Staff Spotlight

At Casey Grammar we are very proud of all staff and their achievements. Throughout the year, we will highlight a different staff member within each newsletter to introduce you to some members you perhaps haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet. This week, we had a chat with Shane Bell.

Name: Shane Bell

Position: Head of Upper Primary / Year 4 Teacher

Qualifications: BA Monash University & Graduate Diploma of Education P–12 Monash University

When did you join Casey Grammar? 1995

What do you love most about your job and why?

My greatest joy in teaching comes from building partnerships with each of my students so that they feel listened to and valued for the unique qualities they bring to the classroom each and every day. Helping a child experience that ‘light-bulb moment’ or finally conquer a personal challenge is, for me, what makes teaching such a rewarding profession.

Tell us about your most memorable Casey Grammar experience?

Being given the opportunity to travel to Reggio Emilia in Italy to study, and be inspired by, the unique child centred education philosophies they have developed.

What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know?

One of my very first teaching positions was at Perseverance Primary School on French Island. There were only ten students in the whole school, ranging from Foundation to Year 6. I had to catch a ferry to French Island each morning and then again at the end of the day. It was a truly unique teaching experience but one that eventually led me to Casey Grammar the following year.

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

I’m a fanatical tennis fan and my favourite players are former Wimbledon champions Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal. Attending a centre court match at Wimbledon would definitely be a dream come true!

In one sentence, tell us what your included photo is about:

As all my students and colleagues know, pandas are absolutely my favourite animal. For my 50th birthday, I was fortunate enough to be gifted a trip to the Adelaide Zoo to spend the day helping behind the scenes at their panda exhibit. Getting to hand feed and interact with these remarkable creatures is a memory I will always treasure.