Our team is dedicated to the success of every student and share the belief that every child can learn and achieve.
Toni Browne – Deputy Principal
I am looking forward to welcoming students from the Yarrabilba community and its surrounds into our fantastic new college. I am passionate about leading a culture of innovative pedagogies and project-based learning, delivered in both the natural environment and state-of-the-art facilities and strive to provide our students with unique learning opportunities and the ability to build skills for success now and into the future.
I am excited to be part of a team that leads a culture of high expectations with a relentless pursuit of excellence in teaching practice and student outcomes. Prior to my appointment as Deputy Principal, I worked as a Mathematics teacher, my school's Behaviour Advisory Teacher and as Dean of Students.
Paul Coppola – Deputy Principal
I have a passion for education, with a strong belief that the role of educators is to give every student the skills they need to be successful, both academically and as members of our community. I have a core belief that education should model the real world, and be inclusive of everyone. I am very excited to be able to share this journey with the community of Yarrabilba State Secondary College.
My background in the corporate world prior to entering teaching allows me to show students the links between the classroom and the world outside the school gates. Prior to joining the Yarrabilba community I was at Marsden State High School as Head of Maths and then as a Deputy Principal.
Janelle Whatmore- Deputy Principal
With a passion for making learning personal and working with Junior Secondary students, I adopt a holistic approach to education and believe that each student is capable of achieving success, both at school and beyond. My practice is centred on a strong belief that learning and wellbeing go hand in hand. I strive to lead a culture of connection at Yarrabilba, where together, we focus on building positive relationships and creating environments and opportunities that inspire learning and encourage engagement whilst allowing students to develop essential skills for their future.
Prior to joining the Yarrabilba community, I worked as a Head of Department, Master Teacher and Junior Secondary specialist teacher. I also bring with me my knowledge and previous experiences from teaching in the primary school sector. As Deputy Principal, I feel privileged to share in each young person's educational journey and am looking forward to strengthening education outcomes for all of our learners.
Michelle Baylis – Business Manager
I started my career with the Department of Education as an Administration Officer in 2009, moving to the role of Business Manager in 2016. A School Business Manager has varied areas of responsibility. Our aim is to keep everything moving smoothly in our schools. I oversee facilities and assets, ensure that buildings (and the things inside those buildings) and the grounds provide the best possible learning environments for our staff and students. I also lead and manage all college budgets and finances.
My goal is to provide facilities and resources that our staff need to ensure that our innovative and unique learning programs can be delivered to a high standard. Every day counts, therefore by assisting with making all learning opportunities accessible and engaging, and allowing everyone to have a bit of fun while doing so, students will love coming to school, not because they have to, but because they want to.
Philippa King - Dean of Students
I am an artist, have a passion for animals, great and small, and a keen interest in our natural environment. Having worked within Education since 1991 I have experienced many educational settings, a variety of learning and teaching philosophies and many styles of teaching, all with merit, but none as exciting as the unique, engaging and highly effective ways of working we have established at Yarrabilba SSC.
Having been a classroom teacher for 25 years, I have taught across multiple curriculum areas including English, Literacy, Humanities, Learning Support and Visual Art. I have also worked with disengaged young people and young offenders for many years, in alternative settings and detention centres, so bring a keen insight into how important social justice is within our college and community. The past 6 years have been in the role of Dean of Students. I am proud to be part of a team that is passionate about the wellbeing, connectedness and educational journey of our students.
Tash Wendt - Dean of Students
I am a lover of the outdoors and mother of two children. My journey as an educator began in 2014 and from the moment I stepped into the classroom, I knew that I had found something I loved doing. I have worked in a variety of curriculum areas including English, Mathematics, Outdoor Learning and Agriculture but my passion is giving students experiences and opportunities to develop skills and themselves in an outdoor environment; so, I have found my home at Yarrabilba State Secondary College.
The opportunity to lead our college to 'do learning differently' has been a career highlight. Working to create purposeful learning experiences in such a great team keeps education real for our students. Prior to my appointment I have worked as a Teacher, Head of Department and now Dean of Students.
Amina Zammataro - Dean of Students
My teaching career began in 2015 and I have been fortunate enough to work in a range of locations within Queensland before finding my home at Yarrabilba State Secondary College. My diverse teaching opportunities ignited my passion for inclusive education and socially just practices within the education setting. Having taught a range of subjects, it was evident to me that not all students learn in the same way. This shaped my belief that student voice and choice is an essential element of curriculum design to increase levels of engagement and create a greater sense of enjoyment for all.
I have previously served as Indigenous Champion and Inclusion Coach. These positions allowed me to share my passions with staff and assist them to create and embed a culturally inclusive curriculum that could be accessed by all students within the school community.
I look forward to working closely with staff and students at Yarrabilba SSC. There is no better feeling than leading alongside likeminded staff who ensure that we achieve the best outcomes for our students.
Michael Beattie- Head of Department
I have spent my career teaching in the Logan district and believe that given the right guidance and opportunities, all students, regardless of their background, have the ability to achieve success. I believe that the benefits of playing sport, being active and spending time outdoors provides students with many skills that will stay with them long after they graduate from our college. I am an advocate for all sports, however have a passion for Touch Football, Basketball and Surf Lifesaving.
Throughout my career, I have undertaken many roles including acting Head of Department and Deputy Principal, Junior & Senior sports and subject coordinator, Logan District U18 Boys Touch Football coach and Logan District Sport treasurer. I have also coordinated a Youth Development Program in Surf Lifesaving that teaches students from Logan to become surf lifesavers. I am looking forward to developing strong community partnerships with the Yarrabilba community and implementing learning programs that promote life-long health and wellbeing for our students.
