Teacher Achievement Awards

INTEGRATED PROGRAM

Caitlin Mackay from Nazareth College

 

Caitlin initiated a project that involved her Senior VCAL students in SCOPE’s Balloon Football League. Her students assisted players during matches, promoted the tournament via the league’s blog, ran fundraising events and formed firm friendships with competitors. In the process they met the outcomes of all four VCAL strands and grew dramatically as people. Caitlin mentored and guided the students, throughout the project. The initiative is now an ongoing component of Nazareth College’s Senior VCAL program.

 

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

The Geelong High School teaching team:

Trudy Cameron, Sonia Kinsey and Anthony Truscott

 

This team reshaped Geelong High School’s Intermediate Personal Development Skills program to better suit the school’s surf coast location. They joined forces with Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club to map the club’s Surf Bronze training program to Intermediate Personal Development Skills. Participating students gained practical work skills including strong teamwork, leadership and communication. The program has also strengthened the school’s ties with the community and initiated a mutually advantageous partnership with the life saving club.

 

The Timboon P–12 School teaching team:

Phil Allender, Jamie Mackieson and Gabby Theologous

 

Timboon P-12 School became a new VCAL provider in 2009 and has already established an impressive program. The school’s VCAL Wood Oven Kitchen Garden is reengaging students and fostering valuable community partnerships. It has become a hub for the school’s burgeoning VCAL cohort and a draw card for local businesses. The design and construction of the garden’s facilities has served as a valuable project for successive VCAL graduates. Future VCAL students will develop the area further and a number of local businesses have already pledged their support.

 

TEAM TEACHING

The Lavalla Catholic College teaching team:

Peter Flahavin, Cheryl Hunter, Todd Proud, Fran Renehan, Jason Szkwarek, Brett Van Berkel and Mark Warnock

 

What better way to prepare students for the workplace than by developing a program in which they establish their own virtual businesses? That’s precisely what this team did with their Career, Enterprise and Opportunity program. Senior students were made business owners who employed Year 10 and 11 students as tradespeople and apprentices. The program has allowed students to drive the curriculum based on their own interests, knowledge and expertise, putting the focus on the process rather than the end result.

 

VCAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Katrina King from Carrum Downs Secondary College

 

In three short years, VCAL Coordinator Katrina King has turned Carrum Downs Secondary College into one of the Southern Metropolitan Region’s model VCAL providers. When the program was introduced in 2008, just 22 students were enrolled and a handful of teachers assigned. Access to VET facilities was limited and few workplace learning opportunities were available. Today the program boasts 404 enthusiastic students and 20 committed teachers. First class VET facilities have been built and students choose from a sophisticated suite of community engagement initiatives and workplace learning oportunities.

 

Kelly Lackmann from Narre Warren South P–12 College

 

Since 2006, Kelly has led projects that have raised more than $22,000 for charity. She has developed VCAL initiatives that have been adopted by schools across the state. Kelly’s students describe her as an inspiring teacher with a unique ability to meaningfully connect with all those she encounters. She has helped more than 600 VCAL students into promising pathways to employment and further education. Kelly also delivers professional development within the Casey Central Network of Schools, for the South East LLEN and through Southern Youth Network.