TEACHX Awards 2023 finalists revealed: Full list

The shortlist for this year’s illustrious TEACHX Awards has been released, with finalists including a former professional soccer player, and a veteran principal at a prestigious girls schools.

Queensland's top teachers have been named

Queensland’s latest elite pool of top teachers include a former professional soccer player who represented Australia, a veteran principal at one of Brisbane’s prestigious girls schools, and a primary school teacher who recently took out a national education award.

There were almost 300 nominations for this year’s Queensland College of Teachers’ TEACHX Awards. This pool has been narrowed down to a shortlist of 87, which will then be cut to 30 finalists across six categories, with one overall winner picked from each category.

Lana Harch in action. Now a teacher at Westside Christian College, she’s been nominated for the prestigious TEACHX Awards.

The shortlist, released this week, includes Westside Christian College teacher Lana Harch – an ex professional soccer player who played for the Australian U19 team and the Queensland Roar (now Brisbane Roar) W-League team. She was named the 2008/09 W-League Grand Final player of the match and took out the W-League Player of the Year.

Outgoing St Rita’s College principal Dale Morrow. Photo: Supplied.

Outgoing St Rita’s College principal Dale Morrow, who has announced she will leave the role at the end of this year after 15 years, has also made the cut from the nomination pool.

The elite pool also features longstanding librarian Helen Weston, currently at Loreto College Coorparoo, as well as Rochedale State School’s Tara Barron, who recently won Government Primary School Teacher of the Year at the Australian Education Awards.

The TEACHX Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of teachers in Queensland and have been running since 2009.

Teachers from government and private schools, as well as early childhood centres and care services across the state are put forward to share their stories and inspire colleagues.

Queensland College of Teachers director Deanne Fishburn said the TEACHX Awards represent the great diversity across Queensland’s teaching workforce.

“They highlight that people are joining the profession from a range of career backgrounds that enable them to bring expert knowledge to the classroom, and the true impact a great teacher can have on a community,” she said.

The 30 TEACHX 2023 finalists will be announced on October 5, before the awards ceremony in Brisbane on October 27 on the eve of World Teachers Day celebrations.

The TEACHX Awards 2023 shortlist:

Tanya Haggarty from the Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology. Photo: Supplied.

Timothy Smetham from Somerville House. Photo: Supplied.

Diana Backhouse – Nursery Road State Special School

June Balfour – Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology

Tara Barron – Rochedale State School

Amy Bentley – Beaudesert State High School

Bridgette Bird – Kimberley Park State School

Amanda Bopf – Mount Alvernia College

Drina Brady – Southport State High School

Andrew Bretherton – Hillbrook Anglican School

Anthony Brieschke – Beaudesert State High School

Margaret Carabetta – Villanova College

Melissa Caruana – Calen District State College

Nyanyiik (Angelina) Chol – Mabel Park State High School

Sophie Coster – Miami State School

Heather Crothers – Woree State High School

Caitlin Crowe – St George State High School

Harrison Donohoe-Smith – Mango Hill State School

Jacques du Toit – Hillcrest Christian College

Allison Elcoate – Trinity College Beenleigh

Janet Ellis-Butler – Edens Landing State School

Heidi Esdaile – Sheldon College

Allison Elcoate from Trinity College Beenleigh. Photo: Supplied.

Matthew Ralston from Blackheath and Thornburgh College. Photo: Supplied.

Karen Farrow – Emmanuel College

Lucy Fedrizzi – Cairns School of Distance Education

Elena Finlay – Leichhardt State School

Natisha Ford – St Monica’s College

Elizabeth Foster – Wavell State High School

Roslyn Gall – Home Hill State High School

Michael Gardiner – Beaudesert State High School

Cheryl Gibson – Edens Landing State School

Eliza Gordon – Townsville Community Learning Centre (State Special School)

Emily Graham – Tagai State College (Yam Island Campus)

Brendan Growden – Marsden State High School

Lissa Gyte – Loreto College Coorparoo

Tanya Haggarty – Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology

Lana Harch – Westside Christian College

Luke Harmer – Canterbury College

Claire Hatchman – Mount Alvernia College

Amy Hawke – Brisbane State High School

Janice Head – Brisbane State High School

Leonard Hopkinson – Edens Landing State School

Nanette Radeck from Ryan Catholic College. Photo: Supplied.

Lucy Fedrizzi from Cairns School of Distance Education. Photo: Supplied.

Gregory Jessep – Marsden State High School

Carmen Jones – Kawana Waters State College

Melissa Kempson – Kingaroy State High School

Gemma Kyle – The Good Shepherd Catholic College

David Long – Trinity Anglican School

Karyn Marxsen – Gladstone Central State School

Emiliano Mazzoni – Emmanuel College (Carrara)

Elizabeth McNulty – Bellbird Park State Secondary College

Georgia Milford – Centenary State High School

Joshua Moores – Coolum State High School

Dale Morrow – St Rita’s College

Emma-Jean Newton – Southport State High School

Erin O’Donoghue – Brisbane Youth Education and Training Centre

Mark O’Donohue – Southport State High School

Carla Pantano – Bellbird Park State Secondary College

Luke Harmer from Canterbury College. Photo: Supplied.

Natisha Ford from St Monica’s College. Photo: Supplied.

Preston Parter – Eidsvold State School

Rebekah Peterson – C&K Weir Community Kindergarten

Michael Platt – Elanora State High School

Susan Powell – Aspley East State School

Janet Price – Northgate State School

Nanette Radeck – Ryan Catholic College

Matthew Ralston – Blackheath & Thornburgh College

Andrea Reddan – Stuartholme School

Chelsea Robers – Ayr State School

Debra Roberts – Currimundi Special School

Mary Roberts – St Joseph’s School Stanthorpe

Simon Roper – Hervey Bay State High School

Sheree Ruri – Marsden State High School

Rebecca Samios – Barkly Highway State School

Leah Shackleton – Somerville House

Margot Shave – St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School

Megan Sims – St Hilda’s School

Timothy Smetham – Somerville House

Maddison Smith – Ryan Catholic College

Eliza Gordon from Townsville Community Learning Centre. Photo: Supplied.

Paul Terechow from Bellbird Park State Secondary College. Photo: Supplied.

Joanne Sorensen – C&K Arana Hills Kindergarten

Claire Stitt – The Cathedral College Rockhampton

Fermanagh Taylor – Gladstone Central State School

Pasang Tenzing – Mount Alvernia College

Paul Terechow – Bellbird Park State Secondary College

Judith Terkelsen – Goodstart Early Learning Pialba

Casey Thomsen – Kingston State School

Shannon Turner – Bellbird Park State Secondary College

Kerryn Vezos – Lutheran Ormeau Rivers District School

Natalie Wells – Heights College

Helen Weston – Loreto College Coorparoo

Bronte Wills – Emmaus College Rockhampton

Rodney Wodson – Maleny State High School

Margaret Wright – Padua College