Cornerstone Christian College has an amazing team of staff that contribute enormously to the educational experience of our students. Whilst those in the administration and support areas of the College may have less of an influence on the day to day aspects of a child’s education, their support of the teaching team and provision of services for families, make them a valuable asset that is worthy of mention here.
Often, the first point of contact a family will have with Cornerstone, is with the efficient and friendly team that operate within the Administration. After enrolment, parents and students alike will also be blessed with an encounter with the staff that co-ordinate the canteen, run the library, provide our chaplaincy service, or fit a child up for a uniform. It is with the greatest of pleasure that we make this introduction to these amazing women who help make Cornerstone all that it is.
Administration.
Leanne Ashworth
Leanne Ashworth is one of the key members of the College’s Administration team. She commenced with Cornerstone over 8 years ago, and often deals with the complex process of enrolment as well as more general administrative duties. Leanne is a well loved and respected member of the team, whose helpful manner and efficiency brings a professional approach to the front desk role.
Before Cornerstone, Leanne was a sign-writer, and holds qualifications from Bentley TAFE is this field. She spent 9 years employed as a sign-writer with an advertising agency in West Leederville. She has also had experience in the classroom as a Teacher’s Aide, as well as running the administration side of her family construction business, along with her husband.
Leanne’s delightful sense of humour, ready smile and willingness to help, make her the perfect first point of contact for many who enter the Cornerstone campus. But Leanne is quick to point out that there are many benefits to being a staff member at the College.
‘I work with a great bunch of Christian people who also have a great sense of humour. I have the pleasure of working with a team who have become close friends over the years, and the support and fun we share in the work place is something very special. The parents and children are wonderful too! There is always something happening in the office that will bring a smile to my face’, she said.
Amongst Leanne’s other loves are coffee, sports, cycling and walking along Geographe Bay with her Lakeland terrier, Pepper. She also likes being able to keep fit and healthy.
So, when you next phone the College and Leanne answers the phone – you are sure to enjoy the experience. She is a great asset to us at Cornerstone.
Liz Haythornthwaite
For the past nine years, Cornerstone has been absolutely blessed with the effervescent Liz Haythornthwaite as part of the front administration team.
Liz is delightful. Her helpful manner, welcoming smile and quick humour, make her a popular member of staff.
Liz comes with a range of life experiences behind her, which have all blended to make her the efficient worker that she is. She has worked in a bank, as a doctor’s receptionist, and as a campsite caretaker (which included having to cook for up to 200 people in a sitting). These kinds of experiences have led to her managing her workload well, and the result is that there is little that will ruffle Liz’s feathers. She appears to calmly deal with any matter that arises within the front desk role at Cornerstone.
Liz handles a number of specific administrative tasks, such as student transfers, but is an all-round proficient master of whatever the day throws her way. From a sick child who requires some TLC, to a new enquiry, Liz will tackle the task with a smile and efficiency.
Not only do we love Liz, but she loves Cornerstone as well. Infact, when asked what she most loved about her job, she said the following:
‘I love everything about my job. I love getting to know the parents and I enjoy the interaction with the students. I can honestly say I have never had a day when I didn’t want to come to work!’ Her cheerful manner with whomever she encounters is testimony to her love of her role at the College.
‘I also appreciate all the staff that make up the Cornerstone team. It is a pleasure to work with them and to serve the Cornerstone community. I also believe that I have the best job in the College, I don’t have to prepare lessons or do reports but I still get the enjoyment of working in a really great school environment!’ she continued.
When we can tear Liz away from work, there are other things that also bring a smile to her face.
‘My all time favourite thing to do is to spend time with my family’, she said. Liz spent a number of weeks with her husband and adult children travelling in Europe last year, and not only was the scenery remarkable, but the close contact with her family an enormous highlight.
Amongst her other favourites are reading, cooking and having coffee and enjoying laughter with her friends.
Around Liz, there is no shortage of those.
Mirinda Atkinson
Mirinda is a relative new-comer to the College Administration team, but has a long history with the school. Since her oldest child commenced Kindy here in 2003, Mirinda has been part of the College community and made significant contributions over this time. She was the first co-ordinator of our successful Pebbles program when that commenced back in 2006, and this volunteer position gave her a greater appreciation for the administrative processes involved at the school.
Mirinda has spent the past few years in Hamilton, Victoria, where she and her family relocated with her husband’s work. A recent transfer back to Western Australia brought her back to one of her favourite parts of the world, and straight into the front office role she holds at Cornerstone.
Mirinda has spent the past two years as the office manager at a small Christian School in Victoria, and her greatest disappointment at returning to WA was the loss of that job. However, the timing of a vacancy appearing at Cornerstone could not have been better – and she moved straight back into a similar position here. She could not be more delighted.
