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.
Senior Leader
Mrs Karen Boylan - Senior Leader
Karen Boylan joined the Yahl Primary School leadership team late in 2019. She has completed a Bachelor of Early Childhood (0 – 8 years) and a Master of Education (Special Education) and has 20 years of experience specialising in special education. Karen is responsible for providing leadership support to the Principal and for driving innovation in classroom teaching and learning practices, in particular literacy and numeracy intervention strategies.
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 1 & 2
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 Mel Holtz - Years 3 & 4
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.
Miss Emma Reppin - Years 4, 5 & 6
Emma Reppin grew up in Mount Gambier and joined the teaching team at Yahl Primary School in 2018 having spent the previous two years teaching in the UK.
Emma brings a strong literacy focus to her teaching and enjoys supporting children participating in T-Ball and the Pedal Prix – two of Yahl Primary School’s extra-curricular offerings.
Mr Chris Couchman - Years 6 & 7
Chris Couchman joined the teaching team at Yahl Primary School in 2019. He has been working in education for about 12 years both in South Australia and Queensland. Chris has had the opportunity to teach a broad range of year levels from R – 10. He loves the student growth you get to experience in the early years and the deep conversaions you can have with students in the upper years. All jobs matter, but Chris believes that when he can do his job well, that he can make positive changes to young people’s futures, and that is why he teaches.
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.
Mrs Wendy Loughhead - Science
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.
Administration Staff
Rachael Schroder - Finance Officer
Rachel Schroder has been in the Finance Officer role at Yahl Primary School since the beginning of 2019. During this time, she has developed expertise in all facets of school administration and finance. Prior to assuming this role, Rachel worked for over seven years in a range of corporate roles with the Education Department.
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 Ryan Horrigan - Information Technology (IT)
Ryan Horrigan joined the staff of Yahl Primary School in 2015.
Ryan works two days a week providing information technology support for teachers and administration staff, so that the administrative elements of their work can be completed in an efficient manner. He also works in classrooms providing mentoring support to students in information technology related areas.
Mrs Sherry Barker - Classroom/Administration Support
Sherry Barker has been working at the school since 2004 and loves working in such a supportive workplace.
Her role at the school is varied and there is never a day that is the same. Sherry works closely with a child who has Autism so that he can be in a mainstream class.
She has training in both QuickSmart Maths and Reading and works with children who are in the intervention program to help build their literacy and numeracy skills.
Sherry also performs a range of office duties which include the maintenance of student records and the production of the fortnightly school newsletter.
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 Dougherty - Classroom Support
Sasha Dougherty 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.
Marcus Wanganeen - AECO
Marcus Wanganeen joined the Yahl Primary School staff team as a part-time Aboriginal Education Community Officer (AECO) in 2019.
In this role, Marcus provides one-to-one learning support to Aboriginal students, runs an Aboriginal Club and coordinates the school’s NAIDOC week activities.
Marcus also facilitates classroom-based Indigenous cultural awareness learning activities.