Kari Kingram

Kari Kingram was a teacher from the Snowy Region. She was a skilled PDHPE teacher and even the 2IC deputy principal. She later moved to Begs after a phone call from Dr Quinton Philips. Kari was brought in to the Begs PE department after Saunders' position was vacant for so long.

Young Life
Kari was born in a region of NSW known as "Snowy Region". There she went to school and even went to University to study teaching. Kari was 21 before she finished her Bachelor of Education in Physical Education and Personal Development. For Kari this was her life dream to be able to teach kids the value of life and even the value of how phys ed can be good for you. Kari had the nickname 'Kingy' and 'Kang' and it stuck with her forever.

Quinton's NOL retirement
"Quinton what are you going to do after you finishing your NOL career?" said Quinton's teacher Trish Meriweather. "I'm going to University to study, teaching and maybe medicine. The NOL can only get you so far." "I think that's a good choice Quinton, but where would you teach and perform medicine?" "A little town called Begs. It's on the edge of the South Coast. I hear it's great to teach there." "It sounds great." "I gotta go. Got PE next." Quinton walked outside and he went down to the oval, his class was playing a game of Oztag, which was different to the version he was used to. "You're awesome Quinton." said a student. Kari said "Alright lets get this over with." Kari blew the whistle and the game started. Quinton went in for a tackle and he got his leg caught in an awkward position, and he hard a snapping noise from his knee. Quinton screamed in agony as he reeled out of the tackle and grabbed his knee. Kari rushing over and saying "Quinton!" Quinton looked down at his knee to see it doubled in size. "It's gone.." Kari helped Quinton up and said to everyone else "Keep on playing." Kari pointed to John and then pointed to the oval, John nodded in agreement. Kari helped Quinton to the staffroom and helped sit him down. "What do you think it is? Quinton you NOL career could be in danger here." "ACL." "That's far fetched. I haven't seen anyone in this much pain, since that kid dislocated their knee. But I'll give it a go at this test eh?" Kari then said "It's gone. I'm so sorry Quinton, but it's gone." Quinton was then taken to hospital to confirm his ruptured ACL and Kari was there with him. "Thanks for everything Kari. I appreciate this." "Not everyday you take an NOL star to hospital, in your car." Kari chuckled and Quinton was not that happy.

At the Town
"Alright we have three, in the run for the Deputy Principal position. But.. It's hard to choose one that I actually like.." said the head of the P&C. Quinton was sick of the talking and said "I'll do it.." "You.." "Yes me.." "all in favour?" everyone raised their hands. "That's everyone. Welcome Deputy Philips." As all the teachers were in the room as well Quinton then said "I also step down from the Head of the PDHPE department and let the Head job go to Kari Davis. She's the most trusted member of the staff I know." "It's settled then." The next day an assembly was called and all staff and students were called to witness it. Principal Gary, got up and said "Teachers, parents and students, as you all know we have had trouble securing a deputy principal. Last night one of our most dedicated teachers stepped down from their teaching position to take the job. Today we welcome to the stage Mr. Quinton Philips as the new deputy principal." Quinton stepped up on stage and said "It was no easy decision to make. But I step down from the Head Teacher position and pass the head job over to Mrs. Kari Davis. With the dignity and honour of knowing I have done the best of my ability to do my job as head teacher of the PD/H/PE department, and I take this new job with honour and valor." Quinton received his badge and smiled for a photo. Quinton then dismissed the kids and spoke to Kari. "Kari, you know the head job of the department isn't easy." "I know. But I want that struggle." "Look. I'm going to have to get another PE teacher here. Since I'm no longer teaching and we lost Saunders, I think it's time to hire another one" "I think that's the track you want to go on." Quinton walked to his office, and phoned one of his former teachers. "Hello, is that Kari I'm speaking to?" "Sure is. Who is this?" "Its Quinton Philips, deputy of Begs High. I'm offering a job in the PD/H/PE department. I was head of the department but I decided to take up this job. If you want to take the job I'd like to see you in my office in the next couple of days." A couple of days later Quinton had a phone call and told her to send them in. "Kari! Long time no see!" Quinton said in a excited tone. Kari smiled and said "haha, I know the feeling Quinton. How you been after all these years?." "Very well. Happy and healthy. Johns in the mines and both kids are now finished primary school." "They coming here?" "Yeah they actually are. Kelly and Frank are looking forward to meeting you." "Alright sorry for the late call, I just need another PE teacher in the department as we only have three. We lost two. One to Gibbstown another to unforeseen medical circumstances. I'm glad to have you aboard. I have your badge here. I'm going to introduce you to the staff and students. They always love new people." Kari smiled and said "The last person who said that, was very, very wrong." "Look Kari, since there is now you. I must confess. The PE staff have names of Kari, Phil and Michelle. But they're are different to back home. Dangerfield might remind of someone else, but that's all. This is one of the best schools in this area." Kari then said "That doesn't phase me, that I share names with someone." "What is your last name again?" "Kingram." "Kari Kingram?" "Well Quinton it hasn't changed in all those years you haven't seen me. You haven't changed either." Quinton smiled and said "I'm no longer a student anymore Mrs. Kingram. You'll see how much I've come after all those years.." "Are you sure? Or are you still battling a knee injury you can't shake?" "I gotten passed that injury. The body is feeling great. A few clean up surgeries now and again." Kari then said "I hope you don't break on me.." Quinton smiled and then said "Look listen. Can you be my 2IC deputy principal? I don't trust anyone else." "Yeah of course I'd be honoured.""That's good thank you. Now lets go. we have an assembly to get to. I'll give you your badge there. And of course introduce you." Quinton was standing at the assembly and he listened to the news. Quinton was finally up. "Good morning everyone. I think you have seen a new teacher about this morning and I would like to introduce you all to one teacher who taught me and has shown true dedication to the job. Please come up Mrs. Kari Kingram. who will be taking over the spot of Mrs. Saunders, and has also been made the 2IC deputy principal." Kingram came up to Quinton and received her badge and said a few words. "Thank you Mr Philips. Yes I've had a wonderful career down south. And I'm glad to be here. I thank you, for giving me this opportunity. I done and seen it all."

