New Staff at St Albans Secondary College - St Albans Secondary College

Tereza Cuca

Hello.
My name is Tereza Cuca and I am very fortunate to have become a part of the St Albans Secondary College Community. I have been in the education system for a number of years, teaching both classroom and instrumental music.

Apart from playing music, I enjoy reading and travelling. I will forever be a student, as I love to challenge myself and continually learn about a range of topics which interest me.

I am looking forward to the year ahead and working with you all!

Natalya Hawrylak

Dear St Albans Community,

My name is Natalya Hawrylak. I have recently moved to Victoria from Perth, Western Australia. I am your new Teacher Librarian and also teach Year Nine English. I have been teaching for over a decade and love what I do!

I am a literary Mary Poppins. I go where I am needed to teach literature and literacy. I am book obsessed with an ever growing To Be Read pile.

I have taught students from PP-12 all across Western Australia. I have also worked with many Australian authors and illustrators.

In my spare time you’ll find me in bookstores, antique shops, restaurants, theatre and bike riding through Melbourne. It’s a dream of mine to travel to Portugal to watch the big wave surfing contest at Nazare. I love visiting any Mecca and Green Cup store. Come and say hello and let me know what books I need to read. These are always my favourite conversations. It’s lovely to meet you.

Lukas Matovinovic

Dear St Albans School Community,

My name is Lukas, I’m a new teacher at St Albans Secondary College and am extremely excited to join the SASC community this year as a Humanities teacher. I am deeply passionate about teaching the Humanities having studied Politics, Philosophy, and History at Monash University.

While this is my first year at SASC, my family were born and raised in St Albans with my Mother and her siblings all being alumni of our school back when it was St Albans High School.

Outside of school I like to read, cook and listen to records at home.

I look forward to working with you all over the coming year!

Elizabeth Psalia

My name is Elizabeth Psaila and I’m teaching English, Humanities, and History at St Albans Secondary this year. I’ve come from teaching and leading at a school in the Northern suburbs and I’ve taught a range of subjects at all year levels before. My favourite subject to learn about is History, especially the Ancient Romans and Tudor England.

In my spare time I like to read, bake, sew, sing, make things with clay, walk my dogs, and play video games.

I’m really looking forward to working at St Albans Secondary; I did my pre-service teacher placement here, and ever since then, I’ve wanted to come back.

Josh Hall

Dear St Albans Secondary College community,

I’m Joshua Hall, and I’m thrilled to become part of the St Albans Secondary College community as the Disability Inclusion Leader for 2024. My background in education has primarily involved spearheading initiatives to enhance student engagement and wellbeing, notably through roles as a year level coordinator and Subschool Leader. Prior to this, I honed my management abilities across various retail brands within the Just Group, Accent Group, and Cotton On Group.

Outside of work, I dedicate time to several hobbies. I enjoy composing and playing music on the guitar, maintaining my fitness through strength training, and occasionally enjoying video games. Thanks to the warm welcome and support from both staff and students, my transition into the college has been seamless.

I eagerly anticipate getting acquainted with everyone across the college.

Mathew Wenham

Dear St Albans Secondary College community,

Hello! My name is Mathew Wenham and I joined St Albans at the beginning of the 2024 school year. I have taught English and Humanities in the western suburbs of Melbourne for the past twelve years, and I’m excited to continue my commitment to the mighty west at this fantastic school.

I’ve had a varied working life, which began in hospitality management at venues in both Melbourne and Sydney. I later moved to teaching, researching and lecturing in philosophy at Adelaide and Flinders universities, before qualifying myself to teach in secondary schools.

Outside of work, I like to spend with my family and friends. I play (too much!) golf, and I enjoy learning new languages. Right now, I’m learning Danish.

I’m really looking forward to working with everyone at St Albans.

Daisy Ge

My name is Daisy Ge, and this is my bio for Alba:

My name is Daisy and I am very excited to be joining St Albans Secondary College in 2024. I have a background in Visual Arts, I am also new to teaching and I look forward to gaining new experiences here at this school.

In my spare time, I enjoy watching films and television shows. I look forward to meeting everyone and working with the community here at St Albans Secondary College.

Jun Hayashi

Hi everyone. My name is Jun Hayashi. It’s a pleasure to be part of the St Albans Secondary College community, and I will be teaching Japanese and Maths for Years 7 and 8 this year. I have completed my undergraduate degree (Education) in Japan and a postgraduate (Second Language Acquisition) in the US, and I have taught English from children to adults in Japan for a few years. I came to Australia in 2002 and I have been teaching in Victorian high schools since. I enjoy working with young people and their families, and I’m hoping that I can make a positive impact on everyone I come across at the college community.

I have a family of four (me, wife, son and daughter). I love playing sports such as volleyball, basketball and pickleball, and I also enjoy fishing, gardening and fixing things.

I look forward to getting to know you and working with you all.

Wei Cai

Hello everyone, I’m joining the maths team this year and am very privileged to be working at St Albans Secondary College. The friendly and supportive environment within the school made me feel very welcome. I enjoy teaching and find satisfaction in students’ growth. I love listening to music and reading books.

Thank you!

Ben Chen

Hi everyone, my name is Ben Chen. I am excited to begin my role as a physical education teacher here at St. Albans Secondary College.

