Excellence by a Teacher

Deborah Arthurs

Cardiff South Public School, New South Wales

Deborah Arthurs, a preschool teacher at Cardiff South Public School, has been notably successful in helping children with a wide range of abilities to settle into school life. Deborah engages and develops preschoolers through imaginative programs designed around individual interests and needs and the close involvement of parents. Her approach is based on an appropriate balance between open-ended activities and explicit teaching, and between structure and creativity. Deborah has played an active role in the profession.

Greg Gebhart

Lowanna College, Victoria

Greg Gebhart of Lowanna College is an educational leader who has been at the forefront of multimedia programs and e-learning in Victoria. Greg’s innovative multimedia classes and exemplary teaching practices produce excellent learning and vocational outcomes for students, and he has established strong and mutually beneficial relationships with parents and the business community. Greg willingly shares his expertise and has instigated a wide range of professional development-programs.

Michael Goodwin

Mackay North State High School, Queensland

Michael Goodwin, a senior teacher at Mackay North State High School, has made an outstanding contribution to teaching and learning in the discipline of history. Through his inspirational ‘Lest We Forget’ project, imaginative classroom teaching and resource materials that are now in use around Australia, Michael has shown how to bring history alive and capture the interest of students. His innovative approach has had a significant positive impact, both on educational outcomes and on the numbers of students choosing to study history at his school.

Paul Hedgcock

Proserpine State High School, Queensland

Paul Hedgcock is a dedicated teacher who has pursued a vision throughout his career of providing opportunity through education for his students. Amongst his many achievements, Paul established a ground-breaking nationally recognised marine training program, which now attracts almost 200 students each year and offers a path to local maritime employment or a springboard to more advanced maritime studies.

Robin McKean

St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls, Western Australia

Robin McKean is an outstanding teacher librarian, whose abilities have made a significant contribution, both directly and indirectly, to student achievement at St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls. Robin’s expertise in multi-literacies and technology led to her creation of ‘Maximeyes’, a CD Rom which provides resources and strategies to allow students of different ages, abilities and interest to engage with reading and make progress. As importantly, he approach to co-teaching has inspired and empowered the teachers she works with, and enriched the school’s culture of collaboration, learning and professionalism.

Brendan Magee

Lyneham High School, Australian Capital Territory

At Lyneham High School, Brendan Magee led a team of teachers in creating an innovative program that achieved a dramatic turn around for a group of ‘at risk’ boys who were not engaging in their learning, and were developing a culture of resistance to school ideals and destructive relationships within peer groupings. The RADICAL (Resilience and Adolescent Development in Culture and Leadership) program used a special course of studies in SOSE, physical education and mathematics to build student leadership, self-respect, self-discipline, teamwork, interest in learning and learning skills.

Morris Needleman

Kincoppal-Rose Bay School, New South Wales

Morris Needleman, the Mathematics Technology Coordinator at Kincoppal-Rose Bay School, has revolutionised the way mathematics is taught at the school – integrating technology to make it relevant, interesting and exciting for students. Morris is an exemplary educational leader who is committed to sharing expertise. He professionally mentors teachers within his own, and many other schools, and his vision led to the establishment of a professional development unit to foster professional excellence for teachers of mathematics.

Jason Zagami

St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, Queensland

Jason Zagami, ICT Coordinator at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, is a leader in on-line education, who is committed to providing for each student’s unique learning requirements. Jason has developed a web-based online learning environment to deliver individualised mixes of learning resources, content and strategies, and has established individualised learning spaces. His approach helps students to understand their own learning processes and take greater ownership of their learning. Jason has actively supported the professional development of colleagues within his own school and throughout Queensland.

Rose Callaghan

Cairns West State School, Queensland

An educator of high quality who willingly shares her expertise with others, Rose generates excitement, enthusiasm and professionalism within the whole school community. Rose’s inspiring contribution can be seen in her commitment to supporting the education of Indigenous students, including teenage mothers and their babies, in remote communities.

