Warrah Specialist School is delighted to announce that Principal and Executive Dr Dawn Grant-Skiba has received two national 2026 Schools Plus Teaching Awards, including the inaugural Lee Casuscelli Excellence in Special Education Award.
Australian Schools Plus is a national not-for-profit organisation focused on improving education equity and ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive. Now in their tenth year, the Schools Plus Teaching Awards recognise exceptional teachers and school leaders who are finding innovative ways to improve learning, inclusion and wellbeing outcomes, particularly for students experiencing disadvantage. This year, 13 educators from across Australia were recognised at an awards ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra on 15 September.
Honouring Lee Casuscelli’s legacy
The Lee Casuscelli Excellence in Special Education Award was established by Schools Plus, with founding support from Westpac, to honour the life and work of respected educator and disability advocate Lee Casuscelli, who passed away unexpectedly in February 2026.
Lee dedicated more than 40 years to education and was a passionate advocate for children and young people with disability and diverse learning needs. She served as Principal of Aspect Western Sydney School and Aspect Macarthur School before joining Schools Plus as Director of Education, where she continued to champion inclusive education.
The inaugural award recognises an outstanding educator who demonstrates exceptional dedication, compassion and advocacy for children and young people living with disability.
Dawn said receiving the inaugural award was an unexpected and deeply meaningful honour.
“I was aware of Lee and the incredible work she did, particularly her commitment to children and young people living with disability. To receive the inaugural Lee Casuscelli Excellence in Special Education Award is an incredible honour.”
“Lee and I shared a belief that people living with disability deserve dignity, choice and the highest quality education possible. They deserve to dream big, have a voice and have every opportunity to live a fulfilled life.”
Continuing to learn and improve
The Awards provide a total of $50,000, including a $20,000 Schools Plus Teaching Fellowship for Dawn and $30,000 for Warrah Specialist School to further develop innovative approaches that improve outcomes for students with disability and diverse learning needs.
The year-long Fellowship will give Dawn access to professional development, national networking, master classes and a tailored high-impact school visit.
For Dawn, it is an opportunity to explore how research and evidence can translate into practical improvements for students and their families.
“There is still so much work to do. I want to continue building our understanding of best practice for children and young people living with [intellectual] disability but also make sure that research translates into practical change.”
“For me, that means early intervention, high-quality ongoing support and creating opportunities for people with [intellectual] disability to have agency over their own lives.”
Creating opportunities to contribute
A central part of Dawn’s educational philosophy is that students with intellectual disability should have opportunities not only to learn, but to participate and experience a genuine sense of purpose.
At Warrah, this is reflected in the school’s Transition Program, where senior students participate in work experience and community-based learning.
“Our students have so much to contribute,” Dawn said. “When they go out into the community and work in a retirement village, an inclusive workplace or another work environment, they are not just learning skills. They are experiencing what it feels like to contribute, to be valued and to belong.”
“That sense of self-worth is incredibly important. Whatever level of independence a young person can achieve, they deserve to have people see their potential and recognise what they can bring.”
A proud moment for Warrah
The awards were presented at Parliament House in Canberra on 15 September, marking a significant moment for Dawn, the school and the wider Warrah community.
Her recognition comes at an exciting time for Warrah Specialist School, which continues to grow its specialist education offering for students from Kindergarten to Year 12. The school recently opened two new classrooms, creating additional opportunities for students and families to access Warrah’s individualised, relationship-based approach to education.
For the Warrah community, Dawn’s recognition is a wonderful acknowledgement of the principles at the heart of the school: seeing each student’s potential, listening to their voice, supporting their development and creating genuine opportunities to participate, contribute and belong.
We warmly congratulate Dawn on this outstanding achievement and look forward to seeing how her Schools Plus Teaching Fellowship will contribute to the continued development of specialist education at Warrah and beyond.
