Queensland shines on national stage
03 November 2009
By Rebecca Perry
Townsville State High's Sarah Chapman with federal Education Minister Julia Gillard at the 2009 Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence ceremony in Canberra.
Queensland teachers and schools have been named among Australia's best in a national education awards program.
Presented by federal Education Minister Julia Gillard in Canberra last week to coincide with World Teachers' Day, the 2009 Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence showcased 64 recipients for making a difference to students' lives, across six categories.
Townsville State High School science teacher Sarah Chapman said she was stunned to be highly commended in the Excellence by a Teacher category, along with Andrew Lock from the Tallebudgera Beach Outdoor Education School.
'It is great to help build skills in young people and being recognised for it is wonderful,' Ms Chapman said, who has spent the past five years helping bridge the gap between primary and high school students.
'By taking older students into primary schools to conduct experiments and bringing youngsters into high school, we are improving their science literacy, confidence and have boosted the pass rates of Year 8 students by 30 per cent since 2005.'
Queensland Academy for Health Sciences' Lissa Hodson with Ms Gillard at the ceremony.
Lissa Hodson, head of eLearning at the Queensland Academy for Health Sciences, was highly commended for Excellence in Teacher Leadership for driving technology across the curriculum.
'A highlight was bringing 150 students from nine schools across the state together via a virtual world earlier this year so they could use creative skills to solve problems through innovation and technology,' Ms Hodson said.
'We are helping make technology a central learning tool rather than just a novelty.'
Other highly commended Queensland recipients included Clayton Carnes from Townsville's Hermit Park State School in the Excellence by a Principal category, and Colin Thomas John from Bald Hills State School for Excellence by a Support Staff Member.
Burnside State High School, Jandowae Prep-10 State School, Norman Park State School and Sandgate District State High School were highly commended in the Excellence by a School and Its Community category.
For the list of Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence recipients, visit the Teaching Australia website
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