Principal of Athol Road Primary School, Ruby Toombs, was highly commended at this year’s Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence in Canberra. 38610Picture: Luke Plummer
By Lia Bichel
RUBY Toombs is big on quotes, and one of her favorites, from Michelangelo, has become a driving message to her staff and students.
“The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”
Mrs Toombs, principal of Athol Road Primary School’s west campus; formerly Springvale South Primary School, was highly commended for demonstrating excellence as a principal at this year’s Australian Awards for Teaching Excellence in Canberra last week.
The event coincided with World Teachers Day.
The awards, presented by Minister for Education Julia Gillard, recognise creative approaches to teaching, outstanding efforts in student outcomes and innovative achievements in school management.
Ms Toombs was one of 58 teachers from all over Australia to be highly commended at the event.
“I feel very humble and this is an award I couldn’t have won on my own,” she said.
She credited her success to other ambitious principals in the City of Greater Dandenong and the teaching and non-teaching staff at her school.
“I certainly have a vision and work with (the staff) to make it happen,” she said. “They deliver it to children. Without them, (the vision) wouldn’t be possible.”
Six best national achievement awards were also made to teachers, principals, support staff and schools. A seventh national award for excellence in information and communication technologies was made by the Minister.
The Chair of Teaching Australia Gregor Ramsey said the awards demonstrated the enormous contribution that teachers made.
“Those who have been honoured for their work have pioneered new, imaginative approaches to teaching, they have helped school leavers and new settlers to establish successful lives, and they have fostered productive links between their school and the community in which it thrives,” he said.
“They have created wonderful learning opportunities for their students and brought learning to life, whether in language and culture, in the sciences or technology, or sport. They have motivated their students to succeed.”
