Students, staff and community members from each of the Hastings Valley Community of Schools (Westport, Hastings, Port Macquarie, Tacking Point and Port Macquarie High Schools) were recognised for their valuable contribution to public education recently.
Education Week Awards were presented to contributors at a special ceremony held at Westport High School.
The Awards Ceremony commenced at 6pm, with the addition of wonderful performances from the combined HVCS choir and band.
Ian Latham, Relieving School Education Director, said, “Teachers, students and parents in public education make a significant contribution to our community.
“The values of Public Education are worth celebrating and promoting,” he said.
“This was a celebration of the excellent work of teachers, students, parents, departmental staff and the wider community in public schools.”
Recognised was Port Macquarie High School teacher Phillipa Groves, who was described as an “enthusiastic and committed member of the team who has provided exceptional support to the school community since transferring to Port Macquarie High School in 2010.
“She has a fantastic work ethic and is a team player who regularly offers assistance, where appropriate, which is appreciated by the Port Macquarie High School team.”
Other awards went to:
Excellence in Student Achievement: Chiara Ruhl
Chiara is an outstanding leader of Port Macquarie Public School.
She is an excellent role model for all students, continually demonstrating the school values of respect, safety and cooperation.
As a QuEST Leader, Chiara displays initiative and a commitment to the welfare of her peers.
She has been recognised by staff for her honesty and empathy for others. Chiara has achieved high academic standards in all Key Learning Areas.
She is particularly talented in the Creative and Performing Arts, being a valued member of the school choir and Tournament of the Minds team.
Chiara’s excellent public speaking skills were evident when she was recently awarded a Highly Commended at the Stage 3 Multicultural Perspectives Public Speaking Competition within this district.
Excellence in Educational Support: Teri Boyle
Teri Boyle is currently employed at Port Macquarie High School as both a Norta Norta in-class tutor and a SLSO since 2011.
In these capacities, she has made a significant difference to the profile of Aboriginal Education and to the achievements of Indigenous students at Port Macquarie High.
The Aboriginal culture is recognisable and celebrated within the school. This has been achieved through her skills in working with students, parents and the wider community.
Teri is a highly regarded and extremely valuable member of Port Macquarie High School staff and her contribution to public education is remarkable.
Outstanding School Achievement: Westport and Port Macquarie Public Schools
The Lighthouse Project schools have developed a model for building knowledge through cycles of professional inquiry that focus on student learning needs, teacher professional learning needs and engaging teachers in professional learning experiences, engaging students in new learning experiences and strategic analysis of the new learning experiences.
