2002

8th March 2002
Local Teacher Receives State Award for Excellence in Catholic Education
During a special ceremony in Newcastle next week (15 March), Mr Michael Doyle, Principal of St Columban's Primary School, Mayfield will receive a state award for excellence in Catholic education.

The 2001 Brother John Taylor Award for excellence in education will be presented to Mr Doyle by Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, Chairperson of the NSW Catholic Education Commission.

Established in 1995 to honour the contribution to Catholic education of Brother John Taylor, the award is presented annually to people engaged in Catholic education in NSW and ACT by the NSW Catholic Education Commission. The award is intended for individuals who contribute or have contributed in the immediate past to Catholic education in an educational role, including a significant research role.

According to Mr John Gebhardt, who in his capacity as Catholic School Consultant in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle nominated Mr Doyle for the award, said: "he is a very experienced and high achieving educator and educational leader in the Catholic school system."

"He stands out as an innovator and high achiever because throughout his career, particularly in Catholic school leadership, he has constantly strived to enhance and improve both his own professional knowledge and competence and the performance of his staff and students through the provision of relevant and targeted educational programs and curricula."

In 1992 Mr Doyle was awarded a UK/Australia Fellowship for Teachers of Science by the Australian Science Teachers Association, while in 1998 he was awarded the inaugural Medibank Private Florey Teacher Award for NSW.

In 2000, Mr Doyle's achievements and initiatives in the development of environmental, sport and health promotion programs for students in an inner city industrial school resulted in his being awarded a Churchill Fellowship to further study relevant programs addressing the health and educational needs of disadvantaged students in the inner city schools of Newcastle upon Tyne, Liverpool, Belfast and Dublin. His report has been very useful in gaining new perspectives for addressing barriers to effective education and healthy learning environments for disadvantaged students in Australia.

"St Columban's Primary School, under the leadership of Mr Doyle has achieved national, state and local success and recognition. The school has excelled in sport; been awarded a National Literacy Award, participated and contributed to the development of the Democracy Kit; received accolades in the School Newspaper Competition; Maths, Science and English Competitions, and in debating and Odyssey of the Mind Competitions," said Mr Gebhardt.

The Brother John Taylor Award consists of a $1500 grant, a medallion and ceremonial acknowledgment. The award ceremony will take place on Friday 15 March at St Columban's Primary School, Church Street, Mayfield, commencing at 11:30 am.

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