Local high school staff Sally Taylor and Alison Stanton have been lauded by the staff and students around them for quite some time, and now they’ve been rewarded for their dedication on a statewide stage. 

Both Ms Taylor and Ms Stanton - from Coonamble and Coonabarabran High School, respectively - received the Secretary’s Award for Excellent Service at last week’s public education staff awards. 



Coonabarabran High School principal Mary Doolan said that Ms Stanton was the obvious choice given how she impacts both students and staff in her role as Aboriginal Education Officer. 

“I think she’s got a very clear lens on what matters in schools and she has clear mantras. One of her mantras to the staff is that ‘we’re here for the kids’, and to the students is that ‘you’re here to learn’,” Ms Doolan said.

The award celebrated Ms Stanton’s integrity, resilience and collegiality in her daily practice. 

Ms Stanton said she was incredibly humbled to receive an award for the job she loves. 

“I get to deal with different people all the time and different issues every day…my office is like Central Station,” she said. 

Not far away in Coonamble, the local high school’s career advisor Sally Taylor was awarded the same honour in recognition of her contribution to improving student engagement and increasing access to TAFE courses. 

Coonamble High School executive principal Stewart Vidler said Ms Taylor’s "clear-headed determination and genuine belief in the students at Coonamble High School" won her the award. 

“She gets results for students by getting them into work experience, work placements, traineeships, and apprenticeships at a higher rate than any careers teacher I’ve ever worked with,” Mr Vidler said

Having grown up in Trundle, Ms Taylor is determined to see the success of local students. 

“I believe that public education is really important and it’s important that all opportunities available to students are offered to them, no matter where they are,” Ms Taylor said. 

Both staff attended a ceremony held at Sydney Town Hall last week to celebrate the outstanding staff in public education.

For both schools, the honour extends beyond the award recipients. 

“It’s nice for our schools to have a member of staff recognised with such a prestigious award…it’s not for us but we were just happy that Alison won because she’s such a highly valued member of our team,” Ms Doolan said. 

Mr Vidler said that the award is an endorsement of the work of local schools. 

“I think our great strength is knowing our students and caring deeply for their futures.”