Mrs Roberts has been awarded the New England Region Leadership Fellowship - Laurie Murphy Award for 2008-09.

The fellowship will allow Mrs Roberts to undertake research in aspects of school leadership, enabling her to benefit her school community as well as other schools across the New England.

She has been given $7,500 as well as 10 days of special leave to undertake her study, which will include trips across NSW, Melbourne and Adelaide to look at various programs offered to Aboriginal students.

“These programs include attendance and retention of students at schools,” Mrs Roberts said.

“I will also be attending a Indigenous Education Conference while I am in Melbourne.”

As part of the fellowship, when Mrs Roberts returns she will need to write a 3000-word report about what she achieved.

“It is going to be a really good opportunity,” she said.

“And I won’t just be using the skills at my school, I will be attending other schools in the area to speak about what I have learnt.

“Of course it will be a huge benefit for Inverell High and with more than 90 Aboriginal students, I am looking forward to putting what I learn into practice.”

NSW Department of Education and Training general schools deputy director Trevor Fletcher said he applauded Mrs Roberts for her commitment to providing quality leadership to the teachers and students at Inverell High School.

“These fellowships are given to 10 outstanding principals from each educational region in NSW,” Mr Fletcher said.

“”Their findings will then be used by the Department of Education and Training to enhance our School Leadership Development Strategy.

“Principals constantly strive for improvement and quality in the provision of educational opportunities and realise that there is more work to be done.

“The high calibre of the fellowship recipients indicates that we are heading in the right direction.

“I congratulate the outstanding work of all the recipients.”