Yarrabilba State Secondary College principal’s son among new teachers for school’s fourth year

Nick Lee was very against joining his family tradition in the classroom until some casual work for extra cash became an “obsession” for the young teacher.

Nick Lee initially had no plans to join his family tradition in the classroom, he started studying business before realising it wasn’t for him and picking up teacher aide shifts while considering his next move.

The 26-year-old will start his full-time teaching career on Monday at Yarrabilba State Secondary College in Logan, where his mother is the principal.

“I knew that my mum’s grandparents, my grandad, and my mum were in the education system, but I was initially very against it, I didn’t see myself going down that path,” he said.

“(After ending my business studies) I had a part-time job working night shift and I picked up some teacher aide shifts during the day, and fell in love with it.

“Being with the kids and helping them, that edged me towards wanting to take more control of a classroom. I’ve been flying with it ever since and I’m now obsessed.”

Mr Lee’s grandfather, 86-year-old Bernie Smith, is still working as a supply teacher for the Department of Education.

Yarrabilba State Secondary College principal Belinda Tregea, with her son and new recruit Nick Lee, and Mr Lee’s grandfather and teacher Bernie Smith. Photo: Lyndon Mechielsen

Mr Lee remembers his grandad would occasionally take him to work with him as a child and let him sit at the back of the classroom while he taught.

Mr Lee did his university prac at several Logan schools, including Yarrabilba. The majority of the staff did not know his connection to the principal at the time.

“When I got here to do my prac, a lot of people said I should work here and I should introduce myself to the executive team (including the principal),” he laughed.

Yarrabilba State Secondary College only opened in 2020 and is gradually welcoming more staff and students. This year they will welcome their first cohort of Year 11 students, with Year 12 classes starting next year. They bring 15-20 new staff on board each year.

“I wanted to be part of something growing, rather than something established. You can make a difference anywhere, but I thought I could make more of a difference here,” Mr Lee said.

Mr Lee’s mother and Yarrabilba State Secondary College principal Belinda Tregea has been working in education for more than 30 years. She is the College’s foundation principal.

“He (Mr Lee) received glowing reports from his prac teachers here, because we have different surnames his teachers didn’t know we were related,” she said.

“The kids love him and he is really well suited to the approach here. He’s also very passionate about basketball and that’s one of our excellence programs.”

While she is excited to see the start of her son’s career, Ms Tregea said she is thrilled to have this school year unaffected by Covid-19, which will be the first since 2019.

“We opened in 2020, so we don’t know a year without Covid,” she said.

“And Nick stands on his own merits, he is a very sociable and gregarious person and has proven his abilities during his prac here.

“I don’t think there’s any expectation of him getting any favourable treatment here, in fact, it will probably be the opposite.”