Australia’s Best Teachers: the “progressive, caring and intelligent teachers” earning their schools the most nominations

From helping anxious children settle into school to guiding them to their first A in English, students have come out in force to celebrate teachers who have made a big impact in their lives.

Every day, our teachers are faced with the formidable task of shaping the minds of a new generation of students, with little acknowledgment or fanfare.

So, at long last, we’ve brought them into the spotlight in our Australia’s Best Teachers campaign. Here we celebrate the schools that received the most nominations.

St Mary's Star of the Sea - Hurstville (Left to right) Kellie Heaney, Kate Jones, Daniel Rodger, Rebecca Besly, Charmaine Lauhban and Jacob Blundell

St Mary’s Star of the Sea, Hurstville, NSW

The parents and students of this small two-stream school have lauded the teaching cohort, nominating the principal Rebecca Besly, alongside Kellie Heaney, Kate Jones, Daniel Rodger, Charmaine Laubhan and Jacob Blundell.

One parent was particularly impressed with Jacob Blundell’s teaching approach. “Mr Blundell encourages everyone to overcome their limitations … he has done so well in raising the bar higher for my son. We need more Mr Blundell’s as educators,” while another praised Kate Jones as the, “most caring and calming teacher who was the perfect teacher for my anxious son when he started kindergarten.”

Tatachilla Lutheran College teachers with some of the nominees, from left, Trent Heaft, Seona Anderson, Richard Rowe, Minka Hackett, Emily Mikulcic, Alison Thacker, Scott Wendelborn, Darren Vile, Fiona Gore, Helen Dorling and Lindee Hopkins.

Tatachilla Lutheran College, South Australia

Tatachilla Lutheran College led the charge for nominations in South Australia. Teacher Seona Anderson was singled out because she “prioritises movement in the classroom by adding fitness exercises to HASS (humanities and social sciences) and English lessons”. Another student added: “Mrs Anderson always makes learning into an ‘up and moving’ game. She understands that kids can’t sit still for hours on end.” Other teachers receiving nominations include Minka Hackett, Darren Vile and Linda Wright. Stuart Packer also credited his former teacher Kathy Best for his career choice. “Kathy taught me Senior Physics and her love for science shone through in every lesson. Kathy is a large part of the reason I chose to become a teacher, and I am honoured to now work alongside her.”

Teacher Maria Carinci of Mercy College, Coburg was one of a number of nominees from that Victorian school.

Mercy College, Coburg, Victoria

This Victorian school received a host of nominations from students eager for their deserving teacher to be celebrated. English teacher Bernadine Callery was a popular entrant with students noting, “her anecdotes and explanations are never boring and her criticism is always constructive,” and “she helped me get my first A in the subject and shared my love of true crime.” Other standouts include Madeline Carnibella, who is “funny but strict” and Lila McInerney, who one student wrote “has made a huge influence in my education.” Other notable nominees include Kay Toll, Annie Driver, Maria Carinci and Elizabeth Moore.

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Stuartholme School, Brisbane. Front: Lucy Harkin. Second Row L to R : Leigh Ferguson and Tania Gallan. Middle: Jennie Warrick. Second back row L to R: Andrew Mear and Fiona Day. Back Row L to R: Ben Webb and Geena White.

Stuartholme School, Toowong, QLD

Nominations came in thick and fast for the Stuartholme School, totalling almost 30 shout-outs to teachers. Proving to be one of the most popular schools in this campaign, teacher Leigh Ferguson was applauded for “promoting women in STEM and has even introduced engineering and a tech club into her all girls high school,” while Lucy Harkin received multiple nominations, with one student writing, “The entire school loves her,” while another said: “She is one of the most progressive, caring and intelligent teachers I have ever had.”

Tania Gallen, Dianna Carrigan, Geena White, Fiona Day, Andrew Mear, Deborah Gaggin,

Deborah Lonsdale-Walker and Jared Costantini were also nominated.

Casey Grammar School teachers nominated in Australia's Best Teachers series by News Corp. BACK ROW L-R: Ben Peake, Sarah Blythman, Stuart Collidge, Steve Kearney, Ryan Subban, Shane Bell, Jess Burns. FRONT ROW L-R: Vanessa Hodgkiss, Maria Ramos-Chan, Diana Thompson, Louise Piva, Tegan West, Monique Riviere-Pendle, Sarah Nolan, Brittany Schulz ABSENT: Angela O’Driscoll, Keir Selfridge, Carolyne Bennett, Fern Shreuder. Picture: Red Book Photography

Other schools rounding out the list with the most nominations are:

Bellbird Park State Secondary College, Qld

Casey Grammar, Cranbourne East, Vic

Clyde Grammar, Clyde North, Vic

Genazzano FCJ College, Kew, Vic

Haileybury College, Melbourne, Vic

Highland Reserve State School, Upper Coomera, Qld

Loyola College, Watsonia, Vic

Mazenod College, Mulgrave, Vic

Monterey Secondary College, Frankston North, Vic

St Aidan’s Primary School, Rooty Hill, NSW

St Ignatius College, Geelong, Vic

St Mary St Joseph Maroubra, NSW

Sunkids early childhood schools, various locations, Qld

Undurba State School, Murrumba Downs, Qld

Originally published as Australia’s Best Teachers: the “progressive, caring and intelligent teachers” earning their schools the most nominations