Spotlight On Ms Teagan Gmeiner Mr Zachary Baldock Mr Stephen Roberts

Ms Teagan Gmeiner College Psychologist

Prior to Wesley Prior to joining Wesley in Term 3, 2021, I worked at Mazenod College for just over three years in the Senior School Psychologist role, after graduating from the University of Western Australia in 2017. This role involved additional learning about adolescent males and working within a school environment allowed me to develop my skills further.

What made you choose Wesley? After beginning my psychology career working with male clients I wanted to build upon my strengths, while giving myself an opportunity to grow. Looking into working environments that could provide me with this, Wesley College was pinned as somewhere to further myself. Upon stepping onto the school grounds and meeting the Psychology and Executive teams, I knew this was where I wanted to be. The professionalism that is an undercurrent throughout all that is completed at Wesley made me confident that this would be a school that supported me both personally and in my career. What are you looking forward to?

Although only having been at Wesley for a short period, the relationships with my colleagues, clients, and their parents are already emerging. Building relationships is a critical element to my practice as a psychologist and continuing to foster these is something I am working hard on, but also finding thoroughly enjoyable. Being able to promote mentally healthy behaviours such as coping strategies and helpseeking is something I can’t wait to instil in the culture at Wesley College. The stunning view from the Staff Room is also something that I don’t think I will ever get tired of seeing.

Outside of the College, what are your favourite things to do? I am an avid hockey player, so I spend a significant amount of time outside work either playing, watching, or talking about hockey. I also love spending time at the beach and having very loud dinners with my family and friends. I am an early riser so enjoy getting in a swim before work, and love crime shows/podcasts.

Mr Zachary Baldock (05–12) College Psychologist

Prior to Wesley I joined Wesley in Term 3, 2021. Prior to this, I worked at Senses Australia as a Senior Psychologist providing psychological services to children and adults with a wide variety of disabilities. Within this role, I also practiced as an Advanced Behaviour Support practitioner supervising a multidisciplinary team of Professionals in ‘Positive Behaviour Support,’ a person-centred psychological framework. I previously worked with the Department of Education in 2020 as a School Psychologist, based at Willetton Senior High School. I completed my Master of Psychology (Professional) at Curtin University.

What made you choose to join Wesley? Early in my career, I recognised that I wanted to work with youth to better their mental health and be able to provide intervention to children in their formative years. Wesley was the perfect choice for me to be able to do this. As I am an Old Wesleyan, I knew I could connect with the students around their experiences. I know what it is like to be within the system and experience difficulty and hardship within the school. Additionally, the community had always held a special place in my heart and I had always hoped to return to give back to the College community.

What are you looking forward to?

I am looking forward to immersing myself in the culture of the College and increasing awareness around mental health. I am excited to motivate the students to be the best version of themselves and encourage them to express their emotions. I love counselling and working one-on-one with people, and I am ready to support all of Wesley's amazing students in various ways.

Outside of the College, what are your favourite things to do? I enjoy spending time with friends and family. I love to keep fit by going to the gym or playing hockey and indoor beach volleyball. I am also a massive fan of the TV show Survivor, so speak to me about that!

Mr Stephen Roberts Head of Arts

Wesley College was delighted to have Mr Stephen Roberts join us this year. On his way to becoming Head of Arts at the College, he’s spent time as a professional actor, director and producer as well as being named as one of Australia’s most innovative educators.

Prior to joining Wesley In 2005, after teaching Sport and Drama at home in the UK, I left for a holiday in Australia and subsequently had to work as a labourer to supplement my adventure, however, after a week of real hard work I realised that I was better suited to continue in the teaching profession. Before joining Wesley College, I was the Director of Arts at All Saints’ College where I was proud to be named among Australia’s Most Innovative Educators by the Future Schools Alliance, an honour that recognised years of attempting to break what didn’t need to be fixed!

What made you choose to join Wesley? I chose to come to Wesley as I relished the opportunity to move away from what I was most comfortable with. I had heard that the College was going through a period of evolution and I really fancied the opportunity to provoke change and be part of something exciting and challenging. I have always found it necessary to look beyond what is in front of me and when I learnt that the motto of the College was 'By daring & by doing'… I was sold!

What do you enjoy about working at Wesley? I love coming to work and being met by the energy and enthusiasm of the Arts department. Their passion for what they do is intoxicating and feeds me with the motivation to do the best I can to support their vision. The students who I have been lucky enough to work with so far are full of energy and genuinely care for each other, which is key to any successful community. The staff and students are really welcoming and committed to the cause – there is a team mentality evident across the school, which is definitely something that I welcome.

What are you looking forward to now that you are settled in?

I am looking forward to assisting in making the Arts a vital and visible component of Wesley, a department that prides itself on constantly evolving with the needs of the students and providing our community with something to champion. We are already committed to growing our opportunities to collaborate in order to provide our students with the best possible outcomes and to prepare them for the real world beyond the boundaries of the College – so we will now strive to practice that philosophy. I am looking forward to being a part of a team that will build a legacy for the future of Arts education.

Outside of the College, what are your favourite things to do?

I love sport and, as a proud Welshman, I follow the ups and downs of the national rugby team. Curiously, they have been far more successful since I moved to Australia. I am addicted to sport documentaries and am constantly amazed by the drama and emotion that sport can evoke. I also feel that I should recognise my family. There is nothing better than being with my wife, watching our young sons play footy and then grabbing breakfast together at our local café.