Emmaus Award Spotlight: Diane Hickey

Members of the Catholic Schools of Maitland-Newcastle community gathered at Sacred Heart Cathedral last month for the annual Called to Serve Mass.

Before the mass, the annual Emmaus Awards were presented, which recognise and celebrate the significant contributions of staff in schools across the diocese.

Diane Hickey, from St Pius X High School, Adamstown won the Award for Leadership.

Inspired by her childhood mathematics teacher, Diane has gone on to lead a career bountiful in success, making her an exemplar testament to the lifelong impact teachers can have on their students.

“I am really humbled and honoured to have been chosen for the Emmaus Leadership Award. I would like to thank the St Pius X Community for supporting me in my role as Mathematics Leader of Learning,” Diane said.

“My high school Maths teachers from Brigidine College at Randwick inspired me to become a teacher.”

Diane has taught Mathematics in Catholic education for over 40 years, working at St Pius X since 2002. Her extensive knowledge of the students, their families, and staff, successfully guide education at St Pius. Diane’s organisational skills, guidance and encouragement of her colleagues are instrumental to her management of the mathematics faculty.

Diane has been teaching the Mathematics Enrichment Program for over ten years, offering twenty-five classes through an academic year, taught before school, initially to Year 10 students, with the addition of gifted Year 9 students in recent years.

“I get inspired by the effort of students and the struggles they overcome. I encourage our Year 10 students to participate in the Mathematics Enrichment Program. Lessons are created to give students the opportunity to explore, discover and be challenged by complex mathematical concepts. I believe this experience greatly benefits students who are considering Stage 6 Mathematics Advanced,” Diane said.

“I love teaching Mathematics and I also love learning. Teaching gives me the opportunity to learn from my students and my colleagues.”

She is an altruistic leader, who generously devotes her free time to supporting students. Diane is a compassionate and well-articulated champion for the needs of her peers, making her a treasured and valuable leader of the St Pius X school community. She is well deserving of this recognition.

 

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