Last night, the best of what Australian education has to offer was recognised and celebrated on the national stage.
More than 500 principals, department heads and teachers tuned in from the comfort of their own homes to share in the excitement of the third inaugural Australian Education Awards 2020.
Comedy extraordinaire Lawrence “Moonman” Mooney kicked off the proceedings at 3.45pm, followed by a pair of sponsor-moderated virtual panel discussions, featuring finalists for Teacher of the Year in the primary and secondary school categories.
At 5pm, the main event that everyone had been waiting for arrived when awards were presented in 25 categories, recognising the work of the schools and individuals making their mark on the education sector during what has been an extraordinary year.
After much anticipation Donna Wright, head of Bandiana Primary School in Victoria, was revealed as the Australian School Principal of the Year and Gawura School (St Andrew's Cathedral) was named winner of the inaugural Australian School of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Marsden State High School picked up six trophies on the night, winning the categories of Secondary School of the Year (Government), Best Professional Learning Program, School Principal of the Year (Government), and bagging an excellence award in the categories of Teachers Mutual Bank Teacher of the Year (Secondary School), Best School Strategic Plan and Best Student Wellbeing Program.
Finally, in a hotly contested category, Amy Young, HSIE teacher at Cowra High School, took home the trophy for the Education Rising Star of the Year.
The Educator’s editor, Brett Henebery, congratulated the winners and said the Awards could not have come at a better time for the Australian education sector.
“I congratulate each and every one of the winners, and those who have been recognised for excellence across the 25 categories,” The Educator’s editor, Brett Henebery, said.
“This is a year that many of us would like to forget, but amid the seismic shifts that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about in 2020, Australia’s teachers and leaders have led by example, demonstrating just how resilient and adaptive they really are in the face of an unprecedented crisis and the massive changes it brought about”.
Henebery commended Australia’s educators for bravely and selflessly “putting their health on the line” during the pandemic to help students manage the radical changes to their school lives.
“While many workers were told to stay home, educators put their health on the line to carry out the noble, and absolutely critical, job of helping our young people thrive academically, socially and emotionally – all at a time of historic disruption”.
2020 Australian Education Awards winners:
BEST CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Brighton Grammar School Year 9/10 B2M Program
- Maryborough State High School, Fraser Pop festival
- Plumpton High School
WINNER
- St Andrew's Anglican College
BEST PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Caringbah North, Jannali, Miranda North Public Schools
- Genazzano FCJ College
- Haileybury
WINNER
- Marsden State High School
BEST SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Kurri Kurri High School Strategic Stages
- Marsden State High School whole school strategic plan
- Ormiston College
WINNER
- All Saints' College, Perth
BEST STEM PROGRAM
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- St Margaret's Anglican Girls School
- St Patrick's College Townsville
- Strathcona Girls Grammar - All Aboard the Tinker Train
WINNER
- Saint Stephen's College
BEST STUDENT WELLBEING PROGRAM
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Haileybury
- Kempsey South Public School
- Marsden State High
WINNER
- Mooroopna Park Primary School Well-being Team
BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Haileybury
- Ormiston College
- Southport State High Independent Public School
WINNER
BOARDING SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Immanuel College
- St Ursula's College, Toowoomba
- The Scots School Albury
- Toorak College
WINNER
- St Margaret's Anglican Girls School
DEPARTMENT HEAD OF THE YEAR
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Iain Taylor, Saint Stephen's College
- Michael Ha, Hillcrest Christian College
- Scott Dirix, Indie School
WINNER
- Samantha Reynolds, Saint Stephen’s College
EDUCATION RISING STAR OF THE YEAR
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Lloyd Godson, Hastings Secondary College
- Melissa Allen, Haileybury
- Parris Laurie, Mater Dei College
WINNER
- Amy Young, Cowra High School
INNOVATION IN CURRICULUM DESIGN
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Creative Silicon Chips - Carey Baptist Grammar School
- Liverpool Boys High School
- Project Illuminate - Toorak College
WINNER
- Southport State High Independent Public School
INNOVATION IN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT DESIGN
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Ormiston College
- St Luke's Catholic College
- Trinity Lutheran College: Senior Learning Precinct
WINNER
- Queensland Department of Education Youth Engagement Team
PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR - GOVERNMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Beenleigh State School
- Glendore Public School
- Kempsey South Public School
- Piara Waters Primary School
WINNER
- Fairy Meadow Demonstration School
PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR - NON-GOVERNMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Ballarat Clarendon College Junior School
- Ormiston College
- St Paul's School
WINNER
- Haileybury
PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR - GOVERNMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Adam Knights, Beenleigh State School
- Julie Murphy, Elizabeth Vale Primary School
- Khalil Khay, Glendore Public School
- Maria Green, Oakdale Public School
WINNER
- Donna Wright, Bandiana Primary School
PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR - NON-GOVERNMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Kerrie Nelson, Giant Steps Australia
- Nicolee Eiby, Ipswich Girls' Grammar School/ Ipswich Junior Grammar School
- Will Wallace, Lakes Grammar - An Anglican School
WINNER
- Grenville Green, Haileybury
REGIONAL SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Maryborough State High School
- St Patrick's College Townsville
- The Scots School Albury
WINNER
- Kangaroo Island Community Education
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR – GOVERNMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Chad Bliss, Orange High School
- Khalil Khay, Glendore Public School
- Maxine McSherry, Kangaroo Island Community Education
- Stella Jinman, Cecil Andrews College Perth WA
WINNER
- Andrew Peach, Marsden State High School
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR - NON-GOVERNMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Karen Jebb, Genazzano FCJ College
- Kristy Kendall, Toorak College
- Ros Curtis, St Margaret's Anglican Girls School
WINNER
- Kerrie Nelson, Giant Steps Australia
SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR - GOVERNMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Liverpool Boys High School
- Maryborough State High School
- Plumpton High School
WINNER
- Marsden State High School
SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR - NON-GOVERNMENT
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Ormiston College
- St Paul's School
- Toorak College
WINNER
- Ballarat Clarendon College
SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
EXCELLENCE AWARDEE
- Giant Steps Sydney
WINNER
- Gawura School (St Andrew's Cathedral School)
TEACHERS MUTUAL BANK, TEACHER OF THE YEAR - PRIMARY SCHOOL
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Michelle Breen, Trinity Anglican School
- Michelle Richardson, The Knox School
- Wendy Murphy, Kingswood South Public School
WINNER
- Carla Gagliano, Masada College
TEACHERS MUTUAL BANK, TEACHER OF THE YEAR - SECONDARY SCHOOL
EXCELLENCE AWARDEES
- Ben Peacock, St Philip's Christian College Cessnock
- Fiona Pennisi-Mitchell, Marsden State High School
- Kate Brown, Toorak College
WINNER
- Samantha Reynolds, Saint Stephen's College
EDVAL AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
WINNER
- Gawura School (St Andrew's Cathedral)
AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR
WINNER
- Donna Wright, Bandiana Primary School
Congratulations to all of last night’s award finalists and winners. Photos and video coverage from the event will be available shortly at http://educatorawards.com.