Staff Farewells Maurice Lee Maurice Lee restarted at Mazenod in 2010. Restarted? I hear you ask – had he taught here before? Well, no, like a number of other staff he had been a student at the school. In fact, he was part of the initial intake of students back at the very start of the school. Since then, he had been teaching in a number of Government schools but was keen to return to the Alma Mater. The first couple of years at any school is always tough, as you find your feet and become accepted and Maurice was no exception. He had mainly Senior Maths classes, but was lucky enough to be one of the select group to be given a Year 10 Further Maths class. To top it off, it was a very big class and this baptism of fire produced a few more grey hairs, but a more mature and well-rounded teacher as well. For the last seven years Maurice has taken on the important role of managing the timetable, which he has done extremely well, showing great compassion, patience and tact in balancing the needs of everyone – administration, staff and students. So, like the Romans, what has Maurice done for us? Experience: with over 30 years of classroom experience Maurice has brought a depth of knowledge and a variety of skills and practices to the school for the benefit of the staff and students. Team work: Maurice is great to work with as he is a real team player. He is happy to work with anyone and is always willing to do his share of the workload. His calm, relaxed manner puts both staff and students at ease. Sense of humour: Being a Richmond supporter means that this is almost a prerequisite and enables Maurice to laugh at himself and with (not at) others. The students in particular recognise this and greatly appreciate it. Caring and kind: To be a good teacher you must be tough at times but always caring and kind to all you come in contact with. In the 10 years I have known him I have never heard Maurice say anything nasty or vitriolic about any one – except the teams that beat Richmond. This positivity enabled him to get the best out of his students. He was always up for a chat and a quick trip down for a coffee and ‘in-service’, especially if he knew you were having a tough time. So what next for the great man? In fabulous news for the local coffee shops and wineries, Maurice and his wife AnneMarie are building a new house, complete with stylish ‘man cave’, which Maurice claims is for the grandchildren – yeah, sure mate! We wish him all the best for his retirement and his move to the regions . Richard Faragher
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Matt Rowland Matt made an inauspicious start at Mazenod in 2014, preferring an incognito approach in the safe confines of his office, rather than the jungle of the staffroom. However, his inner-tiger emerged as he became comfortable with his surroundings and quickly developed into one of the most prolific corridor chatters and office visitors at Mazenod. From a teaching perspective, the students have benefitted from Matt’s assured and confident manner in the classroom, imparting his wisdom on economic policy, management strategies, finance, algebra and Australian slang. It was in the area of student wellbeing that Matt thrived, as the Year 11 Assistant Coordinator, then Year 8 Coordinator, before taking on the role of Dean of Junior School. Rather than pouring fuel on a fire, Matt excelled in practically assisting students on a daily basis, working closely with staff, students and parents so that situations were calmly resolved. While many were impressed with the military precision of his Junior School assemblies, Matt’s coaching expertise will also be missed, with an undefeated ACC Cricket team. With a refusal to be hamstrung by a lack of AFL knowledge, he also created one of the hardest tackling Year 8 AFL sides in the history of Mazenod. Similarly, Matt was always ready to don the khaki and raft along a freezing river in the rain, to assist the Outdoor Education program. Socially, Matt will need to find a new couch full of friends to keep him up to date with the minutiae of College life. However, his larger-than-life presence will be sorely missed in the staffroom. As co-President of the Staff Association, Matt was responsible for the organisation of many social events, providing staff with a new found love of edamame. Much like the Mazenod College Guiding Principle that he co-wrote, Matt has been “continuously burning bright” in sharing his talents at Mazenod. We wish him all the best as he, Cath and Thomas make the move to peaceful Canberra where Marist College will be the beneficiaries of his teaching, leadership and Netflix recommendations. Clare Caldwell Naomi Grima On behalf of the nurses, we farewell Naomi Grima as a permanent member of staff. Naomi joined the Mazenod Nursing team in 2019 and has been a highly valued and respected staff member. She has enriched the department with her knowledge and outgoing personality which will be sorely missed. Naomi will continue with her job in the Day Unit at Knox Private Hospital and will remain at Mazenod on a casual basis. We thank Naomi for her contributions to the College and wish her all the best for her future. Nadine Forder
