Every Monday morning, every student at Marsden State High School – all 3200 of them – has a mentoring session with a teacher.
It’s part of an astonishing, in-depth and extensive focus that the high school has on mentoring. It’s also one of the many reasons deputy principal Sean Curtis is a finalist for a prestigious state teaching award.
He’s one of six teachers from the region to be named among 29 statewide finalists at the TEACHX awards run by the Queensland College of Teachers, a state government statutory authority that regulates the teaching profession.
Mr Curtis, who played semi-professional soccer before first becoming a HPE teacher at Marsden State High School (MSHS), has helped increase students’ academic results and provided powerful opportunities for young sports stars across southeast Queensland.
Students at MSHS and in the Queensland Schools Premier League (SPL), which Mr Curtis chairs, receive coaching and player development from the Brisbane Roar FC as a result of a partnership the Deputy Principal helped clinch.
The inspirational educator is passionate about making a difference in Logan students’ lives, after growing up in the area and being inspired by his aunt, who taught at Woodridge State School.
“I just wanted to make something of myself, and I think every kid can do that, they just need support and good people around them … that’s why I was really passionate about the mentor program and academic coaching, and with the football as well,” Mr Curtis said.
Other Logan nominations are:
Mabel Park State High School Principal, Mick Hornby: Just six years after Mr Hornby took up the helm at Logan’s Mabel Park State High School (MPSHS), enrolments have grown from about 500 to 1500, multicultural events showcasing its students’ 71 cultures have attracted up to 10,000 people, some students have received $30,000 scholarships to study at university, and nearly all of its graduates have attained Queensland Certificates of Education, despite experiencing some of the state’s toughest socio-economic circumstances.
Beginning teacher Dominic Maclean (Mabel Park SHS): At-risk students’ lives are being transformed – from struggling in mainstream schooling to taking on the Kokoda Challenge and leadership roles – thanks to an exciting flexi-school trial and this second-year teacher.
Multicultural program leader Karen McGeachie (Mabel Park SHS): Rapping about chemistry, using underwater video craft, mentoring colleagues and celebrating more than 71 cultures through an award-winning multicultural program are behind this inspirational teacher being a finalist.
Teacher librarian Jenna Cullen (Marsden SHS): Marsden high has developed its own online Institute for Teacher Development thanks to Ms Cullen who is passionate about celebrating the expertise and skills of teachers.
Elizabeth Hitchmough (Edens Landing State School): When children were learning at home during the Covid-19 shutdown, Mrs Hitchmough checked in weekly, and sometimes daily, with parents to help. For difficult concepts, she provided specific video lessons.
Each family had already been rung at the start of the year by Mrs Hitchmough – in addition to designated-parent teacher meetings – for an annual positive, in-depth start-of the-year discussion to help her better understand how to teach each child and to connect.
More than 30 years after she started teaching, former students still approach Mrs Hitchmough to discuss the classroom activities they undertook decades ago. Her care for each student she teaches, and for supporting their parents wherever she can, is palpable.
