Awards for Excellence in Education

Kath Dickson Awards

Excellence in Education Awards

Preservice Mentoring awards

Biennially the Darling Downs Regional Group of the Australian College of Educators offers a number of special awards for Excellence in Education. These are of three categories:

1. To educators who, over a period of five years or more, have made outstanding contributions to education in the region. These are known as Kath Dickson Awards in recognition of one of Toowoomba's outstanding educators.

2. To educational institutions with innovative programs or projects, or with unique solutions to specific problems. These awards are known as Excellence in Education Awards.

3. To classroom teachers who, over a period of three years, have demonstrated excellence in the mentoring of preservice educators. These awards are offered in conjunction with the University of Southern Queensland Faculty of Education.

Within each category awards may be made for excellence in the fields of preparatory education, primary education, secondary education, vocational education and training, and university education. Innovative programs, which cross sectors, can also be nominated.

The aim, in making these awards since 1989 (annually from 1989 to 2008), has been to encourage individuals, educational institutions and community organisations to be innovative and to strive for excellence in education. By recognising, rewarding, and publicising these endeavours, the Darling Downs Regional Group of the Australian College of Educators hopes to give the wider public a greater understanding of what constitutes excellence in education, and to raise awareness of our high quality local education.

Nominations close on July 31st in each year the awards are offered.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

KATH DICKSON AWARDS

 The judging panel will select outstanding educators who best meet the following criteria:

-       The nomination highlights the nominee's ability to develop students'  love of learning and inspire them to achieve to the best of their ability;

-       the contribution has had a positive influence on other educators;

-       the contribution to education has been made over at least five years;

-       the contribution is seen to be beyond the normal expectations of the person's employment;

-       the nomination is supported by testimony from colleagues and students and the community, of an outstanding contribution to education that exhibits innovation and originality; 

-       the recipient is not a member of the selection panel or the current executive of ACE Darling Downs;

-       the contribution has been made primarily within the Darling Downs South West Region of Queensland;

-       the recipient has not received the same award previously.

EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARDS

A single program, or a group of programs from the same source will be considered for these awards. The judging panel will select programs or projects, which best meet the following criteria:

-       the innovation can be demonstrated to be satisfying a student/community/institutional need or needs­

-       the program can be seen to be breaking new ground (i.e. meeting a need, or serving a purpose, not previously addressed) and has been in place for at least 12 months­

-       the nomination is supported by testimony to its outstanding character from educators and/or students and/or community; 

-       the program is sustainable and has institutional and/or community support

-       the program has been conducted primarily within the Darling Downs South West Region of Queensland

-       the program has not previously received an ACE award.

PRESERVICE MENTORING AWARDS

The panel will select outstanding educators who best meet the following criteria:

-       Each nomination is supported by outstanding testimony showing evidence of excellence in the mentoring of preservice educators:

-       Each nomination is supported by outstanding testimony showing evidence of excellence in pedagogical practices;

-       The contribution to the mentoring of preservice educators has been made over at least three years with at least one period of mentoring per year;

-       The contribution has been made by a teacher working as a mentor with preservice educators attending the University of Southern Queensland;

-       The recipient is not a member of the selection panel or executive committee of Darling Downs Regional Group of ACE;

-       The recipient has not received this award previously.

NOMINATIONS

Nominations must include:

For Kath Dickson Awards:

Biographical details of the nominee; details of his/her contribution, over a five year period, to education in this region; supporting statements from other professionals and parents, students, and community members.

For Excellence in Education Awards:

Full details of the innovative program or project; details of the educators who have directed and/or been involved in the program/project; supporting statements from other professionals, parents, students and community; some photographic and/or videotaped evidence of relevant aspects of the program/project. More than one program from a school or organization can be nominated.

For Preservice Mentoring Awards:

Biographical details of the nominee; details of his/her contribution to the mentoring of preservice educators over 3 years; supporting statements from preservice educators, liaison lecturer/supervisor, school-based coordinator, Principal or Deputy Principal.

CLOSING DATE FOR NOMINATIONS

Nominations for this year's awards must be forwarded by 31 July to:

          Awards for Excellence in Education

          Darling Downs Regional Group Australian College of Educators

          c/o Mrs. S. Hawken (Head of School)

          Toowoomba Preparatory School

        2 Campbell St.,  TOOWOOMBA 4350

(e-mail: shawken@tmbaprep.qld.edu.au)

 

A panel of judges selected by the executive committee Darling Downs Regional Group of ACE will consider nominations.

The information provided by the nominators needs to be substantial to demonstrate to the judging panel that the nominee satisfactorily meets all the criteria.

Awards will be presented at a celebratory dinner arranged for the occasion in Toowoomba in October.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Nomination forms, check lists and award details may be downloaded from the Darling Downs Regional Group page of the Australian College of Educators website:      http://www.austcolled.com.au

Further information on preparing nominations and other details of the awards may be obtained by contacting: Dr. Dorothy Andrews on 07 46 31 2346 (e-mail: andrewsd@usq.edu.au)  or  Mrs. P. White-Davison on 0407 762 932 (e-mail: whitedav@a1.com.au)

SPONSORSHIP

 These awards are generously sponsored by local businesses which have included: Toowoomba Chronicle, Toowoomba Education Centre (CEDAR), USQ Education, Catholic Education Office, Hanna's Store, Mary Ryan Bookstore, A1 Trophy Centre, Clive Berghofer, Robert's Menswear.