Meet our School Officers


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Barbara Hamilton

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

My role at OLW is a school officer in Prep. I have worked in all year levels during my twenty plus years and have enjoyed the opportunity to have assisted many children gain the confidence to love learning and giving it their best. 

What do you love most about your job? 

What I love most about my role is to create a safe learning environment for all students.

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

I feel very fortunate to be working at a school with professional, caring staff who all have the same goal of helping each child reach their full potential. I also enjoy being part of an engaged community where students and their families have a strong sense of Catholic community.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

The joy in helping students learn new concepts. For example after helping a child for weeks with a math concept, I love the look of achievement on their face when they understand.

What are you passionate about? 

I am passionate about working with children and supporting their growth.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I love gardening and spending time with my grandchildren.

 

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Patricia Eckersley

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

I have been a school officer at OLW for 19 years. I have supported teachers and students across all year levels.

What do you love most about your job? 

Each day, I have the opportunity to learn from others and offer my skills and experience to support teachers and students at OLW. As a school officer, I provide support for students with diverse learning needs under the direction and supervision of the teacher, to support the achievement of educational outcomes from prep to year 7.

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

While working at OLW, I am presented with new challenges which require patience, understanding and problem solving, as well as a sense of humour. We work as a team to support each other to provide a caring and positive learning environment. Our school community is special to me because it is based on the teachings of the Catholic faith. Our community is based on respect and treating others as they would like to be treated.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

At the OLW swimming carnival quite a number of years ago, I was watching a freestyle race with parents and other OLW staff. One competitor was well behind the other students. The crowd cheered as each swimmer crossed the finish line, but the loudest cheer was saved for the student who came last. Even though he felt like giving up, he kept trying and gave his all to the end of the race.

What are you passionate about? 

I have a keen interest in working with students in groups and individually to become independent readers and writers.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I enjoy spending time with my family, friends and our cavoodle, Roscoe. I also love playing the piano and running at Sandgate.

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Dina Asho

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

I am a school officer and I've been working at OLW since 2018.

What do you love most about your job? 

I love being able to support students and see them grow academically and personally.

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

The positive relationship between all the teaches/staff and students.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

A special memory to me will always be year 6 graduation.

What are you passionate about? 

I value the importance of fostering a love for lifelong learning. Encouraging curiosity and a growth mindset helps students become independent learners who are eager to explore new ideas and knowledge. Education is such a dynamic field, and there's always something new to learn and be passionate about!

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

Reading Arabic novels and spending time with those I love.

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Marika Meredith

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

I am a school officer / school secretary.

What do you love most about your job? 

It's very rewarding to support children with their learning and to see their confidence grow.

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

I love our school community. The staff genuinely care about each other, the students and families are always there to provide support and encouragement.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

There are so many memorable moments. If I had to choose one it would be getting feedback from a student that I'm a positive person in their life.

What are you passionate about? 

I'm passionate about reading and love to see kids of all ages improve in this area. I'm also passionate about helping students to feel happy, safe, and ready to learn.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I enjoy cooking, sewing, camping, and spending time with my family.

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Angela Henderson

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

I am a school officer and have been at OLW for 5 years.

What do you love most about your job? 

I love the staff community and working with the children to help them succeed.

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

I enjoy that OLW is a place that prioritises working with the staff to help the children learn.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

I love how excited the students get when we plant the flowers annually for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

What are you passionate about? 

I am passionate about helping the students with their learning.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I love going to the beach and camping with my family and friends.

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Tara Clarke

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

I am a School Officer and have worked at OLW for 19 years.

What do you love most about your job? 

I love seeing the joy on students faces when they achieve something they have been struggling with. I also enjoy working with different teachers to continue my learning.

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

The interactions with the students, knowing I'm trying to make a difference and helping the kids to be successful. The staff work well as a team, your input is valued, and we are all here for the families of OLW, working towards the same goal.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

Having been at OLW for so long, I have many memorable moments. What's beautiful is seeing past students return as successful young adults. Being part of the JRock and Wakakerie performance crew in the early years and now the Easter Plays and watching the kids perform, showcasing their skills in The Arts.

What are you passionate about? 

I'm passionate about adapting learning to be hands on and finding ways of teaching through art, baking, and the use of concrete materials - just to name a few things.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I love Swing Dancing (Lindyhop), card making and spending time with my grandchildren.

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Ruth Anderson

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

I am a school officer and have been at Our Lady of the Way for eight years.

What do you love most about your job? 

What I love most is the staff community.

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

Staff community and the support you receive is something really special and unique to our school community.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

Something that stands out to me is watching a group of students go from year one through to year six and then graduating. I had them in year one, three and five.

What are you passionate about? 

I am passionate about helping others to learn in ways that make them successful.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I enjoy outdoor adventures, I am a lover of antiques, and pottering in the garden.

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Rebecca Prideaux

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

I am a school officer and have been so for 3.5 years.

What do you love most about your job? 

I love working alongside my team members to encourage and support the students with their learning.

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

The thing I enjoy most is building relationships with both the staff and students.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

It is always memorable watching children reach their potential and experience new things while on school camp.

What are you passionate about? 

I am passionate about fitness, family, friends, and chocolate.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I enjoy going to the gym, socialising with friends, and going away in my caravan.

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Angela Fratus

What is your role at the school and how long have you been a part of the team/OLW?

I am a school officer in Year 5. I've been working here for 10 years and have been part of our parish community since I moved to Petrie 18 years ago.

What do you love most about your job? 

I love seeing students' progress; not just academically, but socially as well. I also love the OLW staff as they are an amazing group of people!

What do you enjoy the most about working at OLW? What makes our school community special to you? 

The staff are great, and I like the fact that we are a small school, so it's easier to get to know the students, even if I've never worked with them in the classroom.

Can you share a memorable moment/experience you have had while working at OLW? 

My three children attended OLW, so I have many memorable moments! (They are all teenagers now!)

What are you passionate about? 

I'm passionate about supporting students and promoting a good work ethic and positive behaviours in order for them to be successful in secondary school and society in general.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I enjoy going to my kid's AFL and soccer matches, going out to dinner with family and friends, travelling and going the gym.

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