THE height and breadth of achievements of public schools from across the New England and North West was on display in all its glory at Gunnedah High School last week.
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The school hosted the 2013 New England Excellence in Education awards where 13 individual awards and eight whole school awards were presented to some of the district’s brightest local public schools, its students and its teachers.
Recently appointed executive director of Public Schools NSW Frank Potter gave an address and presented a number of awards on the day.
Hearing the awards citation gave Mr Potter a unequivocal appreciation of the amazing things local public schools are achieving.
“Public schools and the people who work in them are invariably quiet achievers,” Mr Potter said.
“I know this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“So many teachers and school staff prefer to give the accolades to students and tend to shy away from getting recognition for their own dedication, commitment and good work.”
But it was important to pay tribute to those who have been identified for their excellence and acknowledge, he said.
“The strengths that they bring out in students is abundantly clear from the student winners of these awards and those who contributed to the ceremony by sharing their talents,” Mr Potter said.
“Those students, their schools, their teachers and their families deserve our congratulations.”
Inverell High School’s Madeleine Bower, who along with Peel High School’s Ryan Parker gave a response on behalf of the awardees, was glowing in her praise of public education.
“I’ve been in rural schooling all my life,” she said.
“I have never once ever been inconvenienced or disadvantaged in anything I’ve ever done.
“I’ve always had an excellent set of teachers to guide me through what ever I wanted to do ... I’ve been privileged at Inverell High school.”
Westdale Public School, as reported in the NDL on Friday, came top of the class, recognised as the winner of four categories, including excellence in student achievement, teaching and community partnerships.
Gunnedah High’s Janice Banks, Sarah Jamieson and Krystal Lynch provided musical entertainment, as did the combined schools choir, while the event offered the school’s
hospitality students the perfect opportunity to show off their culinary skills.
Excellence awards
Teaching and Learning – Westdale Public
Innovation – Gunnedah South Public School and Duval High School
Aboriginal Education – Gunnedah South Public School
Sports Education – Narrabri Public School
School/Community Partnerships – Westdale Public
Student Wellbeing – Narrabri Community of Schools Transition Program
The Arts – Carroll Public School
Contribution to Education – Karen Psarakis (Tamworth High School)
Beyond the Classroom – Louise Holley (Tenterfield High School)
Student Achievement by a student in Year 12 – Madeleine Bower Inverell High and Ryan Parker Peel High
Student Achievement by a student in Year 6 – Ashley Maunder Westdale Public
Student Leadership by a student in Year 12 – Zac Curry (Tenterfield High School) and Alex McKenzie (Oxley High School)
Student Leadership by a student in Year 6 – Tyson Small (GS Kidd School)
Teaching Practice – Kerrie Shaw Westdale and Penelope McCue (Armidale High School)
Development of Teaching Practice – Tom Model (Duval High School)
Educational Support – Robert Aitken and Dawn Pottie (Tingha Public School)
Ambassador for Public Education – Jim White, former regional director, former student Black Mountain and Armidale High