The Educator Hot List 2021

SPECIAL REPORT

2021

The Educator shines the spotlight on the principals, teachers and other leaders at the forefront of innovation in Australia’s schools

CONTENTS

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Feature article ................................................................... 2 Methodology ....................................................................

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Hot List 2021 ....................................................................

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Profiles ................................................................................ 6

SPECIAL REPORT

HOT LIST 2021

REDEFINING THE SCHOOL’S ROLE THROUGH AN incredibly challenging year, Australia’s educators have shown remarkable resilience, adaptability, ingenuity and, not least, care and empathy for their students and the wider community. The many nominations for this year’s awards are testament to that, and it was no easy task narrowing the choice down to 35 individuals.

This year’s Hot Listers are reshaping the learning experience to enable every student to excel and thrive. Some are delivering the best academic results in their school’s history.

Beyond traditional education Lorna Beegan, deputy principal for learning

and teaching at Genazzano FCJ College (Kew, Vic), says the pandemic is forcing a redefinition of the role of the school in society.

“The students who return to the classroom post-lockdowns have experienced opportunities for self-direction that previous students have not been afforded for decades, if not centuries,” Beegan told The Educator.

“Students, when learning from home, kept learning – whether part of an enacted curriculum or not. They are acutely aware of what they want to learn and how to go about it.”

While equity and excellence must remain cornerstones, Beegan says educational leaders need to promote the greater flexibility and

TOP CHALLENGES FOR AUSTRALIA’S SCHOOL LEADERS IN 2020

66%

54%

34%

Ensuring the wellbeing of staff and students

Managing COVIDrelated disruption

Consistently embedding best practice pedagogy across the school

Source: Education Horizons Groups School Survey Report 2021: The Voice of Australian Educators

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opportunities for deep learning that remote schooling provides.

“The greatest need for transformation and reimagining is perhaps in secondary schools.

The rigid confinement of the timetable, the school day, the school uniform, and the school holidays require reimagining and reassessment.”

At Element College (Noosa, Qld), co-creator Michael Ha is designing a “learning ecosystem that is intentionally different”. Through partnership with a global alliance of education innovators, he is ushering in a new learning paradigm where the pursuit of passions is prioritised, along with the real-world application of 21st century skills. The College aims to become a beacon for its community and redefine how school days and year levels are structured, allowing flexibility for families to choose when they have holidays, as well as catering for open-age learning experiences from three to 103 years old and beyond, says Ha. “Traditional school walls are reshaped.

Noosa is our classroom, the biosphere is our backyard. Element College aims to dissolve traditional barriers separating ‘school life’ from ‘real life’ within the community.”

Learning experiences centre around students being caring, curious, courageous.

“I believe all [students] are capable of learning. They might not learn at the same rate, but with different methods, strategies and support, the sky is the limit,” says Ha.

Inclusivity and social engagement All the Hot Listers are promoting strong links between school and community.

“I see the school as the heart of the community,” says Susan Wyatt, principal at Mosman High School in NSW. “Our school community is inclusive and engages varied and diverse perspectives to ensure quality education for our students.

Involving the community of parents, locals, educators, businesses and government, we are able to take a holistic approach to education and innovate and adapt to change with the incredible support of those around us. We recognise the importance of collaboration and collegiality to obtain the best for students.”

Given the opportunity, parents are keen to have greater involvement in students’ learning, says Wyatt.

“We provide lots of forums that parents and the community can participate in,

of OLW’s YouTube learning channel so students had access to lessons and activities for repeated practice. The channel is now part of the regular class program to enhance learning. The school also makes videos of students engaged in learning and activities throughout the week to help maintain the school-family connection.

“We want to ensure school is the greatest influencing factor on a student’s life because education can get them to places they may not have thought possible,” says Burke.

Over the past 12 months, the power of schools to bolster morale has hit home for Russell Morgan, director of the Performing Arts Centre of Excellence at St John’s Anglican College (Forest Lake, Qld).

Keeping the arts afloat was essential “to

“If a boy has a greater sense of self, of purpose and direction, that can only lead to a positive academic outcome” Ross Featherston, Brighton Grammar School whether it’s about school administration or curriculum or student wellbeing. We want to hear from our parents and the community and involve them in decision-making and student development.”

For Kevin Burke, principal at Our Lady of the Way Primary School (Kingsbury, Vic), being a high EAL school lends additional importance to building relationships between the school and parents.

“For many children who start here, the only English they get is at school. That can be very challenging for some. Parents who may [be unfamiliar with] the language are handing over their children to us, so our main focus is to build and maintain trust with those families,” says Burke.

