Welcome to our new staff

Sami Abdilla 

Sami has worked in a range of Education Support roles at Wallan Secondary College over the past 6 years.  She is enjoying working in our friendly environment, where she says everyone is welcoming and supportive.  Sami wants to work in schools because she wants to be able to support all students, no matter their needs, and help them prepare for their futures.  When she is not running the VCE Study Centre, Sami is a keen netballer.  

Matt Pitman

Matt has had a number of leadership positions in his previous schools including Albert Park College, Catholic Regional College Sydenham and Catholic Regional College Melton. Matt joins us as a PE teacher and Year 8 Year Level Manager.   He finds the St Helena community incredibly supportive and dedicated to learning, not just educating.   Matt  says he was a highly anxious young man who had some incredible supportive senior teachers help him through his schooling.  He wants to do the same and provide support to young people and assist them to thrive.    Matt's interesting fact about himself is that he spent Christmas Day 2016 at Everest Base Camp, as part of a two month hiking trip in  Himalayas.  He managed to take home minor frostbite in his fingers and toes, and they still lose feeling in the cold!  

Felicia Pellegrino

Felicia has worked in the area of Careers and Wellbeing in secondary schools for more than f20 years, both in government and independent schools.  She has also worked closely with Local, State and Federal government funded programs in the areas of Careers and Wellbeing.  Felicia joins Debra Dunn in our fabulous Pathways program.   Having worked at St Helena casually over the past few years, she has always felt at home here and has enjoyed the experience largely because of the hardworking staff.  She says a strong work ethic is infectious, and she enjoys working in that type of environment.  She says our ethos around clear boundaries and expectations, empathy and understanding are very much in line with her own values.  Felicia has always been passionate about working with young people and supporting them to reach their potential.  She has a background as a social worker supporting students in their transitions through and from school.  When she's not working, Felicia loves tap dancing!  She loves all styles of dancing, and is embracing learning a new form of dance.

Emma Liu

Emma joins our Mathematics faculty after 6 years teaching at Traralgon College and East Doncaster Secondary College.   Her first impression of St Helena was that we are very organised, have nice staff, great technology and polite students.  Emma is passionate about helping students with their learning, although she never thought she would become a teacher until the last year of her Bachelor degree.  She had a number of very supportive teachers while she was studying which made her want to become one!  After she finished her Master's degree and became a  teacher, she can no longer think of any other career she would choose over teaching.  2023 is her 16th year living in Melbourne (she is from China).  Emma loves her life here, and enjoys travelling overseas during the summer holidays.  

Bishoy Hanna

Bishoy's previous teaching experience is at Brookside College and Whittlesea College - and a short stint at St Helena many moons ago!  Bishoy says we are a great school community with respectful students and supportive staff.   Bishoy believes that education is the way to making a difference in the lives of children and therefore the whole of society.  By modelling love of learning, Bishoy will assist his students to achieve their personal best.  Bishoy is eager to make a difference in our students' education, and will strive to support their learning experience for the best possible outcomes in his maths and science classes.   Bishoy loves the outdoors, and enjoys fishing.  

Stephen Hird 

Stephen joins us as our Groundsperson - one of the most important jobs in the school!   He first noticed our beautiful grounds with "a tremendous amount of leaves"!  He says the staff have been wonderfully welcoming and supportive.  Stephen is actually a qualified furniture maker and antique restorer, specialising in early French Provincial and Georgian reproductions.  He had a fibreglass repair factory in Bulleen building and repairing boats and jet skiis for around 15 years, but sadly had to make way for the new North-East Link.   As he says, when one door shuts, another one opens and he loves the view from his new office!