The First Days
As Kari met the PE staff in her first few days of being at Begs, she first met Michelle Dangerfield, "You must be Kingy? Welcome to the crew. Dangerfield Michelle." "Kari." "Popular name that. Especially here." "I've heard." "Nah. It's a nice name sure beats mine." "You remind me of my colleague down south. We made fun of her because she sounded like a bird. She wanted a cracker." "Polly? Ha! gold!" Kari then said "Yeah, 20 years we worked together. Now I'm up here it's time to start new friendships." After that Kari was called in to talk to Quinton. "Listen, Kari, I have to tell you the truth." "Shoot." "Your replacing a dead woman." "Kind of figured that." 'Yeah, but the real reason. After Saunders died we cancelled all lessons in PD, for 6 weeks. We mourned in that time. And we had the job vacant ever since then. We had a maximum six weeks of cancelled lessons. And for a PE teacher that feels like an eternity. I wanted you because I knew you could look after yourself, you didn't need an ambulance 22 times in 3 years.." "22 times.. Holy crap." "She fought so hard to come back from injuries, but when she injured her back the second time she was chair bound. Making it hard for us and her. She always wanted me to take time off to help her but after the 20th time, I refused to help her anymore. She then after the 2 back injuries retired and 3 years later confirmed she was dying, and she later died, and we had the job vacant ever since." Kari then said "It took you courage to tell me the truth again, didn't it?" "Look. I can give you severance. If you want to go back home I respect your decision." "Quinton.. No... I'm staying on one condition. You bring John here. He hates the mines." "I can do that. No trouble. He'd fill up the last spot in the department." Quinton then got the phone and call John. "Hello John. This is Quinton Philips. Deputy of Begs High. I'd like to offer you my empty spot in the PDHPE department." "On my way."said John. Quinton then said "Begs.." "In the chopper. Be there soon." Quinton hung up and said "He's on his way. I think he took the helicopter." "The chopper. Okay then." "You know how the way we teach here, is the way you want your class to learn. To be the way one must do things, because whatever you want it's something you love."

A Year Later
Kari was well settled in to the role of 2IC head teacher and deputy, and it was the way Kari had dreamed about. Kari had waited a long time back home but now since Quinton was there they became the best of friends and the two were always talking on how things could be done better around the PE department. Kari was also well respected by all and this was very happy for it to be like it. Kari was also given an awarded for her dedication and services to the school. Kari was now known as the best PD/H/PE teacher in the Begs Schooling community, and this was one of the things that the school needed and what she never wanted to see around in her years as a teacher. Kari had gotten along with Quinton so well that they changed the way people thought about the school.

Focusing
"Alright. Now as I've said in the past, that the way people learn from mistakes is to do it over and over again, until you have a successful try. Failure doesn't mean anything, it means you can do better. When I was younger I was fitter then most of you. I bike rode, did archery and played basketball. I had to give up basketball because of a foot injury. I thought of it as failure, I'd failed my team. I didn't fail them, I lead from the sideline, I lead from in-front. That's the main reason I became a teacher. Not to tell you when you fail but to tell you when you can do better. We're all good at some things. Others better then most, but you need to be in the arena of triumph to be able to fail or see the best in people. It will never matter on how you do things. If you're dedicated, dedication gets you places." Kari said to her Year 11 PD class. "Dedication comes from within. Not from your family/coaches or friends. It comes from you and you alone, you give and you get you get the results you want and you know the results will vary, but no one can ever change you. The only thing that changes you is you. I've taught for over 20 years, and I've changed my style of teaching over the years, but it was for the good. I was a student once to. Its a style I learned to live with." Kari then walked up to the whiteboard and wrote the word 'Success'. "What does success mean to most of us? It means to most of us as a good job, good health, money. To me success is being alive everyday and coming into work and changing young adults lives, with what we all teach to you in this faculty. It's new and its better then ever to teach new students, every year, we see different kinds of students walk through those gates. And watch them walk out with every aspect of the world and words and even verbal wars. But we can always fix our mistakes, not always but we can always take it all in."

Mistakes aren't everywhere
"Mistakes aren't always there, but they make us. Mistakes are sometimes the way we live. We're always making them but never forgetting them." Kari said to Quinton. "Mistakes are the reason I no longer play in the NOL.. Injuries take their toll, and they may give us mistakes to get better, but yeah. No one can stop the aging process." "It was the way we do things. And it was the way we loved to do things." "Mistakes aren