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Record number of Queensland teachers nominated for TEACHX awards

More Queensland teachers have been recognised for their amazing contributions to the state’s schools with a 60 per cent jump in TEACHX nominations compared to 2019. SEE THE FULL LIST.

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Queensland’s most outstanding teachers have been revealed, with a staggering 60 per cent spike in nominations for the state’s most prestigious awards amid COVID-19.

Across six award categories, a record 60 per cent increase of teachers were this year nominated for the Queensland College of Teachers’ lauded TEACHX awards.

Seventy-four of those nominees have now been shortlisted before finalists will be announced mid-October.

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Mabel Park State High School Teachers Naomi Kitching, Grant Stephensen, Judy Fewtrell, Margaret Sherrington, Gavin Jones and Sophie Gruhl have all been nominated in the Queensland College of Teachers TEACHX Awards. Picture: Josh Woning
Mabel Park State High School Teachers Naomi Kitching, Grant Stephensen, Judy Fewtrell, Margaret Sherrington, Gavin Jones and Sophie Gruhl have all been nominated in the Queensland College of Teachers TEACHX Awards. Picture: Josh Woning

The coveted teaching awards, sponsored by The Courier-Mail, are the only state government awards that recognise teachers from both public and non-government schools.

QCT board chair Emeritus Professor Wendy Patton said they believed the extraordinary number of nominations was due to the incredible efforts of teachers this year during COVID-19 imposed remote schooling.

“The COVID-19 restrictions have shone a light on how important the role of teachers is in communities,” she said.

Six teachers, Sophie Gruhl, Margaret Sherrington, Judith Fewtrell, Gavin Jones, Naomi Kitching and Grant Stephensen [pictured] were nominated from Mabel Park State High School. It’s the most short-listed nominees at one school across Queensland.

Mabel Park State High School Principal Mick Hornby said the staff were a “phenomenal team.”

“If there was an Olympics for schools, I’d put my team up and I think we’d win it.

C & K Strathpine Community Kindergarten co-directors Gabrielle Holden and Rebecca Stephens have been nominated for their roles in implementing and teaching a bush kindy program.

Bush Kindy Educator Rebecca Stephens from Strathpine Community Kindergarten with five-year-old Harriette Evans and four-year-old Giselle Woodbridge. Picture: Richard Walker
Bush Kindy Educator Rebecca Stephens from Strathpine Community Kindergarten with five-year-old Harriette Evans and four-year-old Giselle Woodbridge. Picture: Richard Walker

Ms Stephens said the children absolutely adore the off-site outdoor program where they explore the bush including climbing trees, searching for tadpoles and light pot fires with flints.

“It’s very rewarding, I was quite surprised, I don’t do the job for those titles, I’m quite humbled by it all really,” she said.

Ormiston College’s Joel Speranza was the only teacher to be short-listed twice, nominated for the Excellence in Teaching and Innovation in Teaching awards.

Mr Speranza’s work, including creating hundreds of applets for students, has led to doubling the number of students studying Specialist Mathematics and to the having more female students studying the subject than males for the first time in the College’s history.

M ore from Education >

FULL LIST:

Excellence in Beginning to Teach

Peita Bates, Maryborough State High School

Melissa Blacklock, Corinda State High School

Alexandra Calligaris, Maroochydore State High School

Samuel Clark, Varsity College

April Clarke, Miami State High School

Matalena Daniells, Centenary State High School

Catherine Davidson, Centenary State High School

Sophie Gruhl, Mabel Park State High School

Ben Hugheston-Roberts, Anglican Church Grammar School

Kate Kennedy, Marsden State High School

Michael King, John Paul College

Naomi Kitching, Mabel Park State High School

Catriona Mach, Groves Christian College

Brittany Nolan, Western Cape College

Annan Whittington, Southern Cross Catholic College, Annandale

Outstanding Contribution to School Community

Chantelle Amson, Nambour Special School

Ron Armstrong, The Cathedral College

Kylie Barrett, Capalaba State College

Josephine Belchamber, Pacific Lutheran College

Carly Bell, Clermont State High School

Melisse Catsoulis, Wisdom College

Garrath McPherson, Marsden State High School

Cathy Nixon, Cairns West State School

Alice Pan-Moreau, John Paul College

Margaret Sherrington, Mabel Park State High School

Outstanding Contribution to Teaching

John Alloway, Ignatius Park College

John Aloizos, Yeronga State High School

Trevor Auer, Cairns State High School

Terri Barton-Thomas, Miami State High School

Ping Ding, Marsden State High School

Pearl Donovan, Queensland Academies Health Sciences Campus

Judith Fewtrell, Mabel Park State High School

Elizabeth Kriesch, St Columba’s Primary School

Laurie Maetam, Canterbury College

Dell Rathbone, West Moreton Anglican College

Excellence in Teaching:

Kali Ahmat, Tagai State College, Badu Campus

Jodi Audoss, Silkstone State School

Benjamin Collier, Runcorn State High School

Lisa Collins, Browns Plains State High School

Gemma Dale, Somerville House

Song Huang, Yeronga State High School

Adam King, Suncoast Christian College

Cecilia Kovacic, Maryborough State High School

Matthew Lourigan, Loreto College

Emma Mayer, Bayside Christian College

Sam O’Leary, St Martin’s Catholic Primary School

Joel Speranza, Ormiston College

Rebecca Stephens, C & K Strathpine Community Kindergarten

Sarndra Street, Matthew Flinders Anglican College

Eliza Watt, Nursery Road State Special School

Innovation in Teaching

Amy Freeman, Mackay District Special School

Gabrielle Holden, C & K Strathpine Community Kindergarten

Gavin Jones, Mabel Park State School

Cameron Lynch, Marsden State High School

Brett Murphy, Belgian Gardens State School

Christopher Pacey, St Patrick’s College, Townsville

Kelli Parr, Kepnock State High School

Jason Sepetauc, St Joseph’s Nudgee College

Joel Speranza, Ormiston College

Glen Watt, IMPACT Centre

Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning

Christine Beckmann, All Hallows’ School

Kevin Butler, Stanton Lodge

Donald Cameron, Marsden State High School

Susan Dalton, Miami State High School

Clair Goodall, Canterbury College

Keith Graham, Rochedale State School

Kiri Griffiths, Loganlea State High School

Ben Habermehl, Yeronga State High School

Deborah Kiehne, Bayview State School

Fiona Laing, Forest Lake State High School

Meghan Parry, Brisbane Girls Grammar School

Megan Roderick, Helensvale State High School

Grant Stephensen, Mabel Park State High School

Meredith Wenta, Kirwan State High School

Originally published as Record number of Queensland teachers nominated for TEACHX awards

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/education/schools-hub/record-number-of-queensland-teachers-nominated-for-teachx-awards/news-story/7b020164ab3360e88b8a1164aafe66f4