Meet Mrs Collier

Where have you lived?

I was born in Wellington, New Zealand and spent majority of my childhood in Palmerston North. I moved to Deniliquin, Australia when I was 8 years old. As a family we were fortunate enough to be able to travel around Australia for a year. During this time we spent a couple of months in Katherine, NT at the only Dairy Farm in the Northern Territory. I have also lived in Queensland (Beaudesert and Gympie). When I was in Year 8 my family moved to the Manning Valley, which is when I started attending TCC (previously TCCS). I graduated from TCC in 2006 and moved to Newcastle to complete my university studies. After university I went to Mount Binga, QLD, and worked at a Lutheran Outdoor Education camp for two years before being called back to the lovely Manning Valley in 2013, accepting my job at TCC.

What is it like being on staff at TCC?

I feel blessed to be a part of the staff at TCC. It is a pleasure to come to work every day knowing that you work alongside staff that are all working towards the same goal. The staff are supportive and encouraging of one another and really want the best for each and every student and family in our College.

What does your role involve?

I am a PDHPE teacher in the Secondary school. I also coordinate the PDHPE faculty at TCC, which is a blessing. I get to work with three great teachers that are motivated to see students reach their God given potential. Being a PE teacher means that there are quite a number of extra-curricular trips that we attend with students. I really enjoy seeing students participate and show great sportsmanship in the gala days that we attend. I also run the Duke of Edinburgh program at TCC. The College offers this to students from Years 9-11, completing either their bronze or silver award. Taking students on the adventurous journey (hike) component of their Duke of Edinburgh award is the best part of this role. It’s great to see students push themselves outside of their usual comfort zones, work with their peers to achieve a common goal and be in God’s beautiful nature that he has created for us to enjoy. Lastly, this year I have also been given the opportunity to be Welfare coordinator. I have really enjoyed getting to work alongside students and supporting them to make positive improvements towards their education. Being a young person can be very challenging and I think it is crucial for them to feel supported during this phase in their lives.

What are you looking forward to at TCC?

I really love seeing students grow and mature into the young people that God has called them to be. I am encouraged by our students as they apply themselves diligently to their education and aspire to fulfil careers that they are passionate about. This current Year 12 cohort are the first class I have seen go through from Year 7 to Year 12, which is exciting. It has been great to get to know these students and see them develop and mature into the people they are today. I also love that students feel so connected at TCC that they always come back whether that is just to visit and say hi, or to come and work.

How do you like spending your spare time?

In my spare time I like being outdoors, whether that be doing sport, camping or hiking. At present I am not playing any sports as my husband, Luke and I are expecting our first child in August; however, most weekends you will find me at a local soccer field watching Luke play soccer. I am also a youth leader at Taree Baptist Church, which is very rewarding and fun. Additional to this, I love spending time with friends and family. Most of our family lives in Queensland or New Zealand so we generally take a few trips away each year to visit them. Luke and I have also been busy renovating our first house, which has been rewarding but a lot of work.