Support staff who help make North Tasmania’s public schools tick were celebrated at the Education Department’s 2017 Awards for Excellence on Friday night.
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Out of the collective winners, exemplifying the best of Tasmania’s education leaders, Northern experts took out a number of awards recognising the care and support teachers and staff show to their schools.
Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff congratulated the winners state-wide.
“Awards such as these are important because they provide a platform to showcase the significant work being undertaken in public education,” he said.
Evandale Primary School’s Bronwyn Carroll was recognised as School Business Manager of the Year.
Ms Carroll was described as “an exemplary manager”, also a founding member of the school association, and was further awarded the Overall Excellence Award.
From Ravenswood Heights Primary School and Child and Family Centre, Kellie Quon won the Support Employee of the Year Award, and was described as “an extremely committed and knowledgeable teacher assistant”.
Alongside supporting learning programs and a playgroup, Ms Quon also volunteers for the school association, Family Violence Advocacy Group, and the family centre’s advisory board.
Within the Education Department, Stephen Dodd was awarded Young Departmental Employee of the Year for his work as a Network Support Office for Learning Services Northern Region.
“He regularly undertakes research and develops new digital learning resources to assist teachers,” Mr Dodd’s nominator Wendy Dalton said.
Also in the Learning Services Northern Region team, Susan Diprose was awarded Professional Support Specialist of the Year for her work providing professional supervision and development to school social workers.
Ms Diprose’s nominator Lisa Hudson described Ms Diprose as “highly respected” and “providing exemplary leadership”.
The Launceston College STEAM team, comprised of principal Keith Wenn, Amanda Smith, Mark Gleeson, Kent Poulton and Evan Starkey were awarded the Outstanding Use of Innovation or Technology award for their innovation in the technological space.
In 2016 the team worked to create a new learning space for disengaged students and pushed for fresh approaches to enterprise and technology, with powerful results.
And on the East Coast, the St Marys Teachers Cooperative of Eliza Spykers from Bicheno Primary School and Nic Wardlaw from St Marys District High School received the Outstanding Team of the Year award. Their efforts have seen every student at Bicheno Primary School now playing an instrument.