Leigh Charlesworth

Aberfoyle Park High School, South Australia

Leigh is dedicated to helping ‘at risk’ boys discover their true potential as people and as students. The success of his Rugby League program in re-engaging difficult boys at Aberfoyle Park High School, and his leadership as the school’s first Boys in Education Coordinator have helped to stem behavioural, retention and literacy problems and made a real difference in the lives of his students.

Geoff De Manser

Mortlake College P–12 Victoria

Geoff is a pioneering teacher whose Maori language and cultural program has been immensely successful in achieving greater inclusiveness for Maori students at his rural school. The program has broadened the cultural understanding of the school and wider community, and promoted teamwork, tolerance’ and mutual respect.

Trevor Howitt

Cocos Island District High School, Western Australia

Trevor established the Cultural Tour program which gives Cocos- Malay primary students real life opportunities to speak English through their interaction with tourists visiting the Cocos Islands. Through Trevor’s efforts, the program has strengthened the ties between school and community and achieved significant improvements in students’ literacy and numeracy, oral language, self-confidence, willingness to speak and ability to relate to others.

Stacey Hunter

Cavendish Road State High School, Queensland

Stacey’s leadership and innovations in science teaching have resulted in extensive program redesign, supportive partnerships with primary schools and links with universities. There have been significant improvements in opportunities for students and in student engagement, motivation and achievement in science at Cavendish Road State High School.

Malcolm McInerney

Findon High School, South Australia

Malcolm McInerney is respected by colleagues and students alike as an excellent teacher, with a talent for engaging students in meaningful learning. He has been at the forefront of innovative curriculum delivery in geography, using the spatial technology called Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and has embraced a responsibility to share his knowledge widely and expertise through many professional activities.

Norena Mendiolea

St Margaret Mary’s College, Queensland

In her diverse roles as Assistant Principal, and through her wider involvement in the profession, Norena has shown herself to be an outstanding educator, an excellent classroom teacher and an innovative leader. She has made a significant contribution to improved student learning in the ICT subject area and with the effective integration of ICTs across the curriculum.

Donna Mincham

Ludmilla Alternative Pathway Program, Northern Territory

Donna Mincham has achieved great success as coordinator of the Ludmilla Alternative Pathway Program through her knowledge and expertise in Indigenous education, her belief in her students’ potential and her ability to involve the local Indigenous community. Donna’s innovative approaches have allowed Indigenous students, who are disengaged from mainstream education, to continue their schooling.

Laurel Nowacki

Wodonga Primary School, Victoria

Laurel Nowacki has engaged students, staff and the wider community in a rich experience of intercultural learning through a reinvigorated LOTE program in Japanese, which has raised the profile and value of learning another language. Laurel’s success is based on an imaginative and innovative approach, and her ability to take account of the different backgrounds learning abilities of students.

Anne-Marie Reeks

Monash Kindergarten, South Australia

Anne-Marie’s innovative work explored the use of ICT as a learning tool in a kindergarten setting. Using the Kidipad Interactive Performance System, Anne-Marie developed exciting and engaging learning opportunities, many involving the local community. Children were able to extend a wide range of skills, including kinaesthetic, aural, musical and social skills, as well as cultural understandings using ICT.

Hao Anh Ngo Ta

Willetton Senior High School, Western Australia

Held in high regard by students and colleagues, Hao uses a variety of approaches to inspire his students to enjoy their studies. Hao believes in channelling students’ interests into innovative research, ensuring that they experience a stimulating and, rewarding experience of science.

Donna Wright

Wodonga High School Cluster, Victoria

Donna has led and supported an integrated program of curriculum reform and pedagogical change across a cluster of four Wodonga schools. The revitalised approach to middle years schooling has brought about significant improvements in the attendance, engagement and achievement of students and established ongoing collaborative teaching relationships and resource sharing across the cluster.