On the 27 August, Galston High School andtwo of its high performing students, Mia Rowe and Bella Lawton, were recognised at the presitigious Minister’s and Secretay’s Awards for Excellence.
The annual awards showcase NSW pu blic school students, teachers, staff and parents who have made major contributions to their school communities and serve as role models to their peers. They also acknowledge schools that have embraced innovative programs to maximise school results and are changing the way education is delivered.
The NSW Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning, Sarah Mitchell, said the awards affirmed the high standards and dedication that underpinned the public school system.
“These awards highlight the tremendous contribution that students, teachers, principals and the school community make to public education in NSW as we strive for learning and teaching excellence,” Ms Mitchell said.
Galston High School received the Secretary’s School Achievement Award for the impressive results of its Reading and Numeracy Projects. The Projects, centred around both targeted students and whole school initiatives, achieved a greater than 10% increase in students ranking in the top two NAPLAN bands for reading and numeracy.
School captain, Mia Rowe, and SRC president, Bella Lawton, were amongst 37 students across the state who received the Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement. The Minister’s Award for Excellence in Student Achievement considers achievement in the academic, sporting, cultural and leadership fields, commitment to the school community and personal values.
Mia is a superb student leader, an excellent academic and exceptional creative and performing artist. She is highly respected by peers and teachers and has held numerous leadership roles throughout her schooling, culminating in School Captain. Mia embraces service to the school community, giving generously of her time and growing the spirit and culture of our school. She has held lead roles at both school and community musicals, plays, performances and events. Mia is a dedicated student who achieves consistently across the breadth of her studies, particularly the arts.
For the entirety of her school-life, Bella has been an exemplar and role model for positive engagement with schooling, the community and all the opportunities that education affords. She has been a tireless leader in many roles and facets of sch ool life and has never failed to be positive, encouraging and proactive in all she has undertaken. She has held positions student librarian, house leader and SRC representative.
Department of Education Secretary, Mark Scott said the awards celebrated excellence within the state’s public education system by showcasing those who had made major contributions as role models to their peers, their schools and the wider education community.
“The range of achievements reflected in the awards is representative of the many components that make our public school system so strong and is just the tip of the iceberg in innovation and commitment to outstanding learning outcomes that are happening across the NSW public education system,” Mr Scott said.
Success in Premier’s Reading Challenge
Every year, Galston High School students from Years 7, 8 and 9 participate in the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge, which challenges students to read more often and more widely. Students are required to read 20 books: 15 from the set challenge list and 5 of their own choice over a 12-month period. Successfully completing the Premier’s Reading Challenge alone is an incredible achievement in its own right, but completing the challenge over the course of several years requires dedication and application.
Students who complete the challenge in four separate years are awarded with a Gold certificate, while students who complete it over seven receive a platinum certificate. The highest award possible is the Premier’s Reading Challenge Medal, which is only awarded to students who complete the challenge every year from Year 3 to Year 9.
THEO MARLOW of Year 10 recently received the Premier’s Reading Challenge Medal for achieving that impressive feat. Theo is the second recipient of the PRC Medal at Galston High School.
