Shannon Farrugia loves his job and reckons he’s a pretty good teacher.
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But the folk at Albion Park High School P&C reckon Mr Farrugia is better than pretty good and nominated him for the prestigious ASG National Excellence in Teaching Awards (ASG NEiTA).
On Tuesday he was the only Illawarra teacher to be honoured with the award which rewards ‘’only the finest teachers who have made an impact in their local communities’’.
Only 12 NSW teachers and 60 nationally from 1450 community nominations received the prestigious award.
‘’I wasn’t aware how big a deal this [award] was until today,’’ Mr Farrugia told the Mercury.
‘’To be the only Illawarra teacher chosen is a pleasant surprise. It’s a special occasion and I’m very grateful.’’
ASG NEiTA chief executive officer, John Velegrinis says these educators recognise that ‘’it takes a village to raise a child’’, which is testament to their dedication and the impact they have on the lives of those they serve in local communities.
‘’Ensuring children have a well-rounded education is something our ASG NEiTA recipients are absolutely passionate about,’’ he said.
‘’This passion is welcomed by families as they want teachers to play a greater role in developing their children’s life skills, which was one of the key findings in the latest ASG Parents Report Card.’’
ASG NEiTA will announce the national award recipients in March 2018.
Mr Farrugia, who has been a teacher for 13 years, has achieved much in his last eight years at Albion Park High School.
Co-ordinating the Skills 21 class, an alternative pedagogy class that targets disengaged or Albion Park High School students who do not respond to mainstream classes, has been one of his most ‘’rewarding’’.
‘’This award is unexpected but I’m honoured,’’ Mr Farrugia said.
‘’I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the Aboriginal elders of our community and the Albion Park RSL for helping our school tremendously in our fundraising activities.
‘’But above all I want to thank my wife Jade and daughter Clementine.’’
