Staffing Profile
Our Team
Yahl Primary School has a wonderful team of teaching and support services staff who work collaboratively to ensure that the learning experience for all students is positive, safe and rewarding.
Principal
Mrs Christine Morrison
Christine Morrison is the Principal of Yahl Primary School and has been in the role for five years.
Christine lives in the Yahl community and has done so for 27 years.
She has taught in a number of schools in the Limestone Coast in primary, special needs and secondary settings, as well as in the private sector. This has given her a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience to draw on in her current role.
Christine’s strengths are in the areas of Well-Being and Engagement, underpinned by a Masters Degree in Well-Being in Education.
Her aim as Principal is to work with her staff, parents, care givers and the broader community to ensure that all children that attend the school flourish.
Deputy Principal
Mrs Taiggan Height
Taiggan Height joined the Yahl Primary team in 2023 as Deputy Principal. She also teaches in the Year 4/5 and 5/6 class.
Taiggan is a local, growing up in Mount Gambier and Penola. After graduating from Flinders University she moved back to Penola to teach and experience the small school setting that she had grown to love. Taiggan has spent the past decade teaching at Grant High School. She has taught years 7-12 in a range of subject areas, as well as taking on the roles of English/Languages Coordinator and Cross Disciplinary/Curriculum Pathways Coordinator.
Taiggan loves working with young people and believes a holistic view is needed in education. The importance of building relationships is embedded in her practice. Taiggan works with students to co-regulate and use a growth mindset – empowering students to challenge themselves.
Teaching Staff
Mrs Yvonne Archibald - Foundation & Year 1
Yvonne Archibald has been a member of the teaching team at Yahl Primary School since 2007.
During my teaching career she has taught in many South Australian Schools, predominately in country areas.
Yvonne particularly enjoys working with children in the early years and is passionate about making the first years of a child’s school life as positive as possible.
Miss Kirsty Michalski - Years 2 & 3
Kirsty Michalski joined the teaching team at Yahl Primary School in 2017 and loves the special community that she calls her ‘Yahl Family’.
She has taught in a variety of schools across South Australia since graduating in 2004.
Over the years she has taught children from Foundation to Year 7.
Miss Jessica McGregor - Years 3 & 4
Jessie McGregor joined the teaching team at Yahl Primary School in 2023 as a graduate teacher after spending some much loved time here for her final practicum. She loves the feeling of working in a small country community.
Jessie specialised in inclusion and supporting students with disabilities at university. She has set up her classroom environment and developed her teaching practice to support a range of diverse needs within her classroom.
Jessie adopts a modern-day approach to teaching, letting her bubbly, fun and friendly personality shine through her interactions wih staff, students and parents.
Jessie is responsible for teaching the middle primary students at Yahl Primary School.
Miss Mel Holtz - Years 4 & 5
Mel Holtz joined the teaching team at Yahl Primary School in 2016.
She graduated from Flinders University in 2001. On completion of her degree she left Adelaide and moved to Portland in Victoria where she taught Years 1 – 4 and Art across all year levels. She did this for five years before taking family leave and caring for her two small children.
On returning to work Mel taught Garden Studies, Art and junior Music.
Since coming to Yahl Primary School she has enjoyed teaching many different year levels and curriculum areas.
Mrs Wendy Loughhead - Year 5 & 6
Wendy Loughhead joined the teaching team at Yahl Primary School in 2014. During this time she has worked as a classroom teacher across many year levels.
Wendy is currently responsible for teaching Science across the school.
Ms Heather Skillin - Japanese/ICT
Heather Skillin joined the teaching team at Yahl Primary School in 2004.
Heather coordinates the school’s Japanese language program, working closely with the Open Access Centre based in Adelaide. She also teaches computing awareness to children in the Junior School.
Heather has played a lead role in the establishment and management of the schools Interoception Room, which provides a calming space for children to retreat if they are exhibiting challenging behaviours. This room plays a significant role in the school’s well-being program.
Administration Staff
Tanya Frost - Finance Officer
Tanya started at Yahl Primary School in 2022, having previously been at another small school in the area for six years.
Tanya has worked in private and industrial sectors as well as public and has a vast range of experience in office management, project management, payroll, HR and finance.
Tanya loves working with the small school community and loves the sense of family and well being that it brings.
School Services Officers
Mrs Leanne Hill - Classroom Support/Library Manager
Leanne Hill has been a staff member at Yahl Primary School since 2004.
During this time she has worked in numerous roles including classroom support working with children with differing degrees of learning needs and difficulties, and as Manager of the Library.
Leanne also supports the school’s Music program.
Mr Joshua Justice - Information Technology (IT)
Joshua Justice joined Yahl Primary School in 2021.
Joshua works once a week providing information technology support for staff and students through the Department for Educations Extended Support Program.
Within his role Joshua works to ensure the school has a strong IT foundation.
Mrs Sherry Barker - Classroom/Administration Support
Sherry Barker has been working at the school since 2004 and loves working in such a supportive workplace.
Sherry has training in Minilit, Multilit, Initialit, Quicksmart Literacy and Numeracy. She is passionate about supporting the needs of all students to ensure they reach their full potential.
Her role at the school is varied and there is never a day that is the same. Sherry works with small groups focused on literacy interventions as well as in class behaviour support.
Mrs Alison Primer - Classroom Support
Alison Primer has worked at Yahl Primary school for several years.
During this time she has performed a variety of roles focusing on supporting children across a range of curriculum areas.
Recently Alison assumed the role of coordinating the QuickSmart Numeracy. Thisu00a0 intervention program aims to support childrens’ numeracy skill development, including the automatic recall of basic number facts.
Mrs Sasha Norris - Classroom Support
Sasha Norris has been a staff member at Yahl Primary School since 2013.
During this time Sasha has worked with many children to support their learning, including one-on-one classroom learning support.
She has extensive knowledge and skills in working with children with Autism.
Sasha has recently been trained in QuickSmart Reading. This interventionu00a0 program focuses on improving students’ automaticity of word recognition and fluency in reading texts.
Mrs Heather Muller - Classroom Support
Heather Muller commenced working at Yahl Primary School in 2017. She has a very strong connection to the school, having been a past parent of the school.
Heather really enjoys working with children with special needs in the early years classes.
She is also responsible for supervising the road crossing each morning and evening to ensure that all children and parents arrive and depart safely from the school during these busy times.
Mr Cameron Horsburgh - Classroom /Music Program Support
Cameron Horsburgh commenced work at Yahl Primary school in 2018.
He has a strong musical background and his talents are utilised in the music program operating within the school.
Cameron works with students in the classroom setting as a learning support person and takes small groups of children to stretch their knowledge in the area of Numeracy. He also runs a social skills program called ‘What’s the Buzz?’.
Cameron is currently studying to become a qualified teacher.
Belinda Tilley- Pastoral Care Worker
Belinda has been working at Yahl Primary school since the beginning of 2020.
As the school’s Pastoral Care worker, Belinda works with children needing social and emotional support.
Whether it is assisting students to reach their learning goals in the classroom or being a positive role model in and out of the classroom, Belinda believes strongly in the importance of building positive and safe relationships with all students.