STAFF who went “above and beyond" and showed “exceptional leadership qualities" were recognised at the annual Brisbane Catholic Education Excellence in Teaching Awards gala evening.
Family, friends and special guests gathered at the Brisbane Convention Centre to witness Archbishop Mark Coleridge and BCE Executive Director Pam Betts congratulate the outstanding winners who were picked from hundreds of nominations.
Archbishop Coleridge presented the Australian Catholic University (ACU) Award for Excellence as an Early Career Teacher to Sam O'Leary from St Martin's Primary School, Carina, while Lindell Johnstone from Unity College, Caloundra, received the ACU Award for Excellence in Religious Education or Building Strong Catholic Identity.
Lee Menzel from Our Lady of the Way Primary School, Petrie, was presented with the ACU Award for Excellence in Developing Others and James Taylor from Mary MacKillop College, Nundah, took out the QIEC Super Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching in Secondary School while Kim Harding from Our Lady of the Way School, Petrie, won the QIEC Super Award for Excellence in Learning and Teaching in Primary School.
The TUH Award for Outstanding Contribution to Learning and Teaching (20+ years) went to Deborah Holmes from Unity College, Caloundra, while Marlon Riley from Ngutana-Lui accepted the TUH Award for Excellence in Supporting Learning and Teaching (BCEO) and Natalie Felschow from Mt Maria College, Petrie, took out the TUH Award for Excellence in Supporting Learning and Teaching (Schools).
A delighted group from Mary MacKillop College, Nundah, accepted the Teachers Mutual Bank Award for School Excellence in Learning and Teaching on behalf of the college.
And finally the archbishop presented the inaugural Archbishop Mark Coleridge Award for Leadership to Paul Drewniak, principal at Holy Cross Primary School, Wooloowin.
Miss Betts said this year the awards had been expanded to celebrate all staff who contributed to the delivery of BCE's strategic plan, its mission and vision and demonstration of its organisational values.
It meant there was a total of 10 awards were on offer this year, an additional three in the areas of “supporting learning and teaching", “developing others", and the Archbishop's Award for Leadership.
“Recognising those in schools, and in support of our schools, who go above-and-beyond; individuals and teams who have exceptional leadership, contribute to Excellent Learning and Teaching and Strong Catholic Identity and who superbly demonstrate the BCE values, we wholeheartedly thank them for all the amazing and transformational work that they do," she said.
She said the number and quality of the nominations this year had far exceeded all expectations, so much so, one of the new award categories “supporting learning and teaching" had to be split, with one acknowledging support within schools, and the other acknowledging support from the offices.
Archbishop Coleridge acknowledged the awards as an excellent opportunity to recognise all staff within Brisbane Catholic Education who, every day in their practice in both formal and informal interactions with students, laid foundations for the future.
He said each nominee had been recognised by their peers as exemplary and should feel justifiably proud of their nomination.
Miss Betts congratulated the winners and all the other finalists who attended, saying it was important to acknowledge those who shine in their endeavours.
She said the awards recognised the excellent ways in which the nominees worked to nurture the growth of students in Catholic schools, either in teaching, leading, mentoring and governance.
“Too often in our society we focus on the negative rather than the positive and there is so much positive in our staff to celebrate," she said.
She thanked sponsors, TUH Health Fund, TMB (Teachers Mutual Bank), ACU and QIEC Super for their support.
The leadership team from Mary MacKillop College, Nundah, accepted the Teachers Mutual Bank Award for School Excellence in Learning and
Teaching on behalf of the college