Trumpet: Content Creator

16/12/2025

Always a fun time in Year 1 with Ms. Brown! As always, the long lunch was a hit, and the jelly with custard and fresh cream had us all in dessert heaven! And of course, we wrapped it up with a spirited game of kahoots. Guess who snagged the top spot on the leaderboard? That’s right, yours truly! 😉 Maybe Katherine and I bent the rules a teensy bit, but hey, all in good fun! Couldn’t have asked for a better group of colleagues. 💪🏾💜💛

14/12/2025

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10/12/2025

This week knocked the wind right out of me. One minute I was riding the high of a full, fun week… the next, it felt like a tsunami of symptoms hit all at once and just kept coming. 🤒🤕🤧🤮😭

Sunday night turned into a day and a half of “I’ll bounce back soon” denial before it finally hit me: this wasn’t one of my usual 24-hour bugs. A Telehealth appointment later and I had antivirals, strict instructions for water and rest… and a whole week off work.

A whole week? In the second-last week of term?! With graduation to finalise for our LDC students and a to-do list a mile long?!!! 🫣😳

My first instinct was panic. How could I possibly step back now? But the truth is, my body had already made the call. So I took a breath, messaged the team, and trusted they’d hold the fort. And of course, they will. That’s what strong teams do. That’s what real community looks like. 💪🏾🥰

Tucked up in my oodie under blankets instead of being at work was a confronting reminder that when you feel that unwell, nothing else matters. Not titles. Not deadlines. Not meetings. Not pressure. Health becomes everything!

My little takeaways from being couch and bed bound:

💜 Say yes to rest before your body demands it

💛 Trust your people to step in and let yourself feel the love when they check in on you (thank you 🥰)!

💜 Work will move on without you for a week but your body only gets one chance

When things felt really tough, work wasn’t even on my radar. At home, with the people I love, I’m not replaceable. And neither are you!

I hear so often from educators that it feels harder to be away than to push through because of the prep and the pressure but this is exactly where community matters. We have to look after each other, step in for one another, and make it easier to rest when someone needs it.

Never feel bad for taking the time you need to be well. 💛
🫩🤒

04/12/2025

Leadership post inspired by AC/DC 🎸
Passion is impossible to miss. Standing in this crowd, watching AC/DC own the stage, reminded me what it looks like when people are doing exactly what they’re meant to do and living life at full volume.

I’m so grateful to my hubby for making this night happen and for saying “yes” to big experiences and helping create space for joy in the middle of real life. Moments like this are a gift, and I don’t take them for granted.

AC/DC isn’t just a band; they’re part of our shared culture, the soundtrack to road trips, parties, and growing up!! Being there took me straight back to boarding school socials, where these songs thumped through dodgy speakers and we felt wild and free for a few precious hours.

So why post?!! Well it got me thinking .. there are some key leadership reminders we can all take away from this!

💜 Do your thing with unapologetic passion; people feel it before they understand it.

💛 Honour the people who quietly make your dreams and adventures possible.

💜 Never underestimate the power of music, memories, and community to reconnect you with who you really are.
Life isn’t a rehearsal. Turn it up and live it loud.

If you went to the concert tonight… I hope you hand walked away as inspired and hyped as I have. 💪🏾

03/12/2025

Driving change for children with disability 💛

Today, we join communities around the world in recognising International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD) – a day dedicated to deepening awareness, understanding and inclusion.

With one in ten Australian children living with disability, the 2025 IDPwD theme, 'Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress', speaks directly to our vision for a healthier, fairer future for every child.

Our Child Disability team is leading research that amplifies the voices of children and families, breaks down barriers to healthcare, and creates tools and resources that help young people participate fully in their communities.

From improving access to clear health information, to co-designing decision-making tools with parents, to developing world-leading measures like QI-Disability, our researchers are driving meaningful change.

Read more about how our research is strengthening support, inclusion and wellbeing for children with disability 👉 https://shorturl.at/N8NYX

30/11/2025

At the Playgroup WA Fun Day on Tuesday, Dayna, Becky, and Amanda proudly represented NEMLDC alongside WCLDC, sharing the message that Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is common, real and deserves to be recognised early so children and families can access the right support.

Our highly creative team dreamed up a superhero-themed space to shine a light on the power of early identification and clear referral pathways, helping families understand that seeking support early can change a child’s whole trajectory.

Throughout the day, they had rich conversations with parents and caregivers about DLD, what to look out for, and where to go for help, making sure no question went unanswered.

In between these important chats, the team helped decorate almost 400 superhero masks, embracing every bit of glitter, colour and chaos to create a welcoming, family-friendly way to start conversations about children’s language development. It was fun, noisy and wonderfully exhausting, and if there had been an award for “most mess created in the name of awareness,” the team would have taken it out easily!!

