Three educators at St Margaret’s have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to teaching and learning, among the country’s top talent in education.
Principal Ros Curtis said the awards were well deserved recognition: “This recognition is testament to the dedication, innovation and commitment these educators contribute every day to ensure St Margaret’s students are receiving the very best education.”
Primary teacher Georgi Eadie has been named as a ‘Rising Star’ by The Educator and is an Excellence Awardee in the Australian Education Awards, recognised for her research and development in creating engaging classroom environments to support student learning and embed curriculum through design choices.
According to Georgi, there is a direct correlation between rich and effective learning experiences and the classroom environment.
“At St Margaret’s, we encourage our students to think critically and creatively, and a purposefully designed classroom environment can help to engage students in an inquiry-based approach to learning,” Georgi said.
Beyond the classroom, Georgi has been instrumental in leading the school’s Under Eights Week celebrations and steering the school’s student-led Maggies Podcast that broadcasts school and wider world news.
Georgi said she was honoured to receive the award: “I am so excited about this award and feel privileged to receive recognition as an early career teacher. I am grateful for the support and encouragement I receive from my colleagues at St Margaret’s who continually inspire me to be my best.”
Her colleague Sarah Singleton is also an Excellence Awardee in the Australian Education Awards, nominated for Primary School Teacher of the Year (non-government).
Sarah is passionate about supporting student learning, not just in her own classroom, but through supporting her colleagues to do the same.
In her role as Pre-Prep to Year 2 Literacy Coach/Coordinator, Sarah has been instrumental in leading the planning, development and implementation of a custom Systematic Synthetics Phonics program for St Margaret’s early years students.
Secondary teacher Margot Shave has been awarded the 2023 Roslyn Otzen Award for Exceptional Teaching from the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia for her sustained innovation and excellence in the area of celebrating First Nations culture within the school.
Margot has been a driving force behind St Margaret’s publication of two First Nations authored anthologies.
Both projects saw Margot empowering the school’s First Nations students to explore and document stories, songs, artworks, interviews and photographs from their community and culture and culminated in the publication of two anthologies, Gidhal and Mulu Maguydan.
Both publications are used across the entire school from Pre-Prep to Year 12 and act as a rich repository of stories and testament to St Margaret’s commitment to retaining and supporting First Nations knowledge of country.
St Margaret’s also received an Excellence Award for Secondary School of the Year in the Australian Education Awards with the winners to be announced on Friday 11 August.