During lockdown, he led the development

keep students’ brains active and take their minds off the fear they are seeing around them in the world”. But it was only when parents began coming to him saying, ‘I just want to see my child perform again and chat to other parents’, that Morgan realised how much people were missing one another. As the rules in Queensland only allowed 75% attendance at venues, a planned jazz night was moved outdoors to accommodate more people.

“To see parents dancing, singing, having fun again, was amazing. We’re here to bring the joy back. It’s bigger than what is in the classroom.”

Personal communication with students has also been vital, along with positivity and making them feel appreciated.

“At home, their parents may be busy with

METHODOLOGY The Educator received nominations for the seventh annual Hot List between 9 August and 3 September.

The team obtained details of the nominees’ achievements and contributions to the profession.

Nominees were evaluated based on the overall impact of their work in the K-12 education sector over the past 12 months, demonstrating expertise in linking theory and practice, and designing and implementing innovations that provide students with high-quality educational experiences during these unprecedented times.

Although narrowing down the list of candidates was challenging, the selection process was worthwhile, thanks to the achievements of the 35 winners who represent the cutting edge of educational excellence in Australia.

6th year of The Educator’s Hot List

12 Hot Listers from Queensland

100 entries received from across Australia

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SPECIAL REPORT

HOT LIST 2021

HOT LISTERS BY OCCUPATION

Principal

11

Head of school

7

Deputy principal

6

Director

6

Teacher

4

Other 1

“Our school community is inclusive and engages varied and diverse perspectives to ensure quality education” Susan Wyatt, Mosman High School work or [other children], so our students need to be seen.”

A cultural transformation Many of the Hot Listers are leading voices in the conversation around pedagogy.

Ross Featherston, headmaster at Brighton Grammar, Victoria, has co-authored research into wellbeing and positive masculinity, which was published in the Health Promotion International journal this year.

The school’s academic results have steadily improved over the past five years, thanks to a

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research-based unified teaching model.

Although results are important, Featherston says academic performance and personal development are inextricably linked.

“If a boy has a greater sense of self, of purpose and direction, that can only lead to a positive academic outcome. And if he’s achieving academically, that feeds his selfworth and sense of purpose. You get a cycle.”

The focus is on offering alternative pathways for students who may not aspire to a traditional model of success.

“Success for our boys is not how expensive

your car is; it’s about feeling good about yourself, having an understanding of others, contributing to society, finding your passion and purpose. If that’s being a doctor or a lawyer or becoming a plumber or a builder, and that defines success for you, that’s fantastic.”

This year’s leading educators also show that sometimes it takes a cultural transformation to fuel success.

Under Tim Shields’ principalship – his first – student outcomes at Australian Christian College (Singleton, NSW), have rocketed from consistent underperformance to the highest in the region, and student enrolment more than tripled. For Shields, this transformation starts with ‘calling people to a vision,’ selecting teachers for attitude before experience.

“When we interview, we tell applicants, ‘It’s not just about a job; we want to take the student results many expect from our region, and our kids are going to beat that. Do you want to be a part of that?’” It’s a call to join a culture that’s determined to grow and achieve.

Shields subscribes to five key pillars for successful outcomes. First is keeping things simple. “Schools’ inboxes are littered with things we ‘should’ be involved in; but to improve academic outcomes you have to say no to a whole raft of competing interests and distractions.” Second is a ‘one in, all in’ philosophy – a consistent, whole-school approach with the same structure, level of engagement, language and strategies used by all teachers.

Third is empowering support teams where teacher aides deliver highly impactful intervention lessons. Fourth is limiting meetings and paperwork so teachers’ prime focus is on teaching and positive relationships, and fifth is constant development of teachers through weekly observations and direct feedback.

Australia’s educators do an extraordinary job in ‘normal’ times, but even during the pandemic, as this report shows, they have truly excelled in their efforts to support students, their families and their communities.

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Phone: (07) 3826 3474 Email: jpic@jpc.qld.edu.au Website: jpic.qld.edu.au

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David Ferguson Deputy head of international operations John Paul College

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HOT LIST LL EG

Est. 1997

Kevin Burke Principal Our Lady of the Way Primary School Phone: (03) 9460 6684 Email: kburke@olwkingsbury.catholic.edu.au Website: olwkingsbury.catholic.edu.au

Phone: (02) 6572 6600 Email: singleton@acc.edu.au Website: www.acc.edu.au

Phone: (07) 3381 8134 Email: p.mcleod@hyis.qld.edu.au Website: hyis.qld.edu.au

Alex Wharton Head of middle/senior school Carinya Christian School (NSW) Anna Owen Principal Canberra Girls Grammar School Carla Gagliano Teacher Masada College (NSW) Craig Thomas Head of learning area - health & physical education St Stephen’s School (WA) Donald Cameron Deputy principal, student development and performance Marsden State High School (Qld) Fiona Johnston Principal St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls (WA) Gavin McCormack Principal Farmhouse Montessori School (NSW) Gregory Grinham Principal Granville Public School (NSW) Gregory B Whitby Executive director Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta (NSW) Jason Smith Principal Tamborine Mountain State School (Qld)