Mirinda is one of the very professional team that run the front-line administration of Cornerstone. From taking your call, to enrolling your child, Mirinda will confidently and efficiently deal with your enquiries. She is as capable with dealing with a sick child as she is with welcoming a new family. Mirinda is welcoming and enthusiastic, and loves to have the opportunity to chat. Infact, she loves telling the story of one of her past jobs that
she loved. She was the mine tour guide in Tom Price, and was paid to hold a microphone and talk to her captive audience for two hours! Seriously, there is a delightful openness that you will encounter with Mirinda that will leave you feeling that you have spent time with a friend.
Mirinda is a great advocate for Cornerstone, and really enjoys her role with us. ‘I love that I get to promote a school I truly believe in, work with a great bunch of people, and get to serve a terrific group of students’, she said.
Amongst Mirinda’s other loves are God, her family, and having coffee with friends – and she has plenty of those!
Marion Farmer
There appears to be no shortage of wonderfully efficient women who take on administrative roles at the College, and the latest addition to the team is Mrs Marion Farmer.
Marion commenced with Cornerstone at the beginning of 2012, and takes charge of the front desk on a part-time basis. Marion’s previous experience as a school secretary at Emmanuel Christian School in Perth has given her the skills needed to successfully navigate the breadth of roles this job has. As well as working in a school office, she has been employed at Busselton TAFE; as a medical receptionist; in her own family’s business; as well as being an external exam supervisor for TAFE. There is little in the administrative world that she has not done.
Marion has said she really had no choice in her chosen career. ‘I come from generations of secretaries, so I was bound to be one!’ Far though, from being an inherited task she endures, the manner with which she undertakes her job highlights her love for students and staff – and her desire to help families feel welcomed to the Cornerstone community.
Whilst Marion is offering her expertise in an office role, she does hold a Certificate III in Youth Work, which highlights her love for students and children everywhere.
In the short time with Cornerstone, Marion has quickly found she really enjoys her job.
‘I love being around people who love God. I love working in an organised environment. I enjoy the environment at Cornerstone because everyone is so helpful and caring’, she said.
Marion is quickly making her mark as a competent and helpful staff member, whose wonderful bright personality and quick wit is very much appreciated. It is a job that is incredibly diverse, and Marion has proven her ability to adapt and think on her feet. She is warm and approachable, and your encounter with Marion is sure to be one you remember with fondness.
When asked to describe her other interests, Marion said the following: ‘I excel at sarcasm which I’m sure is why I fit in so well at Cornerstone. I coach a girls’ basketball team, manage a soccer team but mostly love to spend time with my wonderful husband and children. I love to play netball when I’m not busy pulling muscles and breaking ankles – and I love to walk and read, though not at the same time!’
That sentence perfectly describes Marion’s personality, and why we are so thrilled that she has joined the Cornerstone Administration team.
Tracey Brough
Tracey Brough is a versatile and efficient member of the Administration team, who also takes responsibility for the support of our Bursar as a Financial Officer.
Tracey’s delightful nature is married with an incredible efficiency and attention to detail, that ensure we have our accounts in good shape.
Tracey spends a day a week in an Administrative role at Cornerstone, and the remainder of her time in the Accounts Department. Her versatility offers a great deal of support to several areas within the Administration, and we are truly blessed to have her as one of our team.
Much to the delight of staff, Tracey also processes the payroll, but her popularity is not grounded in her ability to pay wages! She is a popular and well loved member of staff.
Tracey has worked with Cornerstone for the past four years, and prior to her time with us, has worked in the financial area of a cabinet work company, as well as at Koorong Books in Perth.
Our love of Tracey is also reciprocated. She enjoys working with a team of people that are like-minded, as well as in a position where she gets to make people feel welcome. She is quick to point out that her job also provides personal job satisfaction, and enjoys the feeling of completing a task well.
Other than her position at Cornerstone, Tracey has other loves, particularly those that revolve around her family and friends. She along with her husband and children, love camping and spending time together.
So, if you have a query on an account or direct debit, or happen to phone on a day where she is in the Administration, Tracey Brough is a lady that will handle your enquiry with the utmost professionalism and care. We are delighted to have her presence amongst us.
Chaplaincy Services
Debbie Robinson
It is with the greatest of pleasure, that we can introduce to you the lady responsible for our Chaplaincy Services at Cornerstone. Since early in 2008, Mrs Debbie Robinson has brought a great deal to the College community in the above-mentioned position, and is a well liked and loved member of the team.
Debbie comes with a background in Education. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Primary Education, which she obtained from Curtin University in Perth. Prior to working at Cornerstone, she worked as a Junior Primary Teacher at Maranatha Christian College. She stepped away from teaching to take on a youth leadership role and pastoral position with Down South Gospel Church in Busselton. This marriage of past employment experiences, make her the ideal choice to work in an education setting with a pastoral role.
