Every morning before school at Bellbird Park State Secondary College, Jacob Cheung – a Maths teacher and Head of Senior Schooling – can be found running tutorials for all students.

Currently in his seventh year of teaching, Jacob has been described as someone who cultivates a culture of teamwork, innovation, and professional development within the Maths faculty, where he also took on the role of Teaching and Learning facilitator.

Recognising the relevance of eSports in education, Jacob took the initiative to create a program that not only captures students' interests but also aligns seamlessly with academic objectives. The eSports curriculum also provides a safe place for diverse learners and was introduced to the school in 2023 as a Year 8 elective.

Jacob has coordinated the eSports club which saw the school receive several awards at the 2023 SEQEL Queensland eSport league, including Mario Cart Champion, Rocket League champion, and an Excellence in Integrity award.

In addition to classroom responsibilities, Jacob has used his expertise in data to create and develop mark books, databases, and school-wide behaviour reports which are sent to all relevant staff every week. His school was able to start the ‘P4 brain break’ intervention in 2022, because of data showing spikes in behaviour in period four. By the end of 2022, period four no longer had the highest incidence of behaviours.

In his nomination, colleagues wrote: “Jacob deeply cares for the quality of learning that occurs in the classroom and constantly works with peers to develop student centred activities.”