MEET OUR ROCKSTAR TEACHERS!

We’ve all seen ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ and hoped like hell that the person educating our babies was a helluva lot more engaging, ammi right?

Photo of Clever Cookie Academy founder Peita Mages.

PEITA MAGES

Peita is a Minister’s Award for Excellence in Teaching recipient (for achieving record-breaking HSC results – but shhhh don’t tell her, she’ll get a big head). She is a teacher trainer, expert speaker and lover of literature. She’s a pusher and is renowned for her dogged determination to help her students achieve incredible results. Prior to teaching, Peita worked in the film industry for Walt Disney Pictures, Sony Pictures and Universal Pictures as a National Publicity and Promotions Manager. Hobbies include baking at inappropriate hours and lurking outside of her comfort zone. Snickerdoodle Cookies (look them up, they’re to die for) are her vice.

Photo of Clever Cookie Academy founder Peita Mages.

ROB MAGES

Rob absolutely HATED Mathematics as a child (unlike a lot of Maths teachers) and we think this is the precise reason he’s so darned good at explaining its tricky concepts to students. His background in the corporate sector means that he always links his teaching of mathematical concepts to a real-world setting, tackling the ‘when will I EVER use this in my life’ question, head on! His never give up mentality is known to rub off on his students and he is forever providing outside of hours support to Cookies stuck on particular maths problems. He is a prime target for any student selling charity chocolates and has opted for the full box more times than he will admit. He’s also a mean basketball player (his Cookies say he’s pretty nimble for an old fella!) A soft (non-crunchy) choc-chip cookie is the way to his heart.

Photo of Clever Cookie Academy founder Peita Mages.

GAY DILLON

Our Gay has had a fascinating career in administration. She’s worked for Blowes, Orange Primary School, Orange East Primary School, Orange High School and Canobolas High School. Most recently, Gay has been working for the Department of Education (Corporate Sector) so, clearly, she’s super unqualified and a terrible fit for CCA…NOT! Our Cookies have been known to bypass Gay’s desk for a sneaky treat as they head to their sessions or for a lovely chat and gah…we don’t know what we’d do without her! Wipes tears away.

Gay’s cookie of choice is a homemade Monte Carlo! Mmmmm…hope you’re sharing, Gay?

Photo of Clever Cookie Academy founder Peita Mages.

NICOLETTE GASH

Nicolette is a powerhouse English teacher whose diverse career has included stints at Billabong High School and Orange High School as well as London’s St. George’s Hanover Square Primary School in Mayfair, London. She’s met Prince Charles and Camilla! Yep – true story! Our Nic was also the English specialist at Reddam House in Sydney. A passionate educator, Nicolette is especially gifted at ensuring students grasp the ‘basics’ to enhance their skills and, importantly, their writing outcomes. An avid karaoke fan, Nicolette brings that same infectious energy to CCA and is most likely to be dunking an ANZAC cookie in her tea when she feels the hankering.

DENISE TAYLOR

Denise has a love of Science that is almost impossible to describe. When you talk to her about her experience teaching Biology, her eyes begin to sparkle and it’s clear to see that her fascination with Science rubs off on her students as she achieves consistent Band 6’s in what is a very tricky subject! Her passion to help students score careers in Science and her joy for teaching Biology is undeniable and Cookies who already know her absolutely corroborate this. In her spare time you might find Denise cruising in her iron man car listening to country and western music or munching on an Arnott’s Crown. Her favourite motto, ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’ drives her to seize opportunities like working at CCA and we are so excited to have her on Team Cookie!

PAUL MCKIE

Paul may be the new kid on the block at CCA HQ, but he’s no stranger to teaching! He’s had an astounding 49-year career as an educator! He’s been a Classroom Teacher, Year Coordinator, Head of Faculty, Head of Wellbeing…and this is all in addition to having passed as an Air Traffic Controller and being a fearless fireman! Speak to ex-students of Paul’s and they’ll tell you he TRULY made a difference in their lives! Junior High School Maths is his firm passion now and Cookies lucky enough to score him will benefit from his passion and patience when it comes to teaching tricky Maths skills. he believes there is no stupid question, so expect him to explain the method in a thousand different ways until YOU GET IT! If he isn’t already enough of an overachiever, Paul is also a State Rowing Champion…and a campanologist (yep, a professional bell ringer)!

Paul is also a soft choc chip cookie connoisseur…what a man!!

TOM MILSON

Tom is one of our original rockstar teachers from back in 2020 and some of you may recall the dulcet tones of his baritone voice! We reckon it would send Barry White weak at the knees!! Tom loves teaching juniors and seniors alike, especially those challenging Advanced and Extension subjects. He is a double-threat, holding teaching qualifications in both Mathematics and Science (including Physics and Chemistry). Yep…total nerd alert…in the BEST possible way! Rocking his fifth year of teaching, Tom is at the FOREFRONT of educational research and is receiving FAB mentoring both at his school AND at CCA.

LUCAS WRIGHTSON

Meet Lucas…the Science geek of your dreams! So talented was he from a young age that he scored a teaching scholarship and has been teaching and tutoring Physics for 8 years…so he knows his stuff! Teaching is in Lucas’s blood with his father also being a career Physics teacher. Lucas credits his father and a raft of expert teachers he had with encouraging his love of Physics and his greatest high is the genuine appreciation he feels from students when they finally have that aha moment. Cookies can expect a helluva lot of enthusiasm in Lucas’ teaching AND will need to be prepared to tell him when time is up – he loves it THAT MUCH! Lucas is a sports junkie so Cookies can expect some soccer banter and maybe even a tale or two about skiing and surfing. He enjoys any Cookie that exceeds the maximum amount of chocolate…in his words, “Anything less than maximum is unacceptable!”

