Staffing News for 2026

Celebrating Our Team and Looking Ahead!

We want to sincerely thank you for your patience as we finalised our staffing arrangements for the upcoming 2026 school year. We are thrilled to now confirm the wonderful educators who will be guiding our students' learning journeys!

Our 2026 Classroom Teachers

We are delighted to share the confirmed teaching staff who will be bringing their passion and expertise to our classrooms.

• P/1D: Jodie Davis 
• P/1K: Chloe Kaeding
• 1/2C: Mel Cardillo
• 1/2P: Cailin Prebble
• 3/4P: Lisa Peake & Tracey McKenna 
• 3/4S: Sheree Sullivan & Casey Gaunt
• 3/4M: Josie McLeish
• 5/6W: Luke Wenzcel  
• 5/6F: Casey Ferris

We are excited to welcome Josie McLeish to the Holy Cross team! Josie brings a wealth of experience, including 13 years as a Learning Support Officer, recent work as a P.E. specialist at Our Lady of the Rosary School  in Kyneton as well as valuable insights gained as a mother of four! She has first hand experience in differentiated instruction and explicit teaching methods and is a highly organised educator. We are delighted to welcome her passion and expertise to our school community!

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Casey Ferris to the Holy Cross team in 2026! Casey is a highly experienced educator who brings significant expertise in innovative curriculum design, explicit instruction, and leadership development. She places the  students at the centre of all her work and shares our deep passion for excellence andinnovation in education. We are incredibly excited for Casey to join us and look forward to both our students and staff learning from her vast experience.

We extend a warm welcome to Chloe Kaeding as she joins the Holy Cross team and settles into the beautiful Macedon Ranges. Chloe is a highly regarded educator who brings extensive experience in high impact strategies and evidence informed practice. With a strong background in junior classrooms and a proven ability to support diverse student needs, Chloe's commitment to structured and predictable classroom routines makes her a wonderful and exciting addition to our school community. Welcome Chloe! 

Our 2026 Specialist Teachers

• Yoshi Uemura (Japanese)
• Helen Coughlan (Performing Arts)
• Leonie Wallis (Physical Education)
• Kathy Shelton (Visual Arts)

• Micheal Portelli (Outdoor Education)

   

It is with great pleasure that we introduce our new Outdoor Education teacher Micheal Portelli. Micheal joins us after 16 years as a classroom teacher at St Ambrose in Woodend, bringing with him a strong passion for sustainability and a deep commitment to creating hands-on learning experiences that build student confidence and spark curiosity. 

Notably, Micheal's teaching is enriched by his previous career as an environmental scientist, where he focused on land rehabilitation, bioenergy research, and dryland salinity, experiences that will significantly benefit our students' understanding of the world and environmental stewardship. With his own small farm, Micheal is excited about bringing together his passion for education and sustainable living at Holy Cross. 

Farewell to Edwina Mintern who has made an incredible impact at Holy Cross over the last six months.  Edwina has accepted a position as a Learning Specialist Leader at Sunbury Macedon Ranges Specialist School, leading and developing others in the specialist setting.  this her area of expertise and we are so pleased to know that she will be responsible for developing a new generation of educators. Thankfully, Edwina will continue to offer support and expertise as a parent in our community. We wish her all the best! 

Celebrating New Beginnings and Well-Deserved Rest

While we look forward to welcoming the new year, we also recognise and celebrate the professional growth and personal journeys of the staff members who will be moving on to new adventures or taking a period of well-earned rest. We extend our gratitude for the lasting impact each of them has had on our students and our entire community. 

Please join us in wishing the following cherished educators all the best:

Abby Fiddes has accepted a role at St Mary's in Lancefield. This is a wonderful opportunity that aligns beautifully with Abby's goals and future plans, particularly as she begins building her new home in regional Victoria. Abby has been an incredibly talented graduate, professional and dedicated to the students and her work. We wish her all the best in what will no doubt be a long and successful career in education. 

Louise Ralph and her family have now relocated to regional Victoria. We deeply appreciate her incredible commitment to her students, knowing each child's needs deeply and being on the front foot in sharing the learning partnership with parents.  Louise has continued to commute more than an hour each day since half way through the year in a further testament to her dedication and commitment. We wish her and her family all the best for a smooth transition and much happiness in their new community.

Pat Piazza and Alice Elston have both accepted positions at Our Lady of the Rosary in Kyneton as part of the STEAM team.  Pat has made a significant impact during his time at Holy Cross, building strong relationships with students and creating safe learning spaces where many have thrived. Alice, most recently working in intervention, has been a dedicated classroom teacher who played a huge part in the lives of our students, including last year's Prep class. Both are looking forward to this exciting specialist role and the opportunity to work closer to their families.

As published in last week's newsletter Kellie McDonald  will be finishing at the end of this year with some well earned leave scheduled for Term 1.  It's hard to truly capture how much Kellie has given to this community, and, as seen at the graduation, continues to go above and beyond. Please stay tuned as we farewell Kellie formally over the next week. 

Also, of huge significant, Jill Cannon will be retiring after 46 years in Catholic Education.  Jill's expertise in wellbeing, leadership and supporting every child has been such a strength of our community. She is such a calming and supporting member of our community and will be greatly missed.  We wish her a joyful and fulfilling retirement as she concludes her wonderful career with us at the end of the year.

Staff we will see again soon..

Kate Bloomcamp will begin her Maternity Leave at the start of 2026. We are all very excited to meet her new baby boy and wish her all the best during this exciting and important time for her family.

Emily Merrett will be taking a year of well-earned leave.  We would like to thank Emily for her tireless work and the passion she brings to the classroom. We hope this time brings her much rejuvenation and joy.

All students attending Holy Cross Primary School have the right to feel safe. The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility of all within our school.