Chris Gauthier – Head of Department
With an extensive background in experiential, project based and entrepreneurial education, I am excited to be a part of the YSSC community. My approach to teaching has been and always will be that each and every student has the ability to learn and make a difference in their community and beyond. I decided to become an educator simply because I wanted to make a difference, like those pivotal teachers that did in my life. My teaching philosophy has always been the same – I teach student's not curriculum. I want my students to feel valued, their voice is important, and that they each have a contribution to make in this world. With a passion for wildlife, I also spend my free time volunteering with Wildcare Australia, rescuing and caring for injured, orphaned and sick wildlife.
Through my work, I actively investigate ways to connect students in global collaborations, environmental sustainability, as well as local and global challenges. This has been seen through over 10 years of experiences leading students on immersive experiential learning in Indonesia; connecting teachers and students with the complex global issue of deforestation and palm oil. I have also had numerous students launch their own social enterprises, notably past winners of the Future Anything competition.
Based on my work, I was awarded the Showcase Award for Excellence in Global Engagement in 2016, the Peter Doherty STEM award in 2017 and the Future Anything Teacher of the Year 2021. I have shared my experiences at numerous conferences across Australia and Globally, most notably in 2012 where I delivered the closing Keynote at the ISTE conference in San Diego.
Shonna Napier – Head of Department
I am humbled and grateful to be joining the leadership team at Yarrabilba State Secondary College for 2022. Having taught for over 25 years as a proud state school teacher, I have a strong belief that each and every student can succeed. I am dedicated to creating safe and supportive environments where all students can thrive. I am passionate about improving morale and students' self-beliefs to actively promote student engagement and attendance.
Previously, I was a Year Level Co-Ordinator and Shadow HOD of Junior Curriculum at Springfield Central State High School. I have taught languages (Japanese) in various schools from Atherton in North Queensland to Robina on the Gold Coast, and believe that it is important for students to learn tolerance, living in our multicultural society. I am excited to work with our young people, sharing with them the joys of another culture, and assisting them to create positive relationships with their peers, teachers and the wider community.
Chrissie Taylor – Head of Department
I am an experienced educator with a talent for developing authentic, real-world learning experiences for young people. I believe that the role of teachers is to ignite passions and encourage learners to explore their own curiosities, finding ways to activate student voice and choice within the curriculum so that young people are active, willing and engaged participants in their secondary education. Leading teachers to create innovative, student-centred learning is an exciting part of my role as Head of Department at Yarrabilba State Secondary College and I love hearing students talk about their learning with enthusiasm.
Before my appointment as Head of Department, I led the college-wide Explicit Improvement Agenda as Literacy Champion, and led student wellbeing and a sense of belonging as a foundation House Master. It is an absolute privilege to facilitate learning and growth in your children, knowing that they will go on to live a life of choice, not a life of chance.
James Wendt – Head of Department
It is with great excitement that I join the leadership team at Yarrabilba State Secondary College. I come to this role excited to lead a culture of outdoor and practical learning for the community. With a longstanding passion for working with students in this space, I aim to equip all students with 21st century skills that can be applied across multiple industries. I believe that learning rarely occurs solely inside a classroom and it is important that students be given a range of contexts and environments to apply the skills they are learning.
I have worked in a number of roles in Logan schools, most recently as Agribusiness Head of Department. This experience broadened my understanding of how spending time outdoors, in the natural environment and learning industry relevant skills is just as important as the time spent learning in a classroom. I look forward to enhancing each student's experience at our College with real-world learning!
Mel McCarron - Head of Department
It is with absolute delight and enthusiasm that I join the leadership team at Yarrabilba State Secondary College. For the previous decade, I have lived and worked in the local area and I bring with me an extensive background having taught Food Specialisations, Early Childhood Studies and Hospitality for 15 years. I am passionate about my teaching areas. I believe that these areas encourage students to become independent and allow them to take positive steps to building a fulfilling future. As a Head of Department, I believe it is important to forge positive, supportive, productive relationships with the students I see in my classroom each day. I hope that these relationships spark inspiration for them to ultimately lead and manage their own lifelong learning journeys.
Celia Durham - Head of Department
I am delighted to be joining the leadership team as a Head of Department at Yarrabilba state Secondary College. With strengths in collaboration, creativity and adaptability, I lead by valuing student and staff voice to create and deliver learning opportunities that prepare diverse learners for success within the classroom, community and beyond. I am passionate about the Arts and informed by research that validates the positive impact this learning area has on supporting student learning and wellbeing. A core value that I embrace is that learning and wellbeing are inextricably linked and as such, I operate under the knowledge that students learn best when their wellbeing is optimised.
Prior to joining the leadership team, I have worked as a classroom teacher across various schools within the Logan community. While I specialise in two strands of the Arts (Drama & Visual Art), I also bring with me my knowledge and experiences from teaching in the English and Humanities curriculum areas. I am eager to support staff to create and deliver innovative learning experiences that are contextually meaningful and engaging for students.
Marcus Lewandowski - Head of Department
If my name and face sound and look familiar, that might be because, like many of you, I've been here since the beginning of YSSC as a foundational staff member in 2020! When I first arrived, I had been teaching in primary school settings around Logan (with a sneaky year-long European detour) for a decade. Initially teaching GEM and HPE at YSSC, I have since established our College Basketball Academy. I have also previously led the Staff Wellbeing Team, year level curriculum teams and helped Osprey lift the House Cup on two occasions as a House Leader.
Outside of all that, I have maintained a strong interest in pedagogy – the science of teaching – and love learning about what makes great teachers great! I believe that with the right pedagogical approaches, any teacher can inspire any student to engage in learning and achieve success - leading to a life of choice, not chance. I look forward to supporting our staff, students and community around the College in this role.