Damian O’Bryan: A New Face in Doyle
We welcome a new face to Years 5 and 6 this term with Damian O’Bryan joining the team as a replacement teacher.
What is your role at Santa Maria College?
At the moment, I am a temporary replacement teacher in Year 5 replacing Kate Poole and following this, I will take over Madison Levy’s class in Year 6 when she goes on maternity leave. I am very fortunate to be in the position to get to know both class groups during this time.
Why did you become a teacher?
An interesting question given I’ve been doing it for quite a while. I had explored other careers at university with the long-term goal of becoming a teacher one day. I think my friends, in the end, pushed me into it and after that, I never looked back. I found a love of teaching and enjoy witnessing growth in all the children I teach.
What were you doing before coming to Santa Maria?
Prior to Santa Maria I had been teaching at St Brigid’s in Victoria for over eight years. Many of these years were teaching Years 5 & 6 as well as my role as the Leader of Religious Education. I have taught in country NSW, metro Melbourne, and now Western Australia.
What do you hope to instil in the girls at Santa Maria?
My aim would be to help increase learning confidence, which will inevitably improve learning outcomes. I hope to see growth in the girls’ love of learning facilitated by the promotion of their own self-efficacy.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Aside from witnessing the success of the Melbourne Football Club, I enjoy cycling, music (playing guitar), and spending time with my wife, family, and friends.
If there was one person you could meet, who would it be and why?
The late Jimmy Stynes, founder of the Reach Foundation, Brownlow Medallist who still holds the most consecutive AFL games played (244) without injury or omission. Although he died from cancer in 2012, I loved watching him play as a kid and always admired his courage in the face of adversity and his positive attitude. To quote the great man, “Life is 10 percent what happens and 90 percent how you deal with it.”.
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Our Earth Day celebration this week was a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to protect our planet for future generations.
Unlocking the Power of Connection: Dr Mark Williams Inspires Students
After the success of his first visit last year, we were excited to welcome Dr Mark Williams back to talk with our Years 7, 8 and 9 students this week.
Continuing the Journey: Carol Beins Upholds Her Daughter’s Legacy
This year, Carol Beins follows her daughter Shoshanna’s footsteps, journeying the same path as the former Religious Education teacher.
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Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
