Paul Hegarty is in it for the long haul
Schools
A lot can happen during a career in classrooms, especially across four decades and counting.
When Paul Hegarty accepted the 2026 Catholic Education Award for Experienced Teacher (Primary) last month, he delivered an inspirational speech that sent goosebumps rippling through the room. He deeply believes in teaching as a vocation and in the weeks that followed, spoke to The Southern Cross over the phone from the US where he was watching the World Cup.
Much like a decent soccer match, great teaching requires patience and teamwork.
“In my speech I talked about people who were mentors, like my first principal who was a great leader,” Mr Hegarty said.
“He basically told me to teach lots of different year levels so I knew where kids were coming from. If they had struggles, I knew how to deal with it.”
Mr Hegarty also spoke about inspiring peers who were genuinely interested in children, relationships and building culture in schools.
“Having a good culture in the school is really important.”
A passion for education runs in the family. Mr Hegarty’s older sister is also a teacher.
“My dad was an electrician,” he said. “He thought it was important to have an education and go to university, so I decided to do teaching.”
Mr Hegarty began his career at Whyalla’s Our Lady Help of Christians in 1987, demonstrating both pedagogical strength and a commitment to equity of opportunity.
His wife Maureen, who he met Whyalla, is also a teacher. The couple returned to Adelaide in 1994 and Paul’s appointment at St Brigid’s, Kilburn, solidified his commitment to inclusive education.
At St John the Baptist, Plympton, his leadership continued to grow. As Senior Teacher and Acting Principal, he contributed significantly to the school’s strategic and pastoral life.
Since joining Stella Maris Parish School in Seacombe Gardens in 2015, Mr Hegarty continued to make an impact as a classroom teacher and instructional leader.
He is widely regarded as a trusted and respected colleague, known for his innovative thinking and collaborative approach.
In this role, Paul has led a significant transformation of the school’s mathematics program and guided staff in developing a coherent, whole-school approach to numeracy, supporting teachers to design and implement lessons that are engaging, purposeful, and grounded in best practice.
He has witnessed many changes to education over the past 40 years.
“I think school teaching has gotten a lot harder,” he said. “One hundred per cent of my job used to be teaching but now we do lots of PPLs [personalised plans for learning].
When I first started, the children were probably there but they weren’t properly diagnosed with different learning needs, so there’s a lot more of that now.”
Changes in technology and innovation have also been mind-boggling. “When I first started teaching, we didn’t have a computer in the school.”
It all makes for a deeply fulfilling day job.
“I still love teaching,” he said. “It’s a great profession to be in.”
