ACS Judith Leeson Award
Nomination and judging process
Nominations for the 2008 ACS Judith Leeson Award are now open! Download the nomination form below and return to acsaward@curriculum.edu.au
About
Nominations for the 2008 ACS Judith Leeson Award for Excellence in Career Teaching will open on Wednesday 1 October and close Monday 17 November 2008.
The award is sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).
The award celebrates the achievement of individual career teachers and seeks to help advance career development nationally in both primary and secondary schools.
History
The award, originally called the ACS National Innovation in School Careers Programs Award, has been running since 2000. The change in name in 2004 recognised Judith Leeson's contribution to the field of career development.
Judith Leeson is the former president of the Australian Association of Career Counsellors (now known as the Career Development Association of Australia), and inaugural President and founding member of the Career Industry Council of Australia. She is involved in responding to Federal Government departments on issues relating to career development and in developing a strong relationship between policy makers, researchers and practitioners.
Eligibility
The award is open to all government, independent, Catholic and other denominational schools in Australia that offer a career or life/work program. A winner and runner-up will be selected from both the primary and secondary school sectors.
The 2007 winners were announced at the Australian Association of Careers Counsellors (AACC) Annual National Careers Conference in Hobart in March.
The winners were:
- Robin Stickland of Vermont Primary School (VIC) in the primary sector
- Margaret Lambert of Marryatville High School (SA) in the secondary sector
Congratulations also to the runners-up:
- John Kennedy formerly of Kimberly Park State Primary School (QLD), now at Coorparoo State School in the primary sector
- Valerie House of Hamilton Senior High School (WA) in the secondary sector
Nominations and judging process
Finalists are short-listed on the basis of written responses from the nomination form, against the following assessment criteria.
Judges look for applicants who:
- demonstrate excellence in their delivery of career education
- ensure the career program is supported by the school executive team and staff as a whole
- initiate and implement strong partnerships with parents, local community, industry and employers
- support and advocate a broad range of career paths to students.
The judging panel comprises representatives of the careers profession from different states, a DEEWR representative and an ACS representative. The panel will review all nominations and develop a shortlist of four finalists who will be interviewed to decide the winners.
Prizes
All four finalists — two primary and two secondary — will be funded to attend the 2009 CDAA Annual National Careers Conference in Melbourne, 15-17 April 2009, where the winners will be announced.
The winner's schools will each receive $5000 and the finalist's schools will each receive $3000.
Email acsaward@curriculum.edu.au if you have any questions or require further information.
