Best WA educators honoured

Teachers from Cable Beach Primary School, Secret Harbour Primary School and Comet Bay College have been named the best educators in public schools at the WA Education Awards.

Secret Harbour Primary School teacher Sarah Couzens won primary teacher of the year while Comet Bay College teacher Jennifer Burton won secondary teacher of the year.

Premier Colin Barnett this morning announced Cable Beach Primary School Elizabeth Waldron as the first ever winner of the early childhood teacher of the year.

“Elizabeth Waldron is a teacher with more than 30 years’ experience and she has dedicated a big part of her career to Kimberley children,” Mr Barnett said.

“Using her years of experience in Aboriginal education, Elizabeth has worked with the school’s Aboriginal and Islander education officer to create innovative learning programs for Aboriginal students.”

West Balcatta Primary School and Broome Senior High School were named the primary and secondary schools of the year.

Education Minister Peter Collier said the winners ranged from a teacher beginning her career in a small Wheatbelt primary school to an experienced principal at a large Bunbury senior college.

He said the eight winners in the WA Beginning Teacher of the Year category showed the future of the profession was in good hands.

“It is particularly encouraging to see a couple of career-changers, who are bringing expertise from the veterinary and occupational therapy fields to the classroom, acknowledged at these awards,” Mr Collier said.

The awards offer $264,000 in prizes to WA’s finest teachers, principals, school support staff members and public schools.

WA Education Awards 2012 – Winners

WA Premier’s Early Childhood Teacher of the Year

Elizabeth Waldron, Cable Beach Primary School

WA Premier’s Primary Teacher of the Year

Sarah Couzens, Secret Harbour Primary School

WA Premier’s Secondary Teacher of the Year

Jennifer Burton, Comet Bay College

WA Beginning Teachers of the Year
Melanie Cross, Waggrakine Primary School (Geraldton)
Ingrid Fuchsbichler, Yerecoin Primary School
Kirsten Hunter, Tom Price Senior High School
Rachael Lehr, West Beechboro Primary School
Andrew (Drew) Mayhills, Applecross Senior High School
Matthew Titmanis, Ashdale Secondary College
Jacqui Webster, Geographe Education Support Centre (Busselton)

Kerryn Woodhouse, Atwell Primary School

WA School Support Staff Member of the Year

Michele Owen, Secret Harbour Primary School

WA Primary Principal of the Year

Leonie Clelland, Kalgoorlie Primary School

WA Secondary Principal of the Year

Paul Mathews, Manea Senior College (Bunbury)

WA Primary School of the Year

West Balcatta Primary School

WA Secondary School of the Year

Broome Senior High School.