Australian Principal of the Year!

Hosted by The Educator Australia, the Australian Education Awards recognise outstanding talent in the education sector across Australia.

The principal of Clarke Road School, Diane Robertson, was initially awarded Principal of The Year (Government), which placed her in the running for Australian Principal of the Year against winners in the Primary, Secondary, Government and Non-Government classifications.

She took out the overall title for her unmatched ability in the effective leadership and motivation of staff at Clarke Road School, her commitment to professional development and her unrivalled expertise in engaging with parents and the wider school community.

Read full article here

Read the full list of winners here

Walk a day in our shoes

“Walk a day in our shoes” was the invitation Diane Robertson delivered to Murat Dizdar, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education. And that’s exactly what Murat did on July 4th. Murat and his team spent the day in and out of classrooms, spending time with our children, young people, volunteers, teaching staff and support staff. He enjoyed a lunch with some parents and Mark Anderson, Acting Director of Educational Leadership. Murat wanted to better understand our school, to understand our amazing learners and to hear, firsthand, the experiences and stories of both our families and staff. 

Thank you to those who were involved, for willingly sharing your stories and increasing our wider community’s understanding of our learners, their needs and your experiences- both parenting and teaching. Thank you to Murat and his team for their honesty and for increasing our understanding of the Department of Education Disability strategy.  

View the gallery below for more photos.

Congratulations Cathy Treay - Westfield Local Hero 2018

Children bring joy to this teacher’s heart

There’s nothing that makes Cathy Treay quite as happy as seeing one of her students achieve a goal they have been working towards – big or small.

As the Assistant Principal at a school for students with intellectual disabilities, she is dedicated to helping her children reach their full potential and engage with their community.

“Seeing a student in a wheelchair playing tennis with his peers or them sharing a look with you when they succeed at something brings me so much joy,” says Cathy.

In her seven years at Clarke Road School, she has also given much joy and inspiration. One of her most popular contributions is a delightful golden retriever therapy dog named Minty.

Cathy is a tireless advocate for the children, who range from Kindy to Year 12. She strongly believes in their right to be fully engaged with their community, and she puts a lot of energy into outreach projects and into attracting visitors to the school.

The dedicated teacher has many educational responsibilities, but one of her key objectives is to prepare the students for life after school by extending the vocational skills program.

The $10,000 Westfield Local Heroes grant will be used to renovate an existing shed at the school to teach barista and other skills. This will be achieved with the help of the local Rotary club.

The area around the shed will be used for a garden, vegetable plot and chicken coop to give the students an opportunity to learn hands-on how to care for animals and grow vegetables.

Being voted a Westfield Hero is a dream come true for Cathy, who says she feels dazed and extremely grateful to be recognised by her community.

“I can’t stop smiling. The dream of providing a work and learning space for our learners will now happen so much sooner,” she says.

Read about the winners and their stories here.