PTCWA Outstanding Professional Service Award 2009

2009 Recipient: Don Boyd

Don Boyd commenced his career as a secondary History and Economics teacher and has had 38 years of education experience which incorporates 28 years of rural education. His senior leadership roles include Head of Department; Principal District High School; Principal Senior High School; District Superintendent; Director Isolated and Distance Education; Area Director and Director Rural and Remote Education.

Don has been a long standing active member of the Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) and continues to contribute valuable service to the association and its members. His current contribution encompasses the roles of Executive Treasurer, National Conference Coordinator. representative on the Western Australian Rural Network Group, Executive Member of the Rural Education Forum of Australia, and Coordinator for the Senate Inquiry on the Federal Youth Allowance policy.

Don gives unstintingly of his time, his advice is always wise and timely and can be relied upon to volunteer for mundane tasks and at the same time be involved in vigorous policy debate. His knowledge and understanding of matters concerning rural learning communities is outstanding.

Don incorporates extensive, meaningful research as a foundation to determine evidence based and solutions focused approaches to improve education and training that has had significant recognition at local. state and national levels.

Don continues to make an outstanding contribution to the recognition and promotion of SPERA and has provided significant ongoing support to pre-service and graduate teachers across Western Australia and Australia.

In addition to his passion in improving education and training outcomes across regional. rural and remote Western Australia and Australia, Don has demonstrated his commitment to education as a whole through his previous executive roles on WATSA and HTAWA and through being a member of WADHSAA, ETAWA, ACE and ACEL. SPERA believes Don to be an excellent nominee for a PTCWA Annual Outstanding Professional Service Award.