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?
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.
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.
AMY PROUDFORD-NALDER
We don’t think we’ve ever met an English teacher as beloved as Amy! She is a mum of 3 who adores animals, books and anything to do with Jane Austen. After practising as a litigation lawyer in Sydney and country NSW for over 10 years, Amy decided to become an English teacher – and boy are her students (and us) glad! Amy’s favourite aspect of teaching (apart from talking about books) is watching students make progress. Those “lightbulb moments” when students come up with their own great ideas after a class discussion are her jam! A total over-achiever, Amy is currently half way through her PhD in Law and English Literature and in her spare time enjoys reading, going to the theatre and ballet, and watching F1 motor racing. Amy’s favourite cookie is the good old Mint Slice!
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!
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.
LIV GRABHAM
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!
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!
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!
AMELIA NELL
Amelia is a career contemporary choir and a capella leader and our Sound Squad Songstress! She has previously coached vocal ensembles who have won multinational awards including First Place at The Australian Choral Challenge (Open Group) at the Australian National Eisteddfod in Canberra! Amelia has a great passion for a cappella arranging to create delicious harmonies. She also has a knack for creating mash-up arrangements, putting multiple songs together into one super cool piece and a flair for teaching a bit of beatboxing! We’re so thrilled to have such an experienced and energetic leader bringing the joy every week at CCA HQ! As for her cookie preference, Amelia quite fancies Arnott’s Hundreds and Thousands, because like her, they’re colourful, playful and who doesn’t love a bit of whimsy!
ADRIA HERTEL
We first met Adria when she was delivering HSC English Bootcamps at the Central West and Virtual HSC Revision Days. She knew her stuff and we knew we wanted some of what she was cookin’! And the rest is history.
Adria has been co-marking and providing feedback at CCA since 2023 and our Cookies love the special brand of tough-love she delivers on their drafts. Adria has been a Secondary English Teacher since 2009 and has taught every Stage 6 English Course. She also has 5 years of HSC marking experience making her the perfect fit to deliver phenomenal feedback to our lucky, lucky Cookies! Adria also loves a cuppa (as you can see in this pic) and a Tim Tam, cause clearly she has impeccable taste in both employers and cookies!