ACT Public Education Awards winners
The ACT Public Education Awards celebrate excellence in our public schools and Education Support Office. They recognise high performing school leaders, teachers, school support staff, allied health professionals and volunteers.
2025 winners
- Primary Teacher of the Year – Tahlia Levi, Cranleigh School
- Early Childhood Teacher of the Year – Sally Gore-Johnson, Florey Primary School
- Secondary & College Teacher of the Year – Jenny Missen, UC Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra and Dr Christopher Bishop, Gungahlin College
- School Leader of the Year – Trish Marton, Lanyon High School
- New Educator of the Year – Marina Leko, Kingsford Smith School
- School Support Person of the Year – Belinda Wise, Hearing and Vision Team, Gilmore Primary School
- Excellence in Cultural Integrity – Brent Lamb, Mount Stromlo High School
- Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion – Inclusion Faculty, Belconnen High School
- Allied Health Professional of the Year – Jesica Rennie, Clinical Practice
- Learning Support Person of the Year – Jacqueline Kendall, Black Mountain School
- Education Support Office Employee of the Year – Ryan Elwell, Learning and Teaching Policy and Service Design
- Excellence in Innovation – Leadership Team, Jervis Bay School and Data Insights Program, Digital Services
- Volunteer of the Year – Theodore Primary P&C, Theodore Primary School
- Outstanding Partnership of the Year – Mentoring Program, Janine Collins, Aranda Primary School and Cranleigh School
- Director-General’s Excellence Award – Trish Marton, Lanyon High School
2024 winners
- Primary Teacher of the Year – Ellyn Cilliers, Theodore Primary School
- Early Childhood Teacher of the Year – Teegan Bonner, Ngunnawal Primary
- Secondary & College Teacher of the Year – Kaitlyn Catchpole, Caroline Chisholm School
- School Leader of the Year – Rebecca Turner, Ngunnawal Primary School
- New Educator of the Year – Jack Beattie, Calwell Primary School and Imogen McLean, Malkara School
- School Support Person of the Year – Claire Clode, Canberra College
- Excellence in Cultural Integrity award – Nikki Ross, Evelyn Scott School
- Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion – Joanna Parry, Neville Bonner Primary School
- Allied Health Professional of the Year –Ben Pegram, Black Mountain School
- Learning Support Assistant of the Year award – Emmeline Wilson, Erindale College
- Education Support Office Employee of the Year – Ali Lunardello, Enrolments and Planning team
- Excellence in Innovation – On Country Learning from Calwell High School and Birrigai Outdoor School
- Volunteer of the Year – Anne Figura, Neville Bonner Primary School
- Outstanding Partnership of the Year award – Local Area Coordinator Co-locations
- Director-General’s Award – Nikki Ross, Evelyn Scott School
2023 winners
- Primary Teacher of the Year – Lee Hodges, Arawang Primary School
- Primary Teacher of the Year – Tonia Davidson, Wanniassa School
- Early Childhood Teacher of the Year – Yasmine O’Brien, O’Connor Cooperative School
- Secondary and College Teacher of the Year – Courtney Bedford, Black Mountain School
- School Leader of the Year – Jennifer Howard, Caroline Chisholm School
- New Educator of the Year – Karen Walsh, Amaroo School
- School Support Person of the Year – Joseph Knezevic, Caroline Chisholm School
- Excellence in Cultural Integrity – The Birrigai First Nations Team, Birrigai Outdoor School
- Excellence in Supporting Diversity and Inclusion – Mita Pota, Gold Creek Primary School
- Allied Health Professional of the Year – Prudence Sheather, Mount Stromlo High School
- Learning Support Assistant of the Year – Nicole Ratcliffe, Weetangera Primary School
- Education Support Office Employee of the Year – Georgia Nott, Ministerial and Corporate Reporting
- Excellence in Innovation – Bonython Primary School Teaching and Learning Team
- Volunteer of the Year – Felicity Roantree, Red Hill Primary School
- Outstanding Partnership of the Year – Head Start Pilot Program, Universal School Support
- Director-General’s Award – Yasmine O’Brien, O’Connor Cooperative School
2022 winners
- Early Childhood Teacher of the Year – Claire Wirth, Nicholls Preschool unit, Gold Creek School
- Primary Teacher of the Year – Sharee Hodge, Macgregor Primary School
- Secondary Teacher of the Year – Nick Maniatis, Campbell High School
- School Leader of the Year – Michael Hatswell, Evatt Primary School
- New Educator of the Year – Kieran Sibley, Calwell High School
- New Educator of the Year – Catherine Dempster, Harrison School
- Education Support Person of the Year – Karen McLachlan, Curtin Primary School
- Education Support Person of the Year – Chris Cowie, Taylor Primary School
- Outstanding Partnership of the Year – Understanding Building and Construction Pilot Program
- Excellence in Cultural Integrity – The Waruga Yardhura Team, Flexible Education
- Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion – Jean Walker, Student Engagement Branch
- Allied Health Professional of the Year – Allied Health Team, Black Mountain
- Education Support Office Employee of the Year – Murray McKay, Student Engagement
- Excellence in Innovation – Melba Copland Secondary School Library team
- Volunteer of the Year – Lauren Johnston, Macquarie Primary School
- Volunteer of the Year – Rhodina Ellison, Namadgi School
- New Director-General’s Award for Excellence – Understanding Building and Construction Pilot Program
2021 winners
- Early Childhood Teacher of the Year – Joanne Stratton, Evelyn Scott School
- Primary Teacher of the Year – Kathryn Simone, Curtin Primary School
- Secondary Teacher of the Year – Rourke O’Sullivan, University of Canberra High School Kaleen
- School Leader of the Year – Debbie Martens, Theodore Primary School
- Education Support Office School Leader of the Year – Linda Francis, Learning and Teaching Policy and Service Design
- New Educator of the Year – Joint Winners: Caitlin Sillar, Telopea Park School and Elouyze Nucifora-Ryan, Gold Creek School
- Leader of the Year in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education – Kelly Pulver, Cranleigh School
- Leader of the Year in Supporting Diversity and Inclusion – Tim Hawke, Caroline Chisholm School
- Education Support Person of the Year – Joint winners: Julie White, Namadgi School and Michelle Cartwright, Monash School
- Volunteer of the Year – Dr Brad Tucker, Academy of Future Skills
- Outstanding Partnership of the Year – Evatt Primary School and Cyclabilities
- Education Support Office Employee of the Year – Rebecca Smith, Student Engagement
- Allied Health Professional of the Year – Cathy Hurman, NSET based in Cranleigh School