A fun fact about me is that I am from Canada (Eh), which is about 15,000 km away from Melbourne! I just moved to Melbourne in the new year, and I have loved every moment of it. I graduated from the University of Manitoba with my Bachelor of Education degree in 2022. I taught secondary physical education back home in Winnipeg (another fun fact: Winnie the Pooh was named after the city), and I will be able to use the skills and knowledge that I have acquired in Canada to adapt it to the Australian curriculum.

In my spare time, you can find me on the tennis courts trying to improve my game, on the badminton court losing every game, and getting lost while jogging around the city. I also enjoy travelling and making short videos of my travels. I look forward to being a part of and giving back to the community that we serve.

Justine Johnston

Hello, my name is Justine Johnston and I am teaching mathematics at St Albans SC to a variety of levels.

I have taught at a few different schools and am looking forward to some new experiences.

I enjoy reading, gardening and travelling. I have adult children and a cute dog (that I love to take for walks on the beach).

Jeremy Italia

Hello, my name is Jeremy.

I live nearby and have just graduated with a double degree in Bachelor of Teaching/Arts, having graduated from my local government school a few years prior.

I have two brothers and a cat named Sylvester. I enjoy reading, travelling when time and finances permit, and spending time with friends and family.

I am very much looking forward to meeting all of the students, staff and families at St Albans Secondary College, and getting involved in all of the extra-curricular activities on offer.

If you happen to see me on campus and we have not yet met, please come over and say hi so I can learn your name!

Frank Fan

Konnichiwa St Albans Secondary College community!

I am thrilled to introduce myself as your new Japanese teacher, Frank Fan. Previously hailing from a charming regional area in South Australia, I bring with me a passion for language education and a deep appreciation for cultural diversity.

Having taught Japanese in a close-knit community, I am excited to embark on this new journey at St Albans Secondary College. My goal is to create an engaging and enriching learning environment that sparks curiosity and fosters a love for the Japanese language and culture.

Outside the classroom, you might find me at the local gym, where I indulge in my love for workouts and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I believe that a strong body and mind go hand in hand, and I look forward to sharing this philosophy with my new colleagues and students.

I am eager to contribute to the vibrant community at St Albans Secondary College and create memorable learning experiences together. Here’s to a fantastic academic year filled with language exploration, cultural appreciation, and, of course, some fitness inspiration!

Looking forward to meeting and collaborating with all of you.

Nathan McGillivray

Hi! My name is Nathan McGillivray and I’m excited to work at St Albans Secondary College. I was previously working at Manor Lakes College in Werribee as a Humanities and senior History teacher. I realised I wanted to become a teacher when I worked at KFC during high school. I found that I really enjoyed training the new recruits, and I wanted to work in a career that allowed me to help people grow and learn new things.

Outside of work I play basketball for a team called ‘Nevalost’. We do in fact lose quite frequently. I also do karate 3 times a week and hope to grade for my next belt this year. On Saturdays I do ballroom dancing with another teacher friend, however most of this time is spent trying to not step on each other’s feet rather than actually doing the correct steps.

I look forward to meeting all of my classes so we can learn and grow together!

Huey Tran

Hi all! My name is Huey. I joined all of you here at St Albans Secondary earlier last week, in the science role. I’m a recent grad, so this is my first year teaching. I look forward to getting to know you all over the course of the year.

I’ve recently come back to Victoria after spending the last 10 years in Queensland. I’m originally from Sunshine, so I had been around St Albans quite often in the past (especially for food). A lot has changed, but the weather is exactly how I remembered it to be.

In my spare time, I’m watching TV shows and movies with friends, or reading stuff while waiting for new shows to drop. I’m also fond of board games, escape rooms, and team trivia.

I’m excited to see what the rest of the year brings.

Jeanette Coloca

Hi, my name is Jeanette Coloca and I am very excited to be joining the SASC team as the Literacy Learning Specialist.

My experience has spanned almost 20 years in Education, and I have held several roles during that time both in schools and in the regional office as a Leadership Partner.

I have two young children aged 9 and 7. When my life is not dictated by their social agendas, I love hikes, running, music, and love to laugh so am always seeking new comedy show recommendations.

I look forward to meeting each of you and working with you all.

Isabella Pentland

Hi St Albans Community

My name is Bella and I am the new Junior Sub School Administration Assistant.

While I have a background in admin, this is my first time working in a school. I am really excited to get to know everyone in the St Albans community.

I have recently moved back home to Melbourne after 5 years in Canberra and in my spare time you will find me at the beach with my dog Ruby, cooking or reading.

I’m looking forward to meeting everyone, please come day hi!

Megan Wang

Hi, my name is Megan Wang. I am very excited to be part of the teaching and learning community of St Albans Secondary College. I graduated from Monash University. I have taught year 10 – 12 psychology in my previous teaching time. This year I will be teaching VCE psychology and junior science at SASC. I can’t wait to explore the wonders of the mind and the natural world with you.

When I am not in school, you will most likely to find me in different places around the world exploring different countries, nature sceneries and of course, restaurants. I enjoy sharing my experience with my students and integrate it with course content where relevant.

Other than that, I am a foody with no doubt. I love spending time in my kitchen cooking meals for friends and families. If you are interested, come and see me, I might share my secret recipes with you.