Our Classroom Teachers

Hi Ivanhoe Primary School Community,

My name is Kareema Hachem and I currently teach Foundation. I have been at Ivanhoe Primary School for 16 years. I started here doing my final placement and got a job in Year 5. From there I moved to Year 3, Year 1, Foundation, Year 2 and now back into Foundation again. 

I am grateful everyday that I get to teach such amazing and enthusiastic students. The community at Ivanhoe is amazing and feel lucky to be a part of it.  I love that I get to watch the students grow throughout their primary years and have even had some students come back to visit after they leave. 

Outside of school I love to spend time with my husband Con and 2 adult daughters , Emenee and Shardia. I have a Groodle called Lulu who I love taking for long walks and playing in the park. I also enjoy swimming, bike riding and reading.

Hi everyone!

My name is Mollie McCormick and I am currently teaching Foundation M at Ivanhoe Primary. This is my 5th year of teaching and I absolutely love our school and community! 

Things to know about me…I grew up in a small country town in NSW called Leeton and still call myself a ‘country girl’ at heart. In my last year of studying for my Early Childhood teaching and Primary teaching degree, I moved to Melbourne and had a wonderful final placement as a pre-service teacher with Rhonda Harvey at IPS. From here I went on to be an educator at the Ivanhoe Out of School Hours program as well as a Casual Relief Teacher at IPS. This is now my fifth year of full-time teaching at Ivanhoe Primary and I love seeing what each new day brings. 

I love organising, crafting and reading. I am also a sucker for a dress up theme! At home you would find me organising get togethers with family and friends, cooking new recipes (anything with chocolate!) and walking my two kelpies.

At school you will find me in the classroom, being the line leader for FM, tying shoelaces, organising the staff social events, liaising with the fair committee, organising Book Week and lingering at the aftercare program talking to students and staff on my way home. 

Teaching has always been a passion of mine, my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather are teachers who have inspired me to see each child as an individual learner with the potential to be the best they can be. I love seeing the students learn new skills each day that they will use and build upon throughout their lifetime. 

The students at Ivanhoe Primary inspire me everyday to keep learning and teaching.

Hello to the Ivanhoe Primary School Community!

My name is Jordan Hayns, and I am new to the school in 2023 and super privileged to be teaching in fabulous Foundation FJ. This is my first year of teaching and I graduated from my Master of Education (Specialising in Inclusive Classrooms) in 2022 and was lucky to land a position at IPS for 2023.

Last year I worked in the Victorian Schools Tutor Programme supporting students with additional needs from levels Foundation-Grade 6 as well as working as a casual relief teacher mostly in Banyule and Darebin. My teaching philosophy surrounds the ideas of collaboration, mixed ability grouping, student agency and wellbeing. I think it is so important to get to know your students so that you can best relate to them. I have been lucky enough to have such an amazing and supportive team and Mentor so that I have been able to be the best teacher I can in my first year. 

My favourite thing about being a foundation teacher is seeing the tremendous growth every single student has in such a short time. We make sure that we spend lots of time celebrating all achievements in FJ and I have been lucky enough to share their accomplishments everyday with their families and wider community on class dojo.

Prior to Teaching I also ran restaurants here in Melbourne, New Zealand and the UK. I have lived in London, Dublin, Melbourne, Auckland and Christchurch. Obviously love to travel and am always excited to be at the airport. I am hoping this year I will be able to make it to Egypt, Jordan and China as they have been on my list for a long time! 

When I am not teaching my amazing class, I love to see the latest foreign films at Palace Cinemas, read contemporary fiction, wander the NGV, enjoy live music and sample all of Melbourne’s delicious food scene (especially if its Italian food). 

Hi IPS,

My name is Sonya McCarthy, and I’ve been teaching at Ivanhoe Primary School for almost 5 years now. I was introduced to the IPS community through a nannying position I had with a wonderful family, and loved being involved with the school throughout this time.

I then began teaching Grade 5 in 2019, thoroughly enjoying the in-depth conversations and content covered in the upper year level. I knew how much I’d love to teach the younger students too, so moved on down to Foundation in 2020, and have been here ever since. 

I’ve loved teaching here at Ivanhoe for so many reasons, however it’s usually the small (but very significant) moments my students experience each day, that make me love what I do. In the Foundation level, this is so special to see, as for so many of these children, it’s a lot of “firsts”. First time writing their name, first time packing up their bag, first time speaking in front of a large group, first time reading a word, first friendship made… My students keep me laughing and learning - we have SO much fun each day. 

Outside of teaching I love cooking up a storm, reading books, trying out yummy cafes and coffee shops, and spending school holidays up in coastal Kiama, NSW, where my family lives by the beach.

See you round the school yard, 

Sonya 😊