ACEL ACT Branch Awards 2026
 

Call for Nominations

A highlight of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders Australian Capital Territory Branch is the annual celebration and presentation of awards. ACEL ACT honours those educational leaders who in the view of their peers have made a significant contribution to the understanding and practice of educational leadership.

To assist in this process, we urge all ACEL ACT educators to consider nominating worthy candidates for recognition of their leadership and service to education. The award nomination process is confidential until completed, and nominations have been approved. The ACEL ACT Awards committee will evaluate nominations with respect to the essential criteria.

The ACEL ACT awards committee will contact successful nominees on the completion of the process. In all cases the Committee Convenor will also contact all nominators in relation to the outcome of their nomination. Nominators seeking further information or assistance should contact the ACEL National Office at [email protected] to obtain contact details for the ACT Committee Convenor.

Branch processes and celebrations will be staggered across the calendar year. Information in regard to the awards ceremony is available on our website at: acel.org.au/calendar

Nominations close
Wednesday 8 April at 11.59pm (AEDT)

ACEL ACT Fellowship Awards

ACEL presents Fellowships to those who have made outstanding educational leadership contributions to ACEL and/or whose work has influenced educational practice at a state and/or national level.

Any member of the education community in the field of educational leadership or education may be nominated for an ACEL ACT Fellowship. Members receiving fellowships are permitted to use the post nominal FACEL (ACT).

Evidence needs to be mapped against the following criteria:

  1. Australian Professional Standards for Principals:
    • Leading teaching and learning
    • Developing self and others
    • Leading improvement, innovation, and change
    • Leading the management of an organisation
    • Engaging and working with the educational, wider community and/or profession
  2. Contribution(s) to ACEL (if applicable)
  3. Contribution(s) to the profession beyond the scope of professional role.

ACEL ACT Excellence in Educational Leadership Award

Award(s) are presented each year to an educator or educators who has demonstrated excellent leadership in implementing an educational initiative or conducting research which leads to improved educational outcomes for students. This certificate of recognition is designed to enable you to nominate staff for their exemplary work within their area of responsibility. It is aimed at a variety of leadership contexts, be it classroom, faculty, school, tertiary, system, or consultancy.

Essential Criteria:

  • A significant contribution to the professional learning of others.
  • Recognition as an enthusiastic and committed driver of change.
  • Building purposeful internal and external relationships, networks, and partnerships.

ACEL ACT Growing in Leadership Award

This award provides teachers who are in the early stages of their career, generally in their first five years, with recognition for their excellent contribution to education in ACT.

Essential Criteria:

  • Exemplary teaching practice.
  • A contribution to leading the professional learning of others.
  • Building purposeful internal and external relationships, networks, and partnerships.

ACEL ACT Trish Wilks Award for Collaborative Practice

Trish Wilks has been a longstanding member of ACEA and ACEL. Trish is a Past-President of ACT ACEL and was also a national Board member. Trish has demonstrated collaboration at the highest level. Her motivation has always been to work to improve outcomes for students in the ACT, and a highlight of her work for ACEL has been her commitment to the annual Awards. Trish was part of the Awards committee for many years and was often responsible for writing the award citations.

Essential Criteria:

  • Exemplary teaching practice.
  • A significant contribution to the learning of others.
  • Sustained and successful collaboration within a school or across schools.
  • Evidence of the difference made by collaborative practice.

The intention is that this award would go to two or more practitioners.

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