Behind every prepared environment is a team of people quietly doing important work. Much of what makes MIC feel calm, purposeful and supportive happens in small moments that families don’t always see day to day.
Our Transformative Team series is a gentle way to introduce the people behind the learning, and to reflect the depth of Montessori understanding, care and professionalism across MIC. These profiles are about making visible the dedication and expertise that support children to grow in confidence, curiosity and independence.
Cath Healy
Executive Assistant to the Principal
What first brought you to MIC, and what continues to inspire you to be part of our community?
What first drew me to MIC was the chance to be part of a truly values-driven school with a heart for community. It felt like the perfect bridge between my background in primary teaching and my 20+ years of supporting executives across different industries.
What keeps me inspired every day is our incredible, collaborative team. Everyone here genuinely cares about creating the absolute best environment for our students, families, and staff, and that energy is contagious.
In a sentence or two, how does your role help create a positive experience for our children, families, or staff?
As EA to the Principal, my job is to take care of the details so he can focus entirely on leading our school and being there for our community. By keeping things organised and running smoothly, I love knowing I’m helping create a calm, welcoming, and supportive vibe across the college.
What’s something you do behind the scenes that families may not realise, but makes a difference each day?
A big part of my day is about anticipating what’s next, balancing a million moving parts, and making sure our leadership team has exactly what they need before they even have to ask. It’s quiet, behind-the-scenes work, but that steady rhythm is what helps keep the school day feeling consistent and grounded for everyone.
Which MIC value are you living most strongly right now (Courage, Respect, Generosity, or Integrity), and how does it show up in your work?
Integrity is the one closest to my heart. In a role like mine, trust, discretion, and reliability mean everything. For me, living this value means showing up every day with genuine care, following through on my promises, and being a safe, dependable support system for the team.
What is one thing you’d like our community to know about you outside of your role at MIC?
Outside of school, my world revolves around connection and balance. I come from a big, wonderful family, I have six siblings and 13 nieces and nephews! So spending quality time with them and my friends is everything to me. To recharge, I love traveling, enjoying good food, heading to the beach, or just winding down at home with a great book, a good TV show, and a nice glass of wine.
Rachael Skyring
Librarian
In a sentence or two, what do you hope children will gain from being part of your learning community this year?
In the Library, I hope children will learn to both stay focused on what information they are seeking, and also think flexibly about where to find it. I hope they will learn to treat books with respect and care. I hope they will learn to appreciate order and calm, an oasis in a busy doing. To stay curious about learning through books and stories, and also to notice how what they read compares with what they are seeing and hearing in the real world around them. In a time where we are all swimming in information of various reliability, to learn to value their own observations.
Is there a Montessori principle or practice you find yourself drawing on most often? Why is it so important?
“Follow the child” is the principle I return to most often. It reminds me to observe carefully before stepping in, to trust the child’s developmental journey, and to support growth rather than direct it. To take the time to listen to what the child is seeking and to only then suggest resources that could meet their needs. For example, one child was asking about science books, and also wanted science that was like magic. So we looked into a book about practical experiments to do at home to create surprising changes which met both requests.
What Montessori qualifications or specialised training have supported your journey as an educator?
I have been associated with Montessori education philosophy as an enthusiastic parent for more than twenty years. I am a qualified Library and Information Management professional. I started my career as an Examiner of Patents, checking claimed inventions against official records. Now I’m more interested in what generates innovative thinking and learning in both children and adults, because we all need to be thinking creatively to respond to the quickly changing world around us. The Montessori model of short targeted lessons followed by independent follow up and discovery in a supportive and resource rich environment is a potent starting point.
Can you share a recent “Montessori in action” moment you’ve witnessed (a breakthrough, act of independence, collaboration, or quiet success) that stood out to you?
Honestly, seeing my own children make their way in the world beyond school with confidence and curiosity has been one of the most affirming Montessori experiences for me. Leaving school with the belief they have a place in the world and something unique to offer, and the discipline and persistence to follow that up in their own way.
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