 

JESS NORRIS

Jess’ love for the profession began in her early childhood when she’d walk around her cubby house with a clipboard bossing her brother around whilst pointing to words on a whiteboard! On top of being a fire classroom teacher, Jess previously worked as an early childhood educator for 3 years throughout university and we think, having observed her as she taught some lessons at CCA last year, that this is where her seemingly unending patience comes from! Jess needs good gluten free cookies in her life and quite fancies gluten free shortbread creams!

SAM PLUYMERS

Sam, the Miss Honey of CCA (Matilda, people…look it up) comes to us highly recommended from both her teaching colleagues, and most importantly…KIDS! As a librarian and current teacher of K-2, her love of literacy and helping Cookies forge a relationship with reading is electric! When Sam’s not reading her favourite genre (mystery), she’s doing arts and crafts (and unlike Peita’s craft projects, her projects actually turn out successfully!) Sam has a genuine love of kids and her ability to draw a smile out of even the most reluctant learner is her special sauce. She has quite the penchant for travel and has visited Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Fiji! When she’s not jetsetting, you’ll find her enjoying a cuppa and a white chocolate macadamia cookie.

YOLANDA LEFEVRE

Yolanda (Yolli) is teaching sunshine in human form! Her infectious passion for teaching and her ability to turn a student’s day from miss to hit is absolutely undeniable! Like all Team CCA Rockstars, she’s a nerd at heart and cites that her students’ inquisitive natures drive her to want to continuously learn. Yolli has a particular passion for Maths and loves the certainty of it’s right vs wrong answers, and the ways she can help students backtrack and find solutions in multiple ways. You can often find her taking Year 9 NAPLAN tests for fun! LOL! There will never be a dull moment for your Cookie in Yolli’s sessions and, don’t worry, they’ll get used to her dancing and acting skills while they learn! A lover of all things green (she talks to her indoor plants) and a Mint Slice cookie lover, Yolanda is a total breath of fresh teaching air and we are totally here for it!

AMY HINCHCLIFF

Amy is a HIT with her Cookies and it all comes down to the beautiful rapport she creates with her students. Amy’s career began in her childhood when she’d giver her little brother lesson in counting to ten in French and use a whiteboard to demonstrate quadratic equations…we’re thinking of a word that begins with N and rhymes with bird…LOL!! There will be PLENTY of laughs with this 10-year veteran of teaching who has taught in schools across the Central West of NSW and in QLD. Amy lists live music as her favourite activity when out on the town! In her down time, you’ll catch her nibbling some Caramel Crowns – a far underestimated part of the chocolate covered Arnott’s collection, in our humble opinions!

LIV HORDYNSKY

You know that teacher that primary aged kiddies run at full speed towards to give a big hug? That’s our Liv! Currently kicking goals in the classroom as a full time teacher, Liv manages to find time in her busy hockey playing, musical doing, Harry Potter reading life to blow our Cookies’ minds! She’s a jokester and Cookies will love the way she inserts humour into her teaching. Cookies love learning from Liv and we are sure her sessions are going to be a hot ticket! Her favourite Cookie? Macadamia and White Chocolate Chip and we reckon if she’s a bit nutty she’s going to fit in around here just fine!

CHARLIE PARKER

So WHO is the bombshell leading ‘Sound Squad’? It’s none other than Charlie Parker!  Why? Well to name a few reasons…

  • She’s been a lead singer of a band for 20+ years (yes, we know..SO youthful!!! It’s the face cream we reckon!)
  • She’s a bloody musical genius and anyone who knows her work can attest to this!
  • She’s starring in the upcoming OTC production of Mamma Mia as Donna (yep, that’s the big kahuna role) so she’s got the voice, the moves and the X factor
  • She’s a stellar human being, and guys, we’re big on this as at CCA we have a no A-hole policy when it comes to hiring!

Charlie, a purveyor of white chocolate and raspberry cookies, would choose George Michael to sing a duet with and her favourite song to sing in the shower is Kylie Minogue’s, ‘Better the Devil You Know’!

ALLIE PLATT

If you’re wondering whether Allie, our shine solicitor, has the experience to change your Cookie’s life…fear not.  Allie has trained in dance, drama and vocals with leading industry professionals from the age of 3!

She has a Certificate of Drama and Performance (Honours) from AMEB AND has been the Director and Teacher of Express Yourself Speech and Drama Studio for the last 18 years. To boot, Allie’s been awarded numerous scholarships across Australia, and won countless championships and nationwide drama competitions. Allie’s favourite part of drama teaching is giving children a space to free their creative minds and push their imaginative boundaries while also giving them confidence and speaking skills that are transferable to many other aspects of their lives. Allie is a traditionalist when it comes to cookies…she’s all for chocolate chip cookie dough!

BASTIEN FOUGEROLLE

Bastien, a French native and all round lovely human (you may know him from one of our faves, Racine Bakery) is our fearless French teacher extraordinaire! He’s been teaching French for the past few years and has a practical methodology that completely immerses his students in all things French! Want to travel to France and be able to not just survive but THRIVE? Bastien has you covered! He’s also known to put on a sneaky champagne and a cheeseboard during end-of-term celebrations…so very French and chic!