AISNSW is dedicated to celebrating the incredible teachers who work in Independent schools across the state. This term we're highlighting Katie Smith, Kate Kovalik and Cristina Finemore.
Katie Smith, Brightwaters Christian College
For over fourteen years, Katie Smith has been an integral part of Brightwaters Christian College. Her unwavering commitment has left an indelible mark on the school community. Joining the school during its formative years, Katie's vision for student achievement and teacher leadership has consistently transcended the limitations of a small school setting.
Colleagues commend her tireless dedication, noting the countless hours she invests to ensure her students receive exceptional instruction. Beyond her classroom, Katie is a beacon of support for fellow educators, guiding them with evidence-based best practices. Her openness to exploring new pedagogical approaches, always centred on empowering students, has earned her deep respect within the school community.
What truly distinguishes Katie is her relational approach and her readiness to "roll up her sleeves" for any task—whether it be teaching Stage 3 Maths and English, Stage 4 Music, or providing crucial learning support. Her extensive pedagogical knowledge makes her the go-to person for colleagues seeking guidance. In addition, her contributions extend to assisting with Board reports, underscoring her commitment to the school's broader success.
Katie embodies a "pioneer spirit", embracing challenges and significantly contributing to the school's growth and development. Her dedication to even the most challenging students underscores her belief in the potential of every child.
For Katie, teaching is not just a profession but a rewarding journey of continuous growth and profound impact. She finds immense satisfaction in witnessing students, particularly those who struggle, take crucial steps forward in their learning. Her typical day includes a blend of teaching diverse subjects, supporting colleagues, and attending to individual student needs, reflects her multifaceted role within the school.
When asked about the qualities of a good teacher, Katie highlights a willingness to learn, curiosity, and strong interpersonal skills, attributes she exemplifies daily. Her enduring presence and profound dedication make her an inspirational figure at Brightwaters Christian College and a testament to the transformative power of an outstanding educator.
Kate Kovalik, Cranbrook School
At Cranbrook School, Kate Kovalik, Acting Head of English, exemplifies a profound love of learning that permeates her teaching and leadership. Her intrinsic curiosity drives her to empower students as confident, articulate communicators and to support colleagues in enhancing literacy instruction.
As Literacy Coordinator, Kate has successfully implemented innovative tools like Writer's Toolbox within a whole-school literacy focus to create a cohesive learning environment. She has also strengthened support systems for students requiring additional assistance and developed effective methods to share literacy data with colleagues, promoting a collaborative approach to student progress.
Kate's innovative spirit is evident in her action research project exploring "Insta poetry" to engage students with poetry, a venture that earned her the Mark McAndrew Innovative Teacher Award. Her commitment to personal growth is reflected in her completion of a Master of Creative Writing, enriching her teaching practice. Beyond her classroom, Kate delivers professional development sessions, upskilling colleagues in literacy instruction. As Acting Head of English, she fosters a collaborative, evidence-informed leadership style, attentive to her team's perspectives and needs.
Central to Kate's philosophy is the belief in the power of relationships and trust. She sets clear expectations, resulting in highly engaged students who value her guidance. From the outset of her career, she has cultivated a classroom environment where students recognise her investment in meaningful learning experiences. Kate views her students as passionate individuals who “truly want to do good in this world”, and she is dedicated to equipping them with the skills to achieve this.
Cristina Finemore, St Andrew’s Cathedral School
Inspired by the energy and curiosity of young learners, Cristina Finemore openly shares her creativity, passion, and love of learning with her students and her colleagues. According to Kate Robertson, Head of Music K–6 at St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Cristina forms respectful, authentic relationships with those she teaches and works alongside. This underpins Cristina’s greatest strength—her ability to recognise each person’s unique gifts and to bring out the best in her students through personalised support.
For Cristina, it is the reward of seeing her students grow and develop their own unique voice as they become confident in who they are that continues to inspire her. Her hope is that they leave school as creative, confident, and critical thinkers who see their individuality and values as strengths. She nurtures this through encouragement and a learning environment where all students feel safe to be themselves.
For Kate, who nominated Cristina, the power of such transformative learning manifested itself for her when, at the end of a unit of work on story writing, Cristina set up a “classroom campfire” for the students to sit around as they shared their stories and listened to the tales their classmates wrote. This moment encapsulates the power of Cristina’s teaching to cherish the gifts and talents of her learners, providing them with the opportunity to engage with challenging and rewarding activities that enrich their learning in a quietly impactful way.
Cristina collaborates closely with her colleagues, sharing ideas and supporting the work they are doing in their own classrooms. Her integrity and encouragement emphasise the importance she places in forming lasting, genuine relationships that are mutually enriching for her and those she works with and teaches. Her capacity to see the value in her students encourages them, in turn, to see the value in themselves. Taking inspiration from both Ms. Frizzle on The Magic School Bus, and Dr Seuss, she encourages those around her to take every opportunity to gain experience and enrich their lives through learning by taking chances, getting messy, making mistakes and learning how to stand out rather than fit in.
