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Dr Catherine Day

OAM

For more than a decade, Dr Catherine Day OAM has been known as one of the most innovative education leaders in Queensland.

As the Townsville Catholic Education (TCE) Executive Director Catherine (Cathy), with the support of others, led the introduction of a world-first Christian meditation program in schools, which saw every student in every class in the diocese practise the skill.

She is now a world leader in the area and is called on internationally to present at conferences about the strategy and its benefits.

Cathy, with the help of her colleagues, also introduced the school arts festival ‘Mulkadee’, was named the Townsville Corporate Business Woman of the Year in 2002, and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2003 to study educational strategies and polices which resulted in increased educational outcomes for low socio-economic students in remote and rural areas of Canada.
​
The Tropical Brain and Mind Research Foundation Board Chair, who started teaching in Mount Isa in 1976 and only retired from her position as TCE Executive Director this year, says there is nothing greater than education.
​“Education is the absolute foundation of our society,” Cathy says.
“As adults and trained educators, we have the privilege and the responsibility to help children and young people find their talents,” she says.

“It is our job to lead them, it is our job to encourage them, and it is our job to recognise in them that they are contributing already to the fabric of our society and so, education to me – it is the foundation of our society and our community.

“There is nothing greater than it as far as I am concerned.”

Cathy says leading TCE was the pinnacle of her professional career.

“During that time I worked with extraordinary people,” Cathy says.

“My greatest joy was seeing the great work that was going on in our schools – our rural and remote schools and our big Townsville schools – all very much united across a very diverse and vast geographic distance, but also very closely linked. They are very strong community schools and we have great leadership from our principals,” she says.

Cathy taught for 24 years and was the principal of two large schools – Holy Spirit Catholic School and Ryan Catholic College – before she joined TCE as its Assistant Director of School Services. She was made the Executive Director of TCE in 2006.

Cathy, who is also an Adjunct Professor at James Cook University, says she is humbled to receive the Order of Australia Medal and thankful to those who nominated her.

“It was a wonderful, wonderful career,” she says.
​
“I am very blessed and pleased that I had the opportunity and the privilege of leading Catholic Education in this diocese.”
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  • Home
  • TEACHX AWARDS
    • 2019 TEACHX Winners
    • 2019 TEACHX Finalists
    • 2019 TEACHX Nominees >
      • Beginning to Teach Award Nominees 2019
      • OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY AWARD NOMINEES 2019
      • Excellence in Teaching Award Nominees 2019
      • Innovation in Teaching Award Nominees 2019
      • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award Nominees 2019
      • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award Nominees 2019
  • Teacher Stories
    • Teaching graduates meet tough standards
    • Rachel Downie
    • The importance of teachers
    • Marsden State High School has the answer to keeping beginning teachers in the classroom
    • Exceptional support for early career teachers in Far North Queensland
    • QBECT
    • 2018 Awards >
      • 2018 Winners
      • 2018 Finalists
      • 2018 Nominees >
        • Excellence in Beginning to Teach Award
        • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award
        • Excellence in Teaching Award
        • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award
        • Outstanding Contribution to School Community Award
    • 2017 Awards >
      • 2017 Winners
      • 2017finalists
      • 2017 nominees >
        • Excellence in Beginning to Teach
        • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning
        • Excellence in Teaching
        • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching
    • 2016 Awards >
      • Excellence in Beginning to Teach
      • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning
      • Excellence in Teaching
      • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching
    • HAT and LT >
      • Meet the Assessors
      • Ruth Graham
      • Tracey Peden
      • Helen and Dwayne
      • Carly Sopronick
      • Jessica Roberts
      • Jessica Roth
    • OAM >
      • Kathryn George, OAM
      • Keith Graham, OAM
      • Dr Judith Grimes, OAM
      • Michael Goodwin, OAM
      • Steve Parle, OAM
      • Dr Lyn Bishop, OAM
      • Dr Catherine Day, OAM
    • Taryn Gollshewsky
    • Vanuatu
    • NAIDOC >
      • NAIDOC Week 2017
      • NAIDOC Week 2016
    • QLD Day >
      • Bundaberg East State School
      • St Catherine's Catholic College
      • Mornington Island State School
      • Queensland Week 2016
    • ANZAC
  • Anxiety and trauma―an expert’s advice