Phone: (07) 3381 8134 Email: p.foster@hyis.qld.edu.au Website: hyis.qld.edu.au

Tim Shields Principal Australian Christian College – Singleton

Pauline Mcleod Teacher and dog therapy program coordinator Hymba Yumba Independent School

Adriano Di Prato Founding partner A School for Tomorrow (Vic)

Peter Foster Principal Hymba Yumba Independent School

Kathleen Donohoe Director School Learning Environments and Change School Infrastructure, NSW Department of Education Kerrie Nelson Principal Giant Steps Australia (NSW) Lauren Sayer Executive director research and innovation Melbourne Girls Grammar (Vic)

Peta Raftery Teacher/year level coordinator Ormiston College (Qld) Peter Thomas Director of HaileyburyX Haileybury (Vic) Ross Featherston Headmaster Brighton Grammar School (Vic)

Lee Catterall Head of junior school/deputy head of college Ormiston College (Qld)

Russell Morgan Director Performing Arts Centre of Excellence St John’s Anglican College (Qld)

Lorna Beegan Deputy principal, learning and teaching Genazzano FCJ College (Vic)

Samantha Wyatt Head of STEM Trinity College (SA)

Luke Callier Head of Wesley NEXT, director of digital transformation and innovation Wesley College (WA)

Shanine Collavino Junior college teacher (preparatory) Saint Stephen’s College (Qld)

Marg Clark Principal Prospect North Primary School (SA)

Susan Wyatt Principal Mosman High School (NSW)

Marise McConaghy Principal Strathcona Girls Grammar (Vic)

Thomas Oliphant Assistant head of digital technologies, coordinator of robotics Pembroke School (SA)

Michael Ha Foundation principal and chief learning officer Element College Noosa (Qld)

Tom Lillyman Careers advisor Stuartholme School (Qld)

Michael Smith Deputy principal, staff development and performance Marsden State High School (Qld)

Zachary Gomo Director of Jewish life Bialik College (Vic)

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SPECIAL REPORT

HOT LIST 2021

KEVIN BURKE Principal Our Lady of the Way Primary School

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evin Burke is a passionate educator and school leader who applies data, research and evidence-based practices. This has transformed Our Lady of the Way into a high-performing school that is consistently ranked among the top 10% of schools for NAPLAN improvement, despite being in an area with a low socioeconomic category.

Inspired by the work of American educator Sal Khan, Burke in 2020 set about leading the development of the OLW Learning Channel on YouTube to support student learning during the extended lockdown. The videos allow students to work through literacy, numeracy, physical education, art, and STEM tasks at their own pace, and have multiple exposures to various concepts that enable them to achieve mastery.

Testing data on return-to-school showed above-average growth of students engaged with the channel, particularly the EAL learners. The channel now has over 750 subscribers and almost 200 public videos available for free to other educators.

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Burke oversees the extensive use of data tracking from Prep, continually monitoring both individual and cohort growth. This informs the evidence-based teaching strategies to engage individual students and set ambitious but realistic individual learning goals.

Burke’s current whole-school improvement focus is based on the interweaving of cognitive load theory; spaced, interleaved and retrieval practice; and reducing visual clutter to optimise student learning. This enables teachers to improve effectiveness by providing explicit guidance accompanied by practice and feedback, as well as enhancing long-term learning and information transfer in an environment that reduces visual and sensory overload.

A Victorian Early Years Award recipient for ‘Promoting Children’s Health & Wellbeing’ in 2018 and one of 25 individuals worldwide to receive a Global Educator Unsung Hero Award in 2019, Burke has a strong interest in school design and its impact on student learning and wellbeing. He has assisted in preparing keynote speeches and plenary sessions for the Association for Learning Environments (formerly the

Council of Education Facilities Planners International) on ‘Creating Schools as Welcoming Environments’ and ‘How School Design Can Impact Learning & Wellbeing’.

Burke has been actively engaged in planning and designing three new school projects and four refurbishment programs, as well as planning an early learning centre adjacent to his school.

Asked what he loves most about teaching, the answer is “Seeing the students’ progress – that’s the highlight”.

He has an enduring passion for the possibilities of education, and he wants his staff to bring that same enthusiasm into everything they do.

“I say to them ‘I want you running in excitedly every day, because if you are not excited, what is it going to look like for the children in your care?’ I want teachers to have that passion for what they are doing.

When I came to the school, it needed a lot of work, and one of my famous lines to staff was ‘it’s going to be tough, but just come along for the ride!’”