Debbie thoroughly enjoys her job at Cornerstone. She has a passionate love for the students and their families she has the privilege to work with, and there is no better way to gain an understanding of her views than to hear it from the lady herself.
‘I like that I am involved in the whole school and I love to interact equally with Year 1 or Year 12 students. I like the students to have a safe place and person where they can find reprieve from the pressures of school/life. I also like the variety in my job. Basically I am involved in either reactive or proactive work to do with the students social, emotional and spiritual needs. Some days I will have lots of one to one conversations either planned or incidental, other days I will teach programs to educate on the above areas. I also am available to listen and help parents, as obviously what happens in the home will impact on school life. I passionately believe that if each student has a good God esteem and self esteem they are more resilient to the issues of life and their academic performance will also benefit.’
Debbie is married to our Business Manager, Stuart, and has four children who are all students at the College. Outside of the role she holds, she enjoys coffee outings, reading books, exercising and spending time with her friends.
There is no greater tribute to Debbie’s approachable manner, than the fact that she often has students seeking her out for help or support. Her quick smile, and willingness to listen, ensure that she is considered a real option for help by a child that may be finding life at school or home more challenging.
In conclusion, what does Debbie love most about her job?
‘I get to be nice to everyone!’ And she is.
Library
Allanah Rowney
Since 2002, our library has been in the capable hands of Mrs Allanah Rowney.
Allanah’s love for books and her quiet and gentle nature, make her role at the College a perfect fit for her. She spent three years before being employed with Cornerstone in a voluntary capacity in the library, which was the perfect training ground for her to step up to the job. Before a job with books, Allanah was a cook at the Pemberton District Hospital.
Allanah’s caring and loveable heart make her a favourite amongst staff. Whilst her own son has now moved on from school to the workforce, Allanah still takes an active interest in the students she encounters. Infact, she lists the interactions with the children as being a favoured part of her job.
‘I love getting to know the students and watching them grow up before me. I love that I can share my love of books with them, and encouraging kids to read’, she said.
Allanah appreciates that she is able to work in a job that she really enjoys and that she has the chance to influence the book purchases the College makes. The team at Cornerstone are another reason that she enjoys her position.
‘They are a great team to work with’, she said.
In her spare time, Allanah enjoys craft work, reading (yes, even in her spare time!) and enjoying coffee out with friends.
We are delighted to have Allanah as one of the happy folk that help make Cornerstone the caring community that it is.
Canteen & Uniform Shop
Michelle Shipton
Michelle Shipton has been with Cornerstone since 2008, and has designated herself with the title of ‘School Mum’. The reason is clearer when you become aware of the roles she holds at the College. Michelle is our very efficient canteen co-ordinator, the uniform shop manager, and the unofficial school nurse. She often says the following: ‘I feed the kids, I cloth the kids, and I occasionally first aid them’. Yes, her roles are just like being a Mum.
Michelle is a Qualified General Nurse and Midwife, who also holds a Certificate III in Children’s Services. After spending 35 years in the nursing arena, followed by 18 months as a child care worker, Michelle has taken a slightly less traditional route in her career, which has benefited Cornerstone enormously. She cares deeply for each child she encounters, and delights in being able to offer such a broad range of services to Cornerstone families.
Michelle loves her job. She particularly enjoys the work environment and the daily opportunities she has to personally care for the children she encounters. As a Mum of a student at the College, Michelle also takes an avid interest in the success and reputation of the College. She works hard, strives for excellence in the work she does, and is a well loved and respected member of the College team. Michelle is quick to laugh, enjoys a good book, and delights in spending time with her son and her closest friends.
Anyone who enters into the Cornerstone Community is likely to have many encounters with Michelle, and we are grateful that she is one of us.
Media Liaison and Principal’s Assistant
Dianne Fraser
Dianne Fraser has been with Cornerstone since 2009, and currently is responsible for the media liaison and community relations roles within the College, as well as being the Assistant to the Principal.
Dianne comes to us with an Associate in Theology, a Diploma in Christian Ministry, a Graduate Diploma in Communications and a Certificate IV in Communication and Media. Her love of written communication, media and design, as well as having opportunities of engaging with both the internal Cornerstone community and the extended Busselton community result in her believing she has the best job in the world.
‘I love that I get to tell the story of all the amazing things that unfold within the College, about people I have come to love, in a way that enhances the community’s view of Cornerstone. I also get to share the reality that God has become in my life, as well as witnessing His working in the lives of those within the College’.
Dianne is married to Neil, and has two young sons, Jayden and Callum who are both students at Cornerstone. She enjoys that she gets to engage with her own children in the course of her work, and can think of no better place of employment.
‘I get to leave my children with an amazing group of teachers, who over time, have become more like friends than co-workers. Such is the sense of community at Cornerstone’.
