2023 Winners and Excellence Awardees
Friday 8 August 2025 | THE STAR EVENT CENTRE
Award Categories
Department Head of the Year
Education Rising Star of the Year
NRL School Ambassador Program Primary School Principal of the Year – Government
Primary School Principal of the Year – Non-Government
Primary School Teacher of the Year – Government
Primary School Teacher of the Year – Non-Government
A Team Tuition School Principal of the Year – Government
Prime Super School Principal of the Year – Non-Government
Secondary School Teacher of the Year – Government
Secondary School Teacher of the Year – Non-Government
Best Co-Curricular Program
Grok Academy Best Stem Program
Soprano Design Best Use of Technology
Grok Academy Innovation in Curriculum Design
Innovation in Learning Environment Design
Ideagen Complispace Best First Nations Education Program
Best Professional Learning Program
Best School Strategic Plan
Best Student Wellbeing Program
Boarding School of the Year
AFL Schools Primary School of the Year – Government
Primary School of the Year – Non-Government
Prime Super Regional School of the Year
Secondary School of the Year – Government
A Team Tuition Secondary School of the Year – Non-Government
Special Education School of the Year
Education Perfect Australian School of the Year
Education Perfect Australian School Principal of the Year
DEPARTMENT HEAD OF THE YEAR
Winner: Hope Laavia, Marsden State High School – Education Queensland
Excellence Awardees
Danni Mattiazzo, Larrakeyah Primary School
Iain Taylor, Saint Stephen’s College
Lauren Ward, Dubbo College South Campus
Michael Murphy, Norwood International High School
Michele Brennan, Wenona School
Paul Lowe, Bremer State High School
Samantha Andonis, Trinity College (SA)
Shari Finlay, St Patrick’s College Townsville
EDUCATION RISING STAR OF THE YEAR
Winner: Stephanie Thomas, Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School including Ipswich Junior Grammar School
Excellence Awardees
Alyssa Malone, Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
Andrew Paltridge, Canterbury College
George Allen, Cobram Secondary College
Georgi Eadie, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School
Luen Tobar, Brisbane State High School
Natasha Muller, Beaconhills College
Nikki Asikas, Australian Science and Mathematics School (DfE)
NRL SCHOOL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR – GOVERNMENT
Winner: Trent Cowley, Kingston State School and Presenter: Andrew Peach, NRL School Ambassador Program
Excellence Awardees
Angela-Jane Gay, Young North Public School NSW
Duncan Adams, Telegraph Point Public School
Kaylah Gray, Krambach Public School
Matthew Royan, Chatham Public School
Megan Manson, Canobolas Public School
Sandee Ising, St Agnes School
Sponsored by
PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR – NON-GOVERNMENT
Winner: Doug Thomas, Claremont College
Excellence Awardees
Audrey Fellowes, Clayfield College
Catherine Shaw, The Nature School
Daniel Thomas, Melbourne Montessori School
Katie Petchell, Perth College
Simone Reilly, Caulfield Grammar School
William Wallace, Golden Grove Lutheran Primary School
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR – GOVERNMENT
Winner: Tara Barron, Rochedale State School
Excellence Awardees
Carmel Spruhan, Larrakeyah Primary School
Daniel Edwards, Montello Primary School
Keegan Peace, Pallara State School
Lauryn Fitton, Governor Philip King Public School
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR – NON-GOVERNMENT
Winner: Stella Gardner, Brisbane Grammar School
Excellence Awardees
Jemma Trendler, Ormiston College
Libby Spencer, Pilgrim School
Mary Giles, St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls
Sarah Singleton, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School
Vanessa Hodgkiss, Casey Grammar School
A TEAM TUITION SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR – GOVERNMENT
Winner: Michael West, Bellbird Park State Secondary College
Excellence Awardees
Anne McLauchlan, The Gap State High School
Benjamin Weeks, Robina State High School
Brenton Farleigh, Loganlea State High School
Christopher Capra, Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
Meaghan Cook, Hastings Secondary College
Simon Done, Maryborough State High School
Steven Cook, Albert Park College
Tracey Rapson, Hunter River Community School
Sponsored by
