People of Korowa People

By Jane Grlj, Director of Marketing and Communications

Kerry Irvine, Prep Teacher

As a Prep Teacher and Early Years Co-ordinator P-2, Kerry plays an important role in the lives of our youngest students. She is their first teacher at Korowa, supporting families as they transition into primary school. These early years are fundamental for children as they develop and learn socially, emotionally and academically.

“For as long as I can remember I always wanted to work with children. In Year 10, I did work experience in a Prep class. This confirmed for me I wanted to become a Primary School teacher” Kerry shared.

Kerry is passionate about the early years of education and is particularly interested in students’ individual learning needs and how best to support children with challenges. This interest was sparked while at University volunteering at a Special School. It was this experience that impressed on her that everyone is an individual and on their own learning path; that learning takes time and we need to be patient. As Kerry states, “All children are different, there is not one model that fits all. It is important to get to know children and learn how best to support them”.

Early in her career, Kerry worked with children with learning needs inconjunction with a Speech Therapist. This was an invaluable learning experience that extended her knowledge of language development and provided a much stronger understanding of how children develop their language and literacy skills. She uses many of these strategies in class when teaching the fundamental skills of phonics and language.

Growing up in the country, Kerry was surrounded by a strong community and that is what she loves about Korowa, its strong community. Staff, parents and students all developing connections not for just for one year, but for the entire learning journey. Having taught at Korowa for 26 years, Kerry has been fortunate enough to teach many children in Prep and see them graduate in Year 12. “I always feel a little sentimental when they graduate, all grown up.”

Niki Cook, Head of Year 12

Having worked at Korowa for 15 Years, Niki Cook, Head of Year 12 and VCE Coordinator, is well known to many of our staff, students and families.

A teacher of English, English as an Additional Language and Literature, Niki has taught across the secondary years during her time at Korowa, but most commonly works with our VCE students. In her current role she plays an essential part in supporting our Senior School students as they complete their final years of schooling and helps them to navigate their way into whatever the next step of their journey is. As Niki explains, “school is such a big part of your life when you are a teenager, and the world can seem like a very daunting place. That has always been the case, but I think it is even more true now, with a rapidly changing landscape, especially in employment”.

Niki is passionate about ensuring students get the most out of their time at Korowa and take advantage of all the opportunities available to them. She is also a big believer in helping them understand that it is okay not to be perfect. When asked what inspires her, Niki’s response was, “anyone who steps outside their comfort zone and challenges themselves. It doesn’t have to be by doing something astronomical, but I think that being willing to embrace the potential risk of failure and try anyway is truly inspiring”.

As the child of two teachers, Niki grew up with a strong teacher influence from both them and their friends, discovering from a young age that she enjoyed helping people to learn and challenge themselves, so teaching was a great fit for her in that regard.

Niki really enjoys working at Korowa and one of the things she loves is its size. It provides an opportunity to get to know everyone across the community and – because of that – to build strong relationships. “The sense of community is something that was clear to me when I first arrived 15 years ago, and it has endured throughout – definitely something special about the place.”