Every Gold Coast educator nominated for excellence awards
More than 60 school staff and teachers have been nominated for awards in excellence, but this Merrimac educator says it's the everyday “little wins” that are the most rewarding. FULL LIST
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Lori Hayes started her career as a teacher at Merrimac State High School almost twenty years ago.
Now as the school’s Head of Department (HOD) for Junior Secondary, she’s been nominated for a prestigious award to recognise her tireless efforts working with struggling students.
For a second year in a row Ms Hayes has been nominated by her colleagues for Excellence in Secondary Education Leadership at the Gold Coast State Secondary Education Excellence Awards, but she said watching her students take the “little wins” every day was her ultimate success.
As HOD Ms Hayes is part of an internal school program that provides targeted help for students who present with academic or behavioural issues.
“The most rewarding part (of my job) is when a student who was maybe failing a subject runs up to me and says, ‘guess what Miss, I’m doing really well in maths class now’, or a student who was struggling with attendance for personal reasons and now they’re back to attending school regularly,” Ms Hayes said.
“It’s those little everyday wins for me that are the best. It’s so rewarding to see these students be able to move forward.”
Ms Hayes said over her 20 year career in education at Merrimac SHS she found that positive reinforcement and consistency were the keys to guiding young minds.
This year, Merrimac SHS will trial their first ever Year 9 ‘semi-formal’ event spearheaded by Ms Hayes.
“The best part is that the students know that they will only get this semi-formal because of their good behaviour and good attendance,” she said.
“And I can see students working hard for it too, they’ll tell each other ‘come on, we have to be well behaved’. I can see they’re excited for it.”
Ms Hayes said ceremonies like the Education Excellence Awards were an important recognition of all the hard work that goes into successful education.
“Everyone works tirelessly to support our students,” she said.
“The awards are affirming and validating for us as educators and supports us so we can support our students.
On Saturday, state secondary schools from across the city will gather to celebrate educators who go above and beyond for their students with more than $15,000 in tertiary scholarships up for grabs.
More than 60 staff and teachers have been nominated across four categories including Excellence in Educational Support, Excellence in Secondary Education Leadership, Excellence in Secondary Teaching and Excellence in Innovation at the Gold Coast State Secondary Education Excellence Awards.
This year, the event hosted at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre is expected to attract more than 550 attendees.
NOMINEES
Excellence in Educational Support Award
Melody Callahan, Communications & Events officer from Benowa State High School
Penny Jameson, library technician from Coombabah State High School
Kerry Robertson, executive assistant from Elanora State High School
Lynn Davies, Industry Liaison Officer from Foxwell State Secondary College
Raelene MacGibbon, Teacher Aide from Helensvale State High School
Rachel Skrabanich, Industry Liaison Officer from Merrimac State High School
Scott Archibald, Facilities Manager from Miami State High School
Helen Gaitau, Teacher Aide from Nerang State High School
Deb Lederhose, Marketing officer from Ormeau Woods State High School
Tim Clark, Teacher Aide from Pacific Pines State High School
Michelle Alchin, Textbook Room Manager and Workers Compensation & Rehab officer from Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
Lucinda Grey, Youth Support Coordinator from Pimpama State Secondary College
Sam Worboys, Data Analyst from Queensland Academies Health Sciences Campus
Di Mitchell, International Program Student Coordinator from Robina State High School
Alyshia Scott, HR Manager from Southport State High School
Ryan Hill, Information Technology Manager from Varsity College
Excellence in Secondary Education Leadership Award
Amanda Kellow, HOD Wellbeing & Engagement, from Benowa State High School
Mika Heinemann, HOD ITD, from Coombabah State High School
Sally Wakely, HOD Arts, from Elanora State High School
Andrew Nicholls, HOD Technologies from Foxwell State Secondary College
Kirsty Scott, HOD Pedagogy from Helensvale State High School
Lori Hayes, HOD Junior Secondary from Merrimac State High School
Todd Campbell, HOD maths from Miami State High School
Lara Hayes, HOD Science from Nerang State High School
Glen Armstrong, HOD Design & Digital Technology from Ormeau Woods State High School
Simon Lydiard, HOD Engagement & PBC Coach, from Pacific Pines State High School
Bianca Crandall, HOD Junior maths & Science from Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
Anna Alarcon, HOD English from Pimpama State Secondary College
Alan Craig Ward, HOD International Baccalaureate Pathways from Queensland Academies, Health Sciences Campus
Sam Wiseman HOD Science from Robina State High School
Rachel Cureton HOD HASS from Southport State High School
Sarah Aicken HOD Humanities from Varsity College
Excellence in Secondary Teaching Award
Melissa St Pierre, Science, maths & STEM teacher from Benowa State High
School
Allana Landolfo, HPE teacher from Coombabah State High School
Sherie Sunderland, Physics & STEM teacher from Elanora State High School
Marine Madsen, English & Japanese teacher from Foxwell State Secondary
College
Stacey Guymer, Response to Intervention teacher from Helensvale State
High School
George Sosangelis, Economics, HASS and Legal Studies teacher from
Merrimac State High School
Lee Freeman, Aerospace Systems teacher from Miami State High School
Natalie Barrett, maths teacher from Nerang State High School
Cher Allen, Business & English teacher from Pacific Pines State High School
Krista I’Anson, Science & Biology teacher from Palm Beach Currumbin State
High School
Samantha Ubank, English teacher from Pimpama State Secondary College
Tony Nicholson, Chemistry & Physics teacher from Queensland Academies, Health Sciences Campus
Andrew Conwell, Applied Technologies teacher from Robina State High School
Toby Romanin, English teacher from Southport State High School
Sonia Livingstone, Hospitality teacher from Varsity College
Excellence in Innovation Award
The Ngurra program from Benowa State High School
The Student Engagement Team and the Reactiv8 Program from Coombabah State High School
The EXCLerate High School Readiness Program from Elanora State High School
The Junior Secondary Team from Merrimac State High School
The Wellbeing Team and the Growing Good Humans program from Miami State High School
The Whole School Intervention Model/Team from Ormeau Woods State High School
The Cultures of Thinking Pedagogy Coaching project from Pacific Pines State High School
The REDS Wellbeing Learning Portal from Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
The ACE Project, Business and Enterprise Faculty from Pimpama State Secondary College
The Student Leadership @ Q.A.H.S. from Queensland Academies, Health Sciences Campus
The Authentic Connections Orientation Week from Varsity College
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