Congratulations to Kerry White, Principal at Holy Family Catholic School, on receiving a Commonwealth Bank Teaching Award.
Kerry White is the only South Australia recipient of this prestigious award in 2018.
Twelve recipients, forming the 2018 Teaching Fellows, were shortlisted from more than 400 education professionals from across the country.
After an extensive assessment process, the selection panel chose Kerry, together with 11 other outstanding educators who are all significantly transforming outcomes for Australian students. The majority of them work in disadvantaged communities.
Kerry is recognised for his work at Holy Family Catholic School. He says that he realised that students were being caught in a net of low expectations based on false assumptions about people who lived in northern Adelaide.
Kerry drew on research and training courses to work with teachers, staff and families on shifting the mindset that students could not do better, to one of believing that they were highly capable of learning.
This switch to “positive education” paid off. Students are now performing 13 per cent above the state average for learning engagement and the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority has commended the school for its exemplary NAPLAN results.
Commonwealth Bank’s Corporate Responsibility General Manager Kylie Macfarlane said, “Teachers and educators play an important role in inspiring and challenging their students, encouraging them to think differently and continue to learn.
“The Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards have been designed to recognise the valuable contribution that teaching makes to the community. It also provides a platform for teachers to develop their profession and network with top educators from across the country, and throughout the world.”
The Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards are national awards open to teachers and school leaders at all Australian schools through a partnership between the Commonwealth Bank and Schools Plus.
The Awards have been created to recognise and reward outstanding teaching and school leadership across Australia, particularly in schools in disadvantaged communities. You can find out more at https://teachingawards.com.au/
Last Friday the students of Tenison Woods Catholic School participated in the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence.