Huge thanks to Becky ( Senior SP), Dayna (Year 1SP) and Amanda (Lead EA) for their energy, creativity and enthusiasm in showcasing the life-changing work of our Language Development Centres and why DLD awareness matters for every community. You ARE superheroes!!

RADLD - Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder
Playgroup WA

27/11/2025

Change really does begin at the end of your comfort zone, and 2026 is my year to step right into that space.

For years, I have poured my heart into the AP role at NE LDC while raising three beautiful girls, often getting the work–life balance painfully wrong and carrying more guilt than I care to admit. Yet I also feel deep pride in what has been built in that time and in what my girls have seen: resilience, a fierce work ethic, and the courage to be passionate about your purpose.

Walking away from something that has held so much of my identity has taken a real toll, but it has also given me the nudge I needed to finally choose me and dare to imagine a different way of showing up. In 2026, that means moving across into the Outreach team, a space I know, love, and one that aligns so strongly with my “why.”

I am incredibly excited to lean even further into advocating for Developmental Language Disorder, and to keep building genuine connections with admin teams as they strengthen oral language and literacy opportunities for their students. The icing on the cake is getting to do this alongside a group of passionate, driven speech pathologists who share the same belief in multidisciplinary, evidence-informed support for children with DLD.

Here’s to a year of growth, courage, and inspiration for me, for my team, and for every school community that invites us into their DLD and literacy journey. 💜💛

25/11/2025

Some days I look back and think, “Wow… 6 years ago I was fitter, stronger, and felt like a completely different person.” And now? I’m greyer, a little slower, a 51-year-old navigating menopause and its chaos 😵‍💫🙃 but I’m still moving.

I’m still showing up, even when the work day leaves me mentally wrung out and my body feels heavy. It’s taken time to adjust… and honestly, I’m not there yet. But I’m trying.

If you’re in this in-between season too, please hear this:
You’re not alone.
Your pace doesn’t define your worth.
And you deserve a whole lot more grace than you give yourself.

Keep going …. gently. 💪🏾🥰

24/11/2025

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,
a stark reminder that violence isn’t just physical. Digital violence is real violence, and exists for online abuse or harassment.

Why This Matters
• Nearly 1 in 3 women worldwide experience physical and/or sexual abuse during their lives, highlighting the global scale of this crisis.
• Tragically, every 10 minutes, one woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family member.
• The digital world is now a frontline for this battle, with women facing silencing, intimidation, and abuse across online platforms, particularly those with strong voices in public fields like politics, activism, or journalism.

The Reality of Online Abuse
• Online violence can include harassment, stalking, threats, and identity theft, causing real psychological and emotional harm.
• Weak tech regulations, slow legal systems, impunity for perpetrators, AI-driven abuse, and limited support for digital victims make the issue worse.
• Anonymity online often emboldens abusers, while women facing abuse may not receive support or justice.
What We All Can Do
• Speak out against online harassment when you see it, silence enables harm.
• Support women and girls by amplifying their voices, not silencing them.
• Learn, share, and use resources to stay safe online, and demand better regulation and support from tech platforms.

Digital violence is real. Online abuse is never justified. Everyone has a role to play in building safer, more respectful online spaces for women and girls.

21/11/2025

We were incredibly fortunate to witness the magic of Guy alongside Gina. We are deeply saddened by the news of his passing. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Gina and his family from all of us.

VALE GUY GHOUSE AM: WA MUSIC COMMUNITY MOURNS BELOVED ARTIST AND EDUCATOR

The Western Australian music and arts community is in mourning following the passing of acclaimed guitarist and composer Guy Ian Ghouse AM.

Ghouse died this morning, the 21st of November, surrounded by family. He was 56.

Widely regarded as one of the country’s most gifted guitarists, Ghouse was also a celebrated composer, educator and long-time champion of First Nations languages through music.

His work with schools, young people and communities across WA earned him deep respect and lasting influence.

Family say he continued working until just two weeks ago, despite battling cancer for almost two years.

They’re asking for privacy at this time, and say anyone wishing to honour him might consider sharing a dad joke — something Ghouse was well-known for.

He last spoke with Ngaarda Media only a few months ago, after being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours.

A quiet but profound recognition of his lifetime contribution to music, culture and community.

20/11/2025

Today’s Wins ..

First up, I joined our Year 2 students in building a cubby house during lunch play! It was such a joy to be included in their fun, even though I realised I need a bit more practice! More playtime is definitely on the cards. 😜

Then, I tackled a 5K this afternoon. It was a bit humid and there was a light drizzle, but I pushed through and jogged the last kilometer. And guess what? A rainbow greeted me at the finish line! 🌈 Such a perfect reminder that every small step counts.

To anyone out there working on their health and fitness goals: keep going! You’re your only competition, and every bit of progress matters. 💪🏾🥰