PRIME SUPER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR – NON-GOVERNMENT
Winner: Phillip Heath AM, Barker College
Excellence Awardees
Annette Rome, St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar
Brett Webster, Ormiston College
Daniel Crump, Stuartholme School
Elizabeth Hanney, Siena College
Fiona Williams, Casey Grammar School
Josh Counsel, Discovery Christian College
Paulina Skerman, Santa Sabina College
Stephanie Kriewaldt, Lobethal Lutheran School
Zeynep Yaseen, International Maarif School of Australia
Sponsored by
SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR – GOVERNMENT
Winner: Cherie Nelscon, Robina State High School & Meg Bailey, Templestowe College
Excellence Awardees
Jack Anderson, Loganlea State High School
Matthew Meinema, Joseph Banks Secondary College
Mel Mace, Corinda State High School
Sharon Davis, Maitland Grossman High School
SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR – NON-GOVERNMENT
Winner: Gary Smith, Cobram Anglican Grammar School
Excellence Awardees
Crystal Thompson, Brisbane Grammar School
Jamie Jones, Josiah College
Julene Lander, Faith Lutheran College Redlands
Kiera Lansdown, Emmaus College
Laura Main, St Philip’s Christian College Cessnock
Mitchell Mills, Saint Stephen’s College
Natasha Stenta, St Michael’s College
BEST CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAM
Winner: Lauriston Girl’s School – Howqua Outdoor Program (Chris Toms, Lauriston Girls’ School)
Excellence Awardees
Marsden State High School + Dance Excellence Program
Palm Beach Currumbin State High School- REDs Wellbeing Portal
Perth College Sports Development and Performance Program
St Patrick’s College Townsville, Arts Program
St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School – The DARE Diploma – Year 6 Graduation Diploma
The Lakes College Culinary Club
Trinity Anglican School White Rock Campus Primary Year Six Connections
GROK ACADEMY BEST STEM PROGRAM
Boonah State High School – Growing Stem in the Scenic Rim
Presenter: Violeta Apostolovski, Grok Academy and Winner: Katherine Chisholm, Boonah State High School
Excellence Awardees
Brisbane South State Secondary College – STEMM(medical)
Marble Bar Primary School – Marble Bar Virtual World
MLC School Sydney – Junior School
Reef Guardian Schools
Santa Maria College, Perth
St Patrick’s College Townsville – #STEMLikeAPatsGirl
St Philip’s Christian College Newcastle
Trinity College (SA) – SPARK
Sponsored by
SOPRANO DESIGN BEST USE OF TECHNOLOGY
Indisfarne Anglican Grammar School
Presenter: Stephen Snell, Soprano Design and Winner: Gavin Kennedy and Stuart Marquardt, Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
Excellence Awardees
Brisbane South State Secondary College – Leveraging Digital
Emmanuel College
Emmaus College – Languages (Italian 7-12)
Larrakeyah Primary School
Minarah College – Digital transformation program
Ormiston College
Saint Stephen’s College – eLearning
Sponsored by
GROK ACADEMY INNOVATION IN CURRICULUM DESIGN
Caulfield Grammar School – Kakadu Year 9 Remote Program
Presenter: Violeta Apostolovski, Grok Academy and Winner: Mike Gregory and Ashleigh Martin, Caulfield Grammar School
Excellence Awardees
Mater Dei College – Passion Project
Ruyton Girls’ School – Scholar Program
St Catherine’s School – Teaching and Learning Framework
St Clare’s College Waverley – Lights, Camera, Change in Action
St John’s Anglican College – Talking Keys
St Luke’s Catholic College – Diploma + HSC Program
St Philip’s Christian College, Newcastle – SmartTrack Academy
Trinity College (SA) – Blackham Environmental & Conservation Centre (BECC)
Sponsored by
INNOVATION IN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT DESIGN
Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School – Early Learning Centre
Jo Hetherington and Stuart Marquandt, Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
Excellence Awardees
Caulfield Grammar School – A Cluster at Wheelers Hill Campus
Haileybury – Haileybury Pangea Online School
Kildare College – Tullow Centre
Marsden State High School
Melba Copland Secondary School
The King’s School – School Wide Literacy Enhancement project
St Paul’s School – Design Led Ventures
IDEAGEN COMPLISPACE BEST FIRST NATIONS EDUCATION PROGRAM
Marble Bar School – Integrated Virtual World
Presenter: Rachel Partis, Ideagen CompliSpace and Winner: Julie Whalebone, Marble Bar School
Excellence Awardees
Bandiana Primary School
Bellbird Park State Secondary College
Bremer State High School
Briar Road Public School
Gorokan High School
MLC School Sydney
Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
Presbyterian Ladies’ College (Perth)
Torres Strait Kaziw Meta
Sponsored by
BEST PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAM
Robina State High School
Ben Weeks, Robina State High School
Excellence Awardees
Canterbury College
Genazzano Fcj College
Joseph Banks Secondary College
Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
Miami State High School
Mt St Michael’s College, Ashgrove, Brisbane
Queensland Children’s Hospital School
St Catherines school
BEST SCHOOL STRATEGIC PLAN
Maryborough State High School
Heike Romba, Maryborough High School
Excellence Awardees
Corinda State High School
Cornish College
Emmanuel Catholic College – Western Australia
Loreto College Ballarat
Scotch Oakburn College
St Saviour’s College, Toowoomba, Queensland
Westbourne Grammar School
BEST STUDENT WELLBEING PROGRAM
Berry Public School
Bob Willetts, Berry Public School
Excellence Awardees
Asquith Girls High School
Haileybury
Joseph Banks Secondary College
Loreto College Marryatville
Mooroopna Park Primary School
South Thornlie Primary School
St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar – Positive Mental Health Strategy
St Ursula’s College Toowoomba
BOARDING SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
Winner: St Ursula’s College Toowoomba
Excellence Awardees
Clayfield College – Boarding House
Fairholme College
Kincoppal – Rose Bay
Presbyterian Ladies’ College Perth
Stuartholme School
AFL SCHOOLS PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR – GOVERNMENT
Prospect North Primary School
Winner: Marg Clark, Prospect North Primary School and Presenter: Rebecca Marshall, AFL Schools
Excellence Awardees
Cabramatta Public School
Cessnock East Public School
Governor Philip King Public School
Tallimba Public School
Wyalong Public School
Yates Avenue Public School
Sponsored by
PRIMARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR – NON-GOVERNMENT
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Trudi Edwards, Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Excellence Awardees
Haileybury
Lauriston Girls’ School
Ormiston College Junior School
Penrhos College Junior School
St Mary’s Parish Primary School, Greensborough Victoria
Strathcona Girls Grammar
PRIME SUPER REGIONAL SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
Haileybury Rendall School
Andrew McGregor, Haileybury Rendall School
Excellence Awardees
Fraser Coast Anglican College
Newcastle Grammar School
Red Bend Catholic College – Forbes Central West NSW
Riverside Christian College, Maryborough, Queensland
St Edward’s Primary School South Tamworth
Sunshine Coast Grammar School
The Rockhampton Grammar School
Sponsored by
SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR – GOVERNMENT
Templestowe College
Peter Ellis, Templestowe College
Excellence Awardees
Ashdale Secondary College
Bentleigh Secondary College
Brisbane State High School
Cabramatta High School
Canterbury Boys High School
Marsden State High School
Miami State High School
A TEAM TUITION SECONDARY SCHOOL OF THE YEAR – NON-GOVERNMENT
Haileybury
Theo Georgakopoulos, Haileybury
Excellence Awardees
Balcombe Grammar School
Emmanuel Catholic College – Western Australia
Immanuel College
Masada College
St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School
St Paul’s School
Trinity Anglican School
Sponsored by
SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
Cook School
Dave Hobson, Cook School
Excellence Awardees
Anson Street School
Bellbird Park State Secondary College
Carenne School for Specific Purposes
Cranleigh School
Glenallen School
Maryborough State High School
St Peter’s Heart, Campbelltown
EDUCATION PERFECT AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL OF THE YEAR
Cook School
Dave Hobson, Cook School
Excellence Awardees
Prospect North Primary School
Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Templestowe College
Haileybury
Sponsored by
EDUCATION PERFECT AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR
Winner: Phillip Heath AM, Barker College and Presenter: Kelly Hollis, Education Perfect
Excellence Awardees
Trent Cowley, Kingston State School
Doug Thomas, Claremont College
Michael West, Bellbird Park State Secondary College
Sponsored by