2021 Staffing Update

Every year at about this time, we have the opportunity to welcome new members of staff to our NCS teaching team. At the same time, we also say farewell to other staff who, for various reasons, will not be with us in the coming year.

I am pleased to report that we have had considerable interest from numerous applicants for the range of positions that we advertised some time ago. Since then, we have been very busy as we have met with and interviewed a number of excellent candidates for these roles. It is my pleasure to now be able to introduce you to new staff who will be joining us for the first time next year and to inform you in relation to others who will be changing roles in 2021. 

Miss Nikki Bignell

Nikki is an experienced teacher who will come to us from Summerland Christian College. She has also taught overseas for a period of time. Her area of teaching expertise is in Secondary PDHPE. By way of introduction, Nikki stated,

‘I began my teaching career at NCS and since then I have gained further experience by teaching at several schools in the Shoalhaven, North Coast and as a missionary teacher in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I love sports, in particular netball, tennis and stand-up paddle boarding and I am delighted to be returning to the South Coast and to NCS to teach within the PDHPE faculty next year. I am excited for the opportunity to encourage and equip students with the necessary skills to prepare them to succeed in the world and impact it for God’s glory.’

Miss Laura Treglown

Laura is currently in her first year of teaching and is working in a part-time capacity at Cedars Christian College. Next year she will be teaching Junior Secondary English. Laura has shared the following comments with us:

‘I am excited and feel very blessed to be working as an English Teacher at NCS next year. Since graduating in 2019, I have worked at several schools in the Wollongong area but I am looking forward to becoming part of the NCS community. 2020 was my first year as a graduate teacher and what a year it has been! Obviously as an English teacher I fill my time with reading as well as watching the latest offerings on Netflix or playing games with my friends. I just love immersing myself in a completely different world whether that be through viewing, reading or writing. This has inspired me to travel and experience a range of cultures around the world.  I am passionate about new experiences and always seeking to learn and improve. I hope I can bring this same mindset to my students as they grow throughout my time at NCS.’

Mrs Shannon Rebel

Shannon is an experienced English and History teacher and these are the areas where she will be specialising next year when she joins our NCS Secondary staff team. Shannon has also had recent experience in another career area but I will let her tell her story in her own words.

‘I am delighted and very grateful to be joining the NCS community in 2021. I have 15 years’ experience in secondary English/History teaching and 10 years’ experience working in child welfare. I am a long-term local and live in the Shoalhaven with my husband and 4 children. We are a part of South Coast Life Church in Berry. I am looking forward to serving in a Christian environment, combining my passion for literature and history with caring student-centred pastoral care.’

Mrs Kathy Flippence

Kathy is an experienced teacher who would already be well-known to many people in our NCS community. We are delighted that she has accepted our offer to teach at the Stage 3 level in our Primary School next year. Again, I will let Kathy share her story with us in her own words.

‘My association with NCS started in 1999, with the beginning of my teaching career. I continued on working at NCS, in various capacities, for over 10 years.  During that time my own three children also attended the NCS Primary School.  In 2011, our family moved to Ethiopia for 7 years, to serve in a Christian International School.  Working within such a diverse school community developed my teaching and leadership skills and gave me a greater awareness of the value of individual differences. Since our return the Shoalhaven area, I have taught in a number of local schools, and my younger two children have been attending their senior classes at NCS.  It is with great excitement that I am re- joining the NCS staff in 2021 and I look forward to sharing my love for the Lord and learning with my students in the coming year.’

Mr Chris Terlich

Chris has been teaching at NCS as a member of the Primary School staff for many years now. He is clearly well-known to most members of our NCS community. However, Chris is excited about a major career re-direction next year that will see him teaching at the Junior Secondary level. Chris has shared the following comments with us:

‘I am very excited to have been offered an opportunity to get a taste of teaching in the Junior High School next year! I believe it will be a very valuable experience in my teaching career and I am very much looking forward to working with students in the subject areas of Maths, Science and PDHPE. Some of my favourite subjects to study when I completed my HSC included Physics, Chemistry, Advanced Maths, Extension 1 Maths and PDHPE. They are all subjects I have loved teaching at a Primary School level and I look forward to gaining experience with teaching these subjects in Stage 4. I dearly love and will miss working closely with all the incredible Primary School staff and students next year but I am also thrilled to be reconnecting with some former Primary School students in the High School, meeting new students and joining the Secondary staff team. Can’t wait!’

Mrs Erin West

We look forward to welcoming Mrs West back in 2021, as she returns from maternity leave. Mrs West will be working in the Secondary Department one day per week.

We look forward to welcoming all new staff members to our team next year and know that they will bring many valuable gifts and talents with them. However, as mentioned earlier, there are also some staff members who will be leaving us for various reasons in 2021 and I would wish to acknowledge two of these now.

Mrs Michele Dallimore

Michele has made the decision to take 12 months leave next year. However, we will see her from time to time as she undertakes some casual teaching opportunities at NCS whilst on leave.

Mr Cadeyn McLellan

Cadeyn has been a valued member of our Secondary staff teaching team throughout 2020. He came to us in a 12 month fixed-term capacity and we have been most grateful for the role that he has played throughout this year. Cadeyn shared the following comment with us:

‘I would like to express my gratitude for the wonderful experience it has been for me to work at NCS this year. I have learned so much about teaching and have really enjoyed my time working with the staff and getting to know the students. I'll look forward to doing some casual teaching at NCS next year.’