Prison, 'posh private schools' and now Orange: New adventure for married teachers

Reverend Sally Yabsley-Bell is the school's new chaplain known to the students as Rev Sally and her husband Ben Yabsley-Bell has also joined as a music teacher.

"We were looking for a change," Mr Yabsley-Bell said.

Finishing her husband's sentence, Reverend Yabsley-Bell added they were "keen for a country move".

The couple also have children in year 7 and year 8 at the school this year and thought it was an easier time to move them into a country community "when you have young kids so you get to know their friends and families."

The school also made the relocation easier for the family.

"Halfway through the interview they said 'what does your partner do?' and I said 'he's a teacher' and they got very excited and started asking questions. They had a music teacher role coming up so they interviewed Ben and other people and he got it so we were very lucky," Reverend Yabsley-Bell said.

Mr Yabsley-Bell said his specialty instruments were low brass with euphonium as his main instrument followed by trombone and tuba.

He previously worked at a private Christian school in Sydney where he was the supervisor of programs across the creative arts faculty. At Kinross he teaches classroom music from year 7 to 12 preparing students for their HSC and will be involved in some of the school's junior bands.

"I definitely want to be part of the community music scene," he said.

For both of them it's their first big move and the first time they've moved away from where they grew up.

"We've kind of lived within 10 kilometres of where we were born," Mr Yabsley-Bell said.

"Not just our first move out of Sydney, a big first move."

They said they've enjoyed their first three weeks in Orange and the other staff at Kinross have been "really welcoming".

"We've unpacked and there's always stuff going on which is really lovely," Reverend Yabsley-Bell said.

"We went to the Milthorpe festival [Mill Fest] on the weekend and we've been to church a couple of times.

"The kids are loving the lake and just getting out and seeing what's around."

This is the first time the couple has worked together but said they don't often cross paths at school.

"Our offices are on different sides of the school and we've only travelled to school together once or twice," Mr Yabsley-Bell said.

Living in a smaller community has also enabled Reverend Yabsley Bell to ride her scooter to work.

"It's a nice ride and the roads are lovely, it's really beautiful riding out here," she said.

Although she enjoys her job, Reverend Yabsley-Bell, who is an ordained minister, did not initially plan to work at schools.

"I did a lot of my ministry training thinking that I was going to be a prison chaplain and I did my placement at Silverwater Prison and absolutely loved it," she said.

However, when it came time for her to receive her placement it was suggested she work at MLC Burwood.

"I said 'I've been working with men in prison and you want me to go to a posh private girls school? and they said yes," she said.

"It was a bit of a surprise but after the interview I said 'yeah I think this could be something and I love it'.

"I have a heart for social justice and ethics and a love of faith, if that's not instilled in people when they are young then I think society is going to be a scary place.

"It's been a real joy to see the passion in the students here."

Mr Robert Bell - Head of Trathen House and social science teacher

Mr Sam Byrne - PDHPE teacher. He has more than 12 years' experience as PDHPE teacher and comes from Newtown High School of Performing Arts.

Mr Luke Moxey - Music. He is an alumni of Kinross Wolaroi School graduating in 2011. Hee has worked for the school in the role of peripatetic piano teacher and an accompanist since 2022. He is taking on the part-time role of accompanist and will be working with students from K-12 teaching various elements of music making.

Ms Michelle Hayes - Music. She joins the school in a one-year role as the performing arts administrator. She graduated from Kinross in 2023 having completed Music 2 and Music Extension and being the recipient of the Premier's Allrounder Award for the School. Ms Hayes received an ATAR of 98.35 and returns from Adelaide after attending the Australian Youth Orchestra Summer Camp to take up this position. She is a violin specialist and avid music lover. She is also considering her career options in the textiles and design field where she topped the State in the HSC.

Mrs Nicole Pearce - Science teacher and acting 21C science. Mrs Pearce has been working at St Raphael's and Cowra High School as leader of learning science/TAS.

Mrs Christine Smith - English teacher. Mrs Smith was the "highly successful" head of the English department at The King's School. She has an immense passion for teaching English and has more than 20 years' experience of teaching.

Ms Lindy Summerton - Agriculture teacher. Ms Summerton comes from Canobolas Rural Technology High School, and she has previously worked at Kinross Wolaroi School as a learning support aide, and teacher.

Mrs Claire Milson - Executive assistant to the principal. Mrs Milson has a wealth of experience having had a number of significant roles as an executive assistant and office manager with Australian and international companies including AMB Holdings, McKinsey & Company, Everest Financial Group and Pacific Equity Partners. She has managed large teams of executive Assistants and provided executive support to CEOs, company chairs, boards and legal counsel. She is a former student of Kinross Wolaroi School and has recently returned to Orange.