School Board

Introducing Steve Papadopoulos

Northam Primary School Board Member

Parent Representative         

 

My name is Steve Papadopoulos. My wife and I have had two children complete their education at Northam Primary School, and now our son Jax currently attends Year 1 at NPS. I moved to Northam in 2012 and have since called it home. My wife and I have built our lives here and the sense of community is something I am passionate about. I am the Services Manager for Holyoake which provides both trauma informed care, mental health and AOD counselling and support to our wheatbelt community.

 

Improving better outcomes for families through holistic care and support is what drives me in the space I work in.

 

                                                                    

 

 

Introducing Tanaya Solomon

Northam Primary School Board Member

Parent Representative         

 

My husband and I have been living in Northam for 17 years. It has definitely become our home and a great place to raise our son Finn, who is now in year 4 and has attended Northam Primary since Kindy.

 

I have worked in the aged care sector for the last 16 years and enjoy helping people to access services they need to have quality of life as they age. 

 

At the other end of the spectrum, I've loved helping out in Finn's class, getting to know his classmates and seeing the amazing hard work and dedication of the teachers and staff at Northam Primary. 

 

I look forward to learning much more about how the school operates and contributing to the school community and environment to the benefit of the students.

 

                                                                    

 

 

Introducing Jeremy Osborne

Northam Primary School Board Member

Parent Representative         

 

I’m a proud father of three, with the oldest recently finishing his primary school journey with Northam Primary last year, and I also have a daughter in year 5 and a son in year 3. Having been born and raised in Northam, my wife and I have always called this place home.

 

I have a strong passion for giving back to the community. I love coaching my sons junior football team and also volunteer at other local junior sporting clubs that my kids are involved in, as well as serving as an executive member of the Northam Primary School P&C.

 

I am excited to join the school board and can’t wait to engage in meaningful discussions that will help shape the future of Northam Primary School.

 

                                                         

 

 

 

Introducing Michaela Winsor

Northam Primary School Board Member

Parent Representative         

 

Born in Northam, I grew up on the family farm in Southern Brook and attended Northam Primary School and Northam Senior High School with my three brothers.

 

I am a Secondary Teacher specialising in Humanities and Social Sciences and taught in Exmouth, Safety Bay, Byford before finding my way back to Northam Senior. Together with my husband, we run a small business as an electrical contractor and have three children and a staffy. My eldest daughter is in Year 2 and my son is in Pre-primary. I have always loved the country lifestyle in Northam especially for bringing up kids and never having to pay for parking!

 

My husband and I are also members of the P&C and volunteer in the Snack Shack. I have always been passionate about public schooling and encouraging opportunities for country students, so I put my hand up to join the Northam Primary School Board in 2026 as a parent voice for our students, school and community.

 

                                                           

 

 

 

Introducing Sarah Shaw

Northam Primary School Board Member

Parent Representative

 

I have two children at Northam Primary School, Daisy in Year 4 and Rafe in Year 1. I was born and raised in Northam, went off to Perth after finishing school to study and work in the arts and education and returned 10 years ago with my husband (also from Northam).

 

My background includes primary teaching, policy and resource development within the Department of Education, and I now lead a small team that works with 15-18 year olds across the Wheatbelt who are undertaking employment or training pathways for their senior schooling years.  I appreciate the critical role schools in country towns have in creating a sense of community and belonging - for students and their families, staff and community members. 

 

I am passionate about quality education opportunities for all students and joined the school board as a parent rep in 2023.

 

                                                                      

 

 

Introducing Hannah Winston

Northam Primary School Board Member

Staff Representative

 

I have been a part of the Northam and Toodyay Community for many years, and I am a country girl at heart. My fiancée Thomas and I have lived in the Wheatbelt for most of our lives, and we have two adorable dogs Bob and Saxon.

 

I have the privilege of being one of the Year 2/3 teachers at Northam Primary School, and have been a part of Northam Primary School since 2022. I enjoy teaching our amazing students and being a part of their learning journey.

 

I was encouraged to be a part of the School Board, and I was very excited to take on this role to become more involved with decision making processes at Northam Primary School.  I will continue to work alongside the other board members to create a positive and nurturing environment for all our students.

                                                                     

 

 

Introducing Phove Rafferty

Northam Primary School Board Member

Staff Representative

 

I have been part of the Northam community since High School. My family moved here from Wongan Hills so I could attend year 11 & 12 in Northam and I have lived here ever since. I have raised my three children in Northam who have attended Northam Primary School, and I have worked at Northam Primary School for the past 8 years.

 

I am very lucky to currently be the Year 2 Teacher this year and have had the most incredible start to the year with such amazing students that we have at our school!

 

I have been part of the Northam Primary School Board for the past two years. I enjoy being a part of the decision making process and being involved in all of the exciting things the Board has been up to recently.

 

                                                                       

 

 

 

Introducing Kirsty Eaton

Northam Primary School Board Member

Staff Representative

 

I am a proud mum of three adult children (26, 23, 18). I feel very privileged to be able to work alongside two of my children at Northam Primary School (one a teacher, and the other a Special Needs EA). My partner Nate and I have been a part of the Northam community for the past two and a half years. Prior to that we were city folk. We have loved the tree change, and Nate has enjoyed being back in his hometown. Although, I am not a stranger to Northam either, I spent a lot of time in the Wheatbelt as a child due to my dad being a ‘Cunderdin lad’ as he says.

 

I have over a decade of experience in ECE teaching roles including being the first ever fulltime ECE Gifted and Talented teacher in WA. A role I absolutely adored! As a teacher, I truly believe in, and live by, the words of Rita Pierson, “Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be.”

 

I love the sense of community at Northam Primary School and feel excited to join the School Board. Having served on School Boards in the city previously, I cannot wait to build relationships and watch our school blossom.  

 

                                                                 

 

 

 

Introducing Jess Munro

Northam Primary School Board Member

Principal

 

I am a proud mother of two wonderful children, Ruben and Olivia. My husband and I, along with our little ones, enjoy life in the Perth Hills, where we share our home with our beloved chickens and our cat, Honky.

 

My education journey has taken me to several metropolitan schools, but my career began as a graduate teacher at Baker’s Hill Primary School. Returning to the Wheatbelt feels like coming full circle, and I am delighted to once again be part of this vibrant region.

 

Serving as the principal of Northam Primary School is both an immense privilege and a profound responsibility, one that I embrace with dedication and heart. My passion lies in empowering others, fostering a culture of shared purpose, and unlocking the potential within our staff and students. I firmly believe in the transformative power of great teaching and am committed to ensuring that every child receives the highest quality education they deserve.

 

I look forward to working alongside the School Board to strengthen community connections, enhance transparency around school processes and decisions, and cultivate meaningful partnerships. Together, we can achieve extraordinary outcomes for our students and our school community.