Staff Showcase

Another Teaching Award for Ian!
On the 21 September 2008 at the Catholic Educational Leadership Conference, held at the Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, Mr Ian Wilson was presented with an Award for Excellence in Catholic Education before a crowd of some 600 people. Together with an impressive trophy there was a monetary award of $5,000. Congratulations to Ian on receiving this prestigious award for his excellence in Science teaching.

Australian Museum Eureka Awards Finalist
In August Head of Science, Ian Wilson attended the Australian Museum Eureka Awards Presentation Evening in Sydney. Mr Wilson was selected as one of three finalists from around Australia in the area of achievements in Science Teaching. In the end a teacher from a large Secondary College in Victoria was announced the winner.

Our congratulations go to Mr Wilson on such an outstanding achievement in being selected as one of the finalists from all over Australia. If you are interested in more information on these awards, visit the website
www.australianmuseum.net.au/eureka.

Quality Schooling Award
No sooner had the ink dried from our National Dare to Lead award we receive notification that Aboriginal Student Support Coordinator, Ms Margaret Papertalk, was to receive a High Commendation for Excellence by a Support Staff Member in the Australian Government 2008 National Awards for Quality Schooling.
Margaret was flown to Canberra in May to receive her award from the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard.
As the coordinator of Aranmore Catholic College’s Indigenous student support team, Margaret has made a remarkable contribution to the welfare of Indigenous students.
Margaret has been instrumental in building the school’s reputation for its strong academic and pastoral care program for Indigenous students. Through academic support, liaison with teachers and outreach families, Margaret together with other Aboriginal Teaching Assistants has helped Indigenous students to gain skills, knowledge and resilience to lead successful lives.
Under Margaret’s direction initiatives include a homework centre, remedial reading and mathematics classes and mentoring programs. These initiatives have contributed to the school’s success in attracting and retaining Indigenous students, and their high levels of achievements in various fields.
According to the Hon. Julia Gillard this Award not only recognises Margaret’s hard work and dedication to her students but also celebrates the importance of the teaching profession in our community and the value of education to our students’ future. Congratulations to Margaret!

Ian Wilson receives Community Award
Congratulations to Head of Science, Ian Wilson, who was recognised for his innovative teaching methods in a culturally diverse classroom by the community organisation Soul Gestures.
Ian was nominated after he developed a new science lexicon for his Year 10 science students after recognising that traditional scientific terms were preventing them from learning. Ian replaced common scientific terms with universal words that all his students could understand. As a result, his students began to understand the concepts and supported each other as they learnt to love science first; and then develop the language. The students are now achieving above state average results.