Exceptional teachers receive National Excellence in Teaching Awards
In this exceptional year, the NEiTA Foundation, supported by Futurity Investment Group, is proud to present Awards to 23 extraordinary teachers and educators across Australia and New Zealand.
Based on the theme, ‘Acknowledging exceptional educators in exceptional times,’ this year’s NEiTA Awards recognise the achievements and efforts of teachers and educators who rose to meet the year’s unique challenges of school closures and lockdowns. This included the implementation of digital methods to enhance learnings and supporting the wellbeing of students during a difficult year.
In this special 2020 NEiTA Awards we also acknowledged specifically for the first time, school principals for their leadership in a time of constant change.
On the 8th of December 2020, a virtual awards ceremony broadcast throughout Australia and New Zealand, 17 Australian and 6 New Zealand educators received a 2020 NEiTA Award. Each recipient receives a certificate, a handblown crystal apple trophy and a professional development grant of $5,000 for teachers and $10,000 for school principals.
You can view the Australian and New Zealand Awards ceremonies here:
Australia
New Zealand
Updates from NEiTA Foundation Chairman Allen Blewitt and Futurity CEO Ross Higgins
NEiTA Foundation Chairman Allen Blewitt said, “In a lot of ways, the last 12 months cannot be compared with any other year in history. When the COVID-19 pandemic followed close on the heels of the December 2019 megafires, forcing countries across the world to go into lockdown and for schools to close for undetermined periods, many communities were caught unawares. The speed at which teachers and principals rose to the occasion, supporting children of frontline workers in schools and those in lockdown via remote learning, truly makes them superheroes.”
Futurity CEO Ross Higgins said a NEiTA nomination is proof that the members of the wider school community acknowledge the contribution of the teachers and principals and value them. “I congratulate all the NEiTA recipients. They represent dedicated teachers who have each demonstrated in this pandemic year how they genuinely care about the educational success and wellbeing of their students. These teachers are leaders and innovators in the classroom, in school systems and in the teaching profession.”
NEiTA is the only nationwide teaching award in Australia and New Zealand where nominations are community-based, predominantly by parents and school communities.
The NEiTA selection process includes a comprehensive nomination outline, a written paper, and a video interview with our NEiTA judging panel, including esteemed educators associated with school and higher education. Parents, grandparents, teachers, secondary student councils, student boards, parent associations, committees of management, and community organisations throughout Australia and New Zealand nominated teachers and school principals, of which 23 recipients have been selected to receive the 2020 NEiTA Awards.
The winners for 2020 Australia and New Zealand are:
NEiTA Foundation encourages past winners to nominate a peer they consider outstanding and worthy of greater recognition with a NEiTA Award.
We seek to build awareness among all school communities and encourage more nominations.
A key philosophy underpinning NEiTA is that there is the value to teachers in simply being nominated for an Award.
To be advised of the opening of the next Award season and other NEiTA-related communication, please send the message “Subscribe” to support@neita.com.
Media Contact
For further information or to arrange an interview with a NEiTA award winner, NEiTA Chairman Allen Blewitt, and/or Futurity CEO Ross Higgins, please email media@futurityinvest.com.