Annual awards honour local teachers and students
Students, teachers, and parents have been acknowledged for their exceptional achievement and contribution to public education as part of the 2021 NSW Minister’s and Secretary’s Awards for Excellence.
Also showcased among the 105 Awards are schools that have developed innovative programs focused on student wellbeing, improving school results or changing the way education is delivered within the government system.
NSW Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said the 2021 awards highlighted the excellence underpinning the NSW public school system even as schools, students and teachers have navigated the challenges of natural disasters and a global pandemic.
“These awards reveal that regardless of the circumstances, our students, teachers, principals and the school community are always striving for learning and teaching excellence,” Ms Mitchell said.
Department of Education Secretary Georgina Harrisson said the geographic spread of award winners demonstrated that the State’s public education system was delivering excellence regardless of location.
“Whether it is the use of technology to deliver language classes across the State, an on-site observatory inspiring the astronomers of the future or a program using a school cafeteria to improve wellbeing, the programs represented in these awards are just the tip of the iceberg in outstanding initiatives that are happening across the NSW public education system,” Ms Harrisson said.
The winners, from across NSW, were selected in the following categories:
- Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement
- Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching
- Secretary’s Award for Excellent Service
- Secretary’s Award for an Outstanding School Initiative
- Secretary’s School Achievement Award
- Public School Parent of the Year
The Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement considers achievement in the academic, sporting, cultural and leadership fields, commitment to the school community and personal values.
The Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching considers professional knowledge, practice and engagement.
The Public Education Foundation’s executive director David Hetherington said the foundation was proud to host the awards on behalf of Education Minister Sarah Mitchell and Department Secretary Georgina Harrisson.
“These awards celebrate the exceptional work that occurs every day across NSW public education – by schools, students, teachers, employees and parents,” Mr Hetherington said.
“In 2021, the standard is as high as ever and perhaps even more impressive as this work has been undertaken against the backdrop of a pandemic.”
| Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement | ||
| Salam Adra | Strathfield Girls High School | |
| Husain Alhashemi | Cumberland High School | |
| Rachel Harkin | Cumberland High School | |
| Erin Bloor | Elderslie High School | |
| Chelsea Nagel | Elizabeth Macarthur High School | |
| Alyssa Koit | Fort Street High School | |
| Jack Coleman | Fort Street High School | |
| Amelie Stuut | Galston High School | |
| Dineshe Mohanarajah | Girraween High School | |
| Hannah Lovlin | Northern Beaches Secondary College – Manly Selective Campus | |
| Hanako Greuter | Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus | |
| Milla Papallo | Northern Beaches Secondary College Mackellar Girls Campus | |
| Thinesshan Thevathasan | North Sydney Boys High School | |
| Annabel Chen | North Sydney Girls High School | |
| Laura Campbell | North Sydney Girls High School | |
| Nicholas Whelan | Penrith High School | |
| Sinduja Sureshkumar | Penrith High School | |
| Mark Tran | Prairiewood High School | |
| Nhi Lu | Prairiewood High School | |
| Shanni Yehuda | Sydney Girls High School | |
| Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence | ||
| Kelly Andrews | Birrong Girls High School | |
| Danielle Demetrios | Liverpool Boys High School | |
| Deanne Bulmer | Campbellfield Public School | |
| Gerard Chomicz | Campbellfield Public School | |
| Inoke Tuhukava | Turramurra High School | |
| Kathryn Kane | James Fallon High School | |
| Lisa McInally | Clairgate Public School | |
| Livia Bolanca | Birrong Girls High School | |
| Megan Atkinson | Elderslie High School | |
| Paul Clarke | Merrylands High School | |
| Suzanne Sherrington | Doonside Technology High School | |
| Secretary’s Award for Excellent Service | ||
| Jannan Assaad | Saturday School of Community Languages | |
| Ana Latu | Thomas Reddall High School | |
| Aunty Kim Chan | Marrickville Public School | |
| Brenda Pyett | Endeavour Sports High School | |
| Don Dwarte | Picnic Point Public School | |
| Emma Mackenzie | Padstow North Public School | |
| Fiona Baillie | Campbellfield Public School | |
| Jen Greig | Merrylands East Public School | |
| Luz Velez | Kogarah High School Intensive English Centre | |
| Sahin Bostanci | Lindfield Learning Village | |
| Simone Billinghurst | Bringelly Public School | |
| Secretary’s Award for an Outstanding School Initiative | ||
| Use of Video for Self-Reflection and Peer Reflection | Auburn North Public School | |
| Big Picture Academy | Liverpool Boys High School | |
| Reaching for the Stars | Prairiewood High School | |
| Stage 5 Moving Forward Program | Hoxton Park High School | |
| Stage 6 Online Languages Courses | NSW School of Languages | |
| Secretary’s School Achievement Award | ||
| Collaborative School Culture | Auburn North Public School | |
| 4C Community of Practice | Caringbah North Public School Jannali Public School Miranda North Public School |
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| Connect 4 Wellbeing Program | Caringbah North Public School | |
| Quality Teaching Coordinator | Glenbrook Public School | |
| Whole School Achievement | Winmalee Public School | |
| Public School Parent of the Year |
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| Dianne Bentley | Bringelly Public School | |
| Anna McFarlane | Rose Bay Secondary College | |
| Ben and Swannida Stewart | Harrington Street Public School | |
Read the award citations on the Public Education Foundation website – www.publiceducationfoundation.org.au
Photographs of award recipients are available on request
For more information contact:
DoE Media Unit on 02 7814 1559 or email mediaunit@det.nsw.edu.au
