ASSOCIATION
ARTICLES NEWS
Welcome your 2019 STANSW Council Members
President
Margaret Shepherd, Sydney Catholic Schools: Southern Region
I am currently the Science Adviser at SCS and am based in Revesby. I have been on STANSW Council since
2001-2011, 2014- current, and worked in a range of positions including Councillor, President, Secretary,
Vice-President and Treasurer. My role involves the field of adult learning, as I work with teachers to support
professional learning in areas of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. I al-so am the lecturer in charge of Science
Curriculum and Teaching, so have a wonderful role working with pre-service science teachers. I am very
passionate about using inquiry in the classroom, assess-ment for learning, literacy and numeracy, ICT,
feedback, PEEL and engaging students in their learning,
I have been awarded a citation for Leadership in Professional Development and Curriculum Innova-tion in 2001,
STANSW Distinguished Service Award in 2004, Executive Director’s Award for Ex-cellence in Teaching in Sydney Diocese in 2004,
an Outstanding Professional Service Award from PTC in 2005 and an Exceptional Professional Service Award in 2017 (Professional
Teachers’ Coun-cil NSW) Teachers’ Award to Science at the Shine Dome in 2006. All of these opportunities arose from my involvement
in both STANSW and through my work, so I commend to all teachers of sci-ence to become involved in your STA.
I strongly believe that teachers benefit by being involved in their Association, so I wish to strengthen the Association through the
involvement of more teachers in its governance, and the planning of all events. We are a powerful and intelligent group of practitioners,
and collaborative and collegial dia-logue and professional learning communities help all teachers to improve their practice.
Vice-President/Marketing
Deborah de Ridder, Association of Independent Schools. NSW/Education Consultant
I am currently an Education Consultant with the Association of Independent Schools based in the Sydney
CBD. I work with teachers and NSW independent schools in the area of professional learning, including
Science and STEM teaching and learning. I am an experienced Science teacher having taught in Catholic and
Independent Schools during my career.
I am passionate about how syllabuses translate to effective teaching in the classroom. I was fortunate to have worked for NESA during
the Stage 6 syllabus development process in 2016.
I believe that teachers benefit greatly through collaboration and the sharing of ideas and resources. The Association allows all school
sectors to come together for the benefit of all teachers and students. I hope that as a Council we can encourage the sharing of ideas
through our events, our publications and networks.
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 1