Teacher & Education Support Staff Profiles
Getting to know the HPS staff is an important part of building strong connections within our school community. By learning more about the people who work closely with your children each day, families can feel more confident and engaged in their child’s learning journey. Strong relationships between teachers, education support staff, students and families, supports communication and trust, building a positive learning environment for all.
In each newsletter, we will share a little bit about some of our teachers through a Staff Profile. We have asked teachers a range of questions and they have provided their responses. Please enjoy reading about Miss Abrahams (Year Three teacher), Ms Amarasinghe (Year Three teacher), Miss Li (Year Three teacher), Mrs Sinclair (Art teacher) and Mrs Shu Wong (Education Support Staff) this week.
| Rene Abrahams | History of employment? (where have you worked) I have worked at a school in South Africa for 4 years teaching Grade 1, a school in the South Eastern area for a year and a half teaching Grade 2, and now starting at Highvale as a Grade 3 teacher. 🙂 | What are your career highlights to date? There are quite a few, but making the move from South Africa to Australia was definitely the biggest one for me. Starting over in a new country can be quite scary, but I think approaching the 2 year mark I have grown so much. Also, becoming a team leader is definitely up there. | Who was your favourite teacher at school and why? My grade 1 and 3 teachers. Their encouragement and belief in me is honestly what kept me going. Their words always lingered in my mind throughout my schooling career. | My family My dad (in Aus), my mom and brother (back in South Africa) and my grandmother (also in South Africa). My cousin, her husband and my niece are my closest extended relatives who I speak to almost everyday. Do not be surprised if I randomly tell you stories and show you pictures of Avery (haha). |
| Chanya Amarasinghe | History of employment? (where have you worked) I’ve worked in a few schools in the Glen Waverley area. I love working with junior students and helping them grow through challenges. | If I wasn't a teacher, I would like to be… a speech pathologist. I am passionate about helping children find their voice and communicate confidently. | When not at school I like to… travel to new places and experiment with different recipes. I have visited over 25 countries and LOVE exploring new parts of the world and trying their cuisines. | My family consists of my husband, my mum, dad, brother and our family pets Arlo and Korra. Arlo is a golden retriever and Korra is a border collie. |
| Melody Li | History of employment? (where have you worked) I have been an early years teacher (Prep to 1) for three years, where I leveraged my teaching skills and I am passionate about scaffolding students to achieve their full potential.
| What are your career highlights to date? I love learning and growing with students every day, through fostering their curiosities to explore the world further and things of their interest. | When not at school I like to… Travel and going on new adventures to different countries. I travelled to Turkey last year and am aiming to visit one more country in 2026! | If I wasn’t a teacher I would like to be… A part-time violinist who can travel around the world in my own time! |
| Pereena Sinclair | What makes Highvale PS a great school to work at? The students, staff and community make HPS such a special place. We have students who genuinely want to learn and teachers who really care about our students' wellbeing. I love working with staff across the school to ensure our students have the best possible educational experience - one that is inclusive and fun. | If I wasn’t a teacher I would like to be... If I wasn't a teacher I would be running art classes and art parties out of my studio and illustrating children’s books on the side (if you consider yourself a writer we should chat and collaborate!) | When not at school I like to… I love to shop and travel with my family! It could actually be an addiction! I love finding the best deals, accommodation, and experiencing new things. While I research great deals I love listening to music - it often fills my house and helps me relax. | My family My husband, Jarrod and I have two beautiful girls. Sienna, 12 and Makayla 9. We all adore our toy cavoodle, Trixie. We have recently moved from our family home in Upwey to the city and hardly recognise our lives! They are my favourite people, along with my extended family. When we come together to chat, eat, dance and giggle - I’m in my happy place. |
| Shu Wong | What makes HPS a great school to work at? The school is just the right size where everyone knows each other well and is kind, friendly and inclusive. | When not at school I like to… I like to go for a run, read a book and spend time with my family. | If I wasn’t an ES I would like to be… Maybe an environmentalist 😊 | My family My family and I migrated here in 2012 from Malaysia. My husband KahGeh and I have a son, Justin turning 22 this year and a daughter, Erin turning 20 this year. Both Justin and Erin are ex HPS students 😊 |
Here are photos of our wonderful teaching team on their first day!
Our Prep Teachers
Our Year 1 & 2 Teachers
Our Year 3 Teachers
Our Year 4 Teachers
Our Year 5 Teachers
Our Year 6 Teachers
