Teacher Feature
Stephen Sankovic
What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done?
I injured myself in a final playing football a few years ago. We won the game and that put us into our first ever grand final. Unfortunately, I had to miss the match and watch from the sidelines. We won by three goals and it was really hard to be happy for my teammates who were celebrating their win, while still being devastated to miss being a part of it.
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?
I would probably get out for a run or pop the headphones in and listen to a podcast while getting some work done around the house.
What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod?
I listen to a lot of different music but the most would probably be one of, City and Colour, Leon Bridges, Alabama Shakes or Ziggy Alberts. If my kids have hijacked my Spotify account, then it would be either Footy theme songs or the Encanto soundtrack!
What did you want to be when you were younger?
I always loved footy, but unusually I didn’t want to be a footy player, I wanted to be a commentator. I used to (embarrassingly) turn the TV down so that the volume was off completely and commentate the game myself! I also used to kick the footy in the backyard and commentate on my own matches… The Bulldogs won every time of course!
If you were to tell one person "Thank You" for helping me become the person I am today, who would it be and what did they do?
My mum. She raised my three siblings and me by herself and worked really hard to make sure we had the best opportunities to succeed. Thanks mum!
Stephanie Deacon
What one memory do you most treasure?
I have many, many memories that I treasure so picking just 1 has been hard! One of my top memories is going camping down at Balnarring Beach. I went every summer school holidays for 3 weeks with my whole family (cousins, aunts, uncles, my Nan, family friends, you name it). I was so lucky to have cousins that were similar age to me because we had so much fun together, my parents were able to relax and let us kids go wild! (In a sensible way of course!) We would ride our bikes for hours, go to the beach to swim, play cricket and frisbee and going on long walks to Summers Beach. We played every card game possible and had the best BBQ’s! I haven’t been camping there since I was about 18 but I still go to visit every now and then as it is such a special place to me.
When you have 30 minutes of free-time, how do you pass the time?
When I am at home and have any spare time, it go towards my 1 year old puppy, Ollie. He loves to play and give the biggest cuddles!! So, it really depends on what mood he is in, a playful one or a lazy one! He is a Brittany Spaniel, so he loves to sniff as he is a hunting dog. One of my favourite things I like to do with him at home is to hide his treats around the house. I make him wait until I’m finishing hiding the treats and when I say his release word ‘Free’ he then sniffs and finds all the treats I have hidden. If he has missed some treats I say, ‘Find it’ and he goes back to have a look, usually he finds them all!
What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod?
Well, I am not sure about an iPod, but on my phone my most listen song is ‘Georgia’ By Vance Joy. In fact, all his songs are my most played! I saw Vance Joy live in 2017 and absolutely fell in love with his music and have been a huge fan ever since! I listen to his albums all the time (right now if I am honest!) I saw Vance live again in 2019 and will be seeing him again later this year, I am very excited! I find that his songs always make me feel happy and calm!
What did you want to be when you were younger?
I wanted to either be a hairdresser or teacher! My first part time job at 15 was at the hairdressers in Were St (Hair and Body Workshop). I helped by sweeping, cleaning, doing the washing and then I was allowed to help wash hair, fold foils and mix toners for hair. Unfortunately, my hands became sensitive to products and I ended up getting bad eczema so I had to quit. My next job was at a kids party venue called ‘The Magic Castle’ in Para Rd. It was so much fun! I loved working with kids and hosting the best parties! That is when I knew I would become a teacher and not a hairdresser.
What are you most grateful for?
Most definitely my family! I am so lucky to have them, I adore them all. My parents raised me to be the person I am today. My mum is so generous and kind, she always puts us kids first. My dad is always up for a chat, we particularly enjoy talking about the footy (Go Blues) or the weather! I have an older brother and sister, they are twins! They both have young children who make me smile and laugh every time I see them. My partner, Jimmy and his family have been a part of my life for a long time and I am grateful that they have always treated me with love and kindness. I consider myself very lucky to have such wonderful people in my life, I am forever grateful for them all.