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Deputy head of international operations John Paul College

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DAVID FERGUSON

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avid Ferguson is a highly respected and experienced education leader with a passion for second-language development theory and practice. He has international experience in Australia and abroad, and a strong background in TESOL, education, and business.

One of Ferguson’s recent achievements was securing an International Education and Training grant through Study Queensland. Upon approval of the funding grant, he led the development and ongoing refinement of the JPIC Academy, a powerful LMS solution that hosts short courses for high-schoolaged ELICOS students, as well as for agents, teachers, and parents.

Unlike other LMS systems, JPIC Academy allows internal and external stakeholders to collaborate and create locally responsive content themselves.

With Ferguson in the lead, JPIC recently signed an MOU with a leading education agency in Vietnam and finalised negotiations with a third party to license JPIC’s curriculum – steps that will aid the recovery of the ELICOS industry.

Another notable achievement was his leadership in JPIC’s adoption of a streamlined and fully online enrolment portal from initial enquiry to pre-arrival flights. Partnering with Enroller NZ, JPIC recalibrated the platform and built in the compliance requirements, assisting Enroller’s entry to the Australian market and, in doing so, addressing pain points in the enrolment process.

Enroller is now being used by other schools in the country.

PAULINE MCLEOD Teacher and dog therapy program coordinator Hymba Yumba Independent School

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auline McLeod is a dedicated teacher, an innovator in health and wellbeing, and a good leader that can pull together individuals from various backgrounds to form cohesive and driven teams.

At Hymba Yumba Independent School (HYIS), she teaches as part of the school’s HPE and co-curricular teams, and is a member of the school’s wellbeing committee.

McLeod is also department head of HYIS’s Dog Training and Handling Program. She led the planning and delivery of the dog therapy program at HYIS in conjunction with Empower Assistance Dogs, and trained a team of teachers to be handlers of the dogs within the school.

Research- and evidence-based, the program enables jarjums from Year 7 to 12 to handle, train and learn everything there is to know about dogs. It also provides opportunities for the Prep and Year 6 jarjums to learn about therapy dogs.

Thanks to the program and the presence of dogs on campus, there has been an overall decline in negative behaviour and an increase in attendance at HYIS. Under McLeod’s leadership, HYIS is now considered a dog-therapy training school.

Outside the school, she works as a dog trainer in the Logan and Gold Coast regions. She also assists a training organisation, the Pet Stylist Academy, in providing opportunities for First Nation students.

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SPECIAL REPORT

HOT LIST 2021

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PETER FOSTER Principal Hymba Yumba Independent School

eter Foster is a passionate educator with more than 30 years of professional experience. He is the principal of Hymba Yumba Independent School (HYIS) in Queensland, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school that strives for excellence in 21st century education.

With Foster at the helm, HYIS became the first Indigenous school in South East Queensland to become a Microsoft school. He also implemented improvements, including the construction of a $3.5m STEAM building and the refurbishment of the original HYIS building into a state-of-the-art learning facility for modern education. He also oversaw the application for a $6m cultural and sports centre, and created a centre of teaching excellence in partnership with the University of Southern Queensland.

Foster also played a crucial role in establishing HYIS as a Dog Therapy Training school, which now has four therapy dogs with 20 students and nine staff members trained as handlers. He also supported business initiatives for the Year 10 cohort in constructing and running their own café business at HYIS and a pop-up art gallery at a major shopping centre. Another initiative he introduced was a 15-minute Indigenous meditation session called Dadirri, which helps staff and students start their day. Under Foster’s leadership, HYIS made it to the list of The Educator’s 5-Star Innovative Schools in 2021.

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TIM SHIELDS Principal Australian Christian College – Singleton

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im Shields has been principal of Australian Christian College (ACC) – Singleton for five years. Passionate about high-impact teaching, he has transformed the college from one of the lowest performing to one of the top performing in the region.

Over the past year, he has worked with his secondary teaching team to remodel secondary courses, so each course can be delivered either completely online or face-to-face while ensuring student engagement.

An active contributor to the education community, Shields presented at the 2021 AISNSW Virtual Masterclass and the Christian Schools Australia 2021 Principal’s Retreat, where he shared about school improvement at ACC Singleton. He has also written for several educational publications on the importance of teacher-led instruction and school improvement.

To assist seven other independent schools, Shields led dialogue on school and teacher improvement, hosted school tours, and advised on school improvement strategies, including the selection of professional learning programs. Outside his role at ACC Singleton, Shields has been one of three lead principals responsible for the implementation of a research-backed wellbeing framework in more than a dozen local schools. He also served as principal/school leadership advisor to the governance committee of a non-government education provider with administrative responsibility for 12 separate educational entities.

2021

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