Meet Our Staff

St Mary's 2025 Staff

Principal

Principal

Mrs Johanna Wain

Assistant Principal 

Susan Heffernan

Ms Sue Heffernan

Religious Education Coordinator Acting 

Mrs Carla Durnan

I am honoured to be part of the dedicated and faith-filled community at St Mary’s. With teaching experience across three dioceses throughout Queensland and New South Wales, I have been privileged to work in a variety of roles during my time at St Mary's. These experiences have deepened my passion for creating inclusive and engaging learning environments that nurture the spiritual, academic, and personal growth of every child. I am especially committed to providing rich opportunities that support the whole child which helps all students discover and develop their unique gifts. At St Mary’s, our shared commitment to faith, excellence, and community makes it a truly rewarding place to teach, lead, and learn.

Finance Officer

Annette Hazell

Mrs Annette Hazell

School Officer Mrs Cathy Smith (Thursday and Friday) 

Kindergarten Teacher

Mrs Alicia Hampson (Monday - Thursday) & Mrs Jessica White (Friday)

Year 1 Teacher

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Mrs Rebecca Brady 

I am delighted to return to the warm and welcoming St Mary’s community this year. For over 15 years, the school and the Sacred Heart Parish have been a significant part of both my professional journey and family life. During this time, I’ve cherished many meaningful experiences—as both a staff member and a parent. The strong, genuine connections among students, families, staff, and parish make St Mary’s a truly special place to work, and I feel privileged to be part of it once again.

Year 2 Teacher

Schofield Genevieve

Mrs Genevieve Schofield

I have been a classroom teacher at St Mary’s for the past six years, though my connection to the school began much earlier when I chose to enrol my daughters here. They attended St Mary's from Kindergarten through to Year 6, and I experienced first-hand the nurturing, community-focused environment that makes our school so special. As a teacher, I am passionate about uncovering the unique strengths of every child and creating a classroom where each student feels valued and supported.  I strive to create learning experiences that challenge, inspire, and empower students to stretch beyond their perceived limits, building confidence as they grow. I am an avid reader who delights in nurturing a love of literature in the classroom, and particularly love making art with my students, as it fosters creativity and connection. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and going on running adventures that test my own physical and mental limits. I firmly believe that we are all capable of so much more than we think—a belief that underpins my teaching philosophy.

Year 3 Teachers

Ziegler Alyssa

Mrs Carla Durnan (Monday - Wednesday)

I am honoured to be part of the dedicated and faith-filled community at St Mary’s. With teaching experience across three dioceses throughout Queensland and New South Wales, I have been privileged to work in a variety of roles during my time at St Mary's. These experiences have deepened my passion for creating inclusive and engaging learning environments that nurture the spiritual, academic, and personal growth of every child. I am especially committed to providing rich opportunities that support the whole child which helps all students discover and develop their unique gifts. At St Mary’s, our shared commitment to faith, excellence, and community makes it a truly rewarding place to teach, lead, and learn.

Mrs Alyssa Ziegler (Thursday & Friday)

I am excited to be continuing my journey as an early career teacher here at the wonderful Catholic school that is St Mary's. Over the past two years, I have truly enjoyed working with the students and becoming part of the close-knit community and meaningful relationships that make this school so special. I have a strong love for nature and the outdoors, which inspires me to bring curiosity and hands-on learning into our classroom. I'm passionate about educational equity and committed to using evidence-based teaching practices to create an inclusive and engaging classroom where every student can thrive in all aspects of school life. I look forward to continuing the learning of faith, and discovery with your children now and through their primary years here at St. Mary's.

Year 4 Teacher

Afflick Jessica

Mrs Jessica Afflick (Monday) 

I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of such a warm, supportive, and vibrant school community. What I love most about teaching is the opportunity to inspire and nurture young minds each day, helping students discover their strengths and grow in confidence. At St Mary’s, we value every child as an individual, and it’s hugely rewarding to work in an environment where faith, compassion, and a love of learning are at the heart of all we do. Having attended St Mary’s as a student, I feel a very deep connection to the school and Parish. The strong sense of community and teamwork among staff, students, and families makes this school a truly special place to teach and learn.

Mr James Campbell (Tuesday-Friday)

Year 4 Teacher  Mr Matthew Harpley
Year 5 Teacher Mrs Megan Grant

Year 6 Teacher

Allison Lock

Mrs Allison Lock

Classroom Support Teacher

Jessica White

Mrs Jessica White 

St Mary's - a school family, where every child is heard, valued and supported. 
 
Throughout my teaching career I have taught in many schools and I can honestly say that St Mary's feels like coming home. As the classroom support coordinator I have the extreme privilege of working closely with families to support their children as they make academic, social and emotional growth. At St Mary's we pride ourselves on meeting our students at their point of need and making adjustments so that all students feel a sense of safety, achievement and pride at school. It is an honor to be a part of the staff team at St Mary's.

Instructional Leader Ms Sue Heffernan

Aboriginal Contact Teacher 

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Mrs Rebecca Brady 

I am delighted to return to the warm and welcoming St Mary’s community this year. For over 15 years, the school and the Sacred Heart Parish have been a significant part of both my professional journey and family life. During this time, I’ve cherished many meaningful experiences—as both a staff member and a parent. The strong, genuine connections among students, families, staff, and parish make St Mary’s a truly special place to work, and I feel privileged to be part of it once again.

Aboriginal Language/Cultural Support Worker: Mr Riley Nolan
Sport Coordinator  Mrs Megan Grant
PE/Health Teacher Mr Paul Hill
Performing Arts Teacher Mrs Ellen Shannon
Student Welfare Officer/Support Teacher Mr Dom Ziino
Classroom Support Assistants  Mr Dom Ziino, Mrs Shellie Butler, Mrs Janet Ryan, Mrs Brooke Connaughton, Mrs Cathy Smith, Ms Afton Haultain
Mrs Michelle Zutt, Mrs Nikita Alves, Ms Hanna Lloyd

School Counsellor 

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Mr Damian Gerber

I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work at a welcoming, caring and close-knit school community like St Mary’s. I have a social work background, having graduated from my Masters degree in Social Work in early 2024.  Prior to school counselling, I worked as an intensive family preservation practitioner in northern Victoria (Waveroo Country) and as a family support worker in Nowra/Ulladulla (Tharawal/Yuin Country).  I have a particular interest in Compassionate Inquiry, Compassion-Focused Therapy and Trauma-Informed Practice.  I have completed additional training with the Trauma Research Foundation, obtaining a certificate in Traumatic Stress in 2023.
I believe the role of any counsellor or helping professional is not to cure people or to fix problems, but rather to help clients to develop a compassionate relationship towards themselves.  In the presence of compassion, as Almaas says, understanding then becomes possible.  I really enjoy watching families/kids develop their independent problem-solving skills, seeing them figure out their own unique solutions to problems, and witnessing their moments of personal growth.

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