Minister awards outstanding teachers

The country’s most dedicated teachers were honoured with National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA) last week by the Minister of Education, Hon. Hekia Parata.

There are two NEiTA Awards categories: Excellence in Teaching sponsored by ASG Education Programs New Zealand and Excellence in Leadership sponsored by The Cognition Education Trust.

The teachers had been selected as the regional award recipients of the ASG Teaching Awards and Cognition Education Leadership Awards and were awarded at a special ceremony in the Grand Hall, Parliament Buildings.

Twelve ASG Teaching Awards and 13 Cognition Education Leadership Awards were given to teachers and leaders from the early childhood, primary, intermediate and secondary school sectors across the country.

The teachers and leaders were nominated by grandparents, parents, guardians, school boards, parent associations and community leaders, for the outstanding work they are doing in their schools.

Each one demonstrates a wide range of exemplary teaching skills—from helping at risk kids turn their lives around to increasing students’ participation in science by more than 40 per cent.

Speaking at the ceremony, National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA) Foundation chief executive John Velegrinis said: “Today’s recipients are teachers and education leaders of the highest calibre. It is so heartening to meet teaching professionals who are so committed to bringing out the best in our children academically and socially.

“Their record of achievement in going above and beyond to help students’ reach their full potential is outstanding.”

The NEiTA Awards were established by ASG Education Programs New Zealand 18 years ago to promote excellence in teaching. The awards are open to all qualified and registered full-time teachers and school leaders in primary, intermediate and secondary schools, and to qualified and registered early childhood educators.

In 2007, ASG joined with Cognition Education Trust to co-sponsor awards for both teachers and educational leaders. Since 1996, more than $185,000 has been distributed to NEiTA Award recipients in grants for professional development, prizes and endowments.

Nominations for the awards come from grandparents, parents, guardians, school boards, parent associations and community leaders all over the country.

The full list of this year’s NEiTA Awards recipients are:

ASG Excellence in Teaching Awards recipients

Early Childhood
Christine Alford – Mairtown kindergarten, Whangarei
Jane Ratai – Cornerstone Preschool, Gisborne
Lynda Hopkin – Miramar Community Creche, Wellington

Primary and Intermediate
Christine Earnshaw – Bruce McLaren Intermediate, Henderson, Auckland
Mehar Nabi – Royal Oak Intermediate, Auckland
Glynis Knox – Frankton Primary School, Hamilton
Elly Warnock – Russell Street School, Palmerston North
Fiona Cook – Parklands Primary School, Motueka, Nelson

Secondary
Rose Waerea – Bream Bay College Ruakaka, Northland
Ian Torrie -St Cuthbert’s College, Epsom, Auckland
Tina Youngman – Paeroa College
Annie McCreary – Nayland College, Nelson

Cognition Excellence in Leadership recipients:

Early Childhood
Kelly-Anne Lambert – Apples Childcare Learning Centre, Henderson, Auckland
Mary-Rose O’Loughlin – Westport Kindergarten
Jane Craig – Tokomaru Early Childhood Centre

Primary
Susan Whysall – Owairaka District Primary School, Mt Albert, Auckland
Charlotte Castle – Redhill Primary School in Papakura, Auckland
Glynis Knox – Frankton Primary School in Hamilton
Brent Griffin – Western Heights Primary School, Rotorua
Elizabeth (Liz) Weir – Springston Primary School, Canterbury
Peter Hopwood – Donovan Primary School, Invercargill

Secondary
Petrina Thomas-Chisholm – Otumoetai College, Tauranga
Terry Consedine – Aquinas Collage, Tauranga
Martin O’Grady – Karamu High School in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay
Melissa Bell – St Hilda’s Collegiate School, Dunedin