number of (541) 568-4424. The nomination form is identified by its 2025/2026 title on the site; the announcement does not include the form fields or a specified submission method in the excerpt provided.

The district pairs the awards push with its operational and safety statements. Cove’s nondiscrimination language appears in full on the announcement page: “Cove School District prohibits discrimination and harassment on any basis protected by law, including but not limited to, an individual’s perceived or actual race , color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, familial status, economic status, or veterans’ status, or because of the perceived or actual race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, familial status, economic status, or veterans’ status of any other persons with whom the individual associates.” The page also states the district “utilizes SafeSchools, an online training and risk management solution, to annually train staff members, manage compliance, and prevent serious safety incidents in the district,” and directs tip reports about bullying, violence, drugs, or student harm to SAFEOREGON.

Cove’s awards are distinct from other regional educator recognitions. For comparison, the School District of Lancaster’s Citadel Heart of Learning Award is a separate program with a January 15, 2026 nomination deadline and different organizers; Cove’s announcement does not link the two programs.

Nominations close April 9; recipients will be notified May 4 and the district lists the awards presentation as part of its May Day Program on May 7. For procedural questions, the district’s announcement directs inquiries to Earl Pettit at 803 Main St., Cove, OR 97824 or (541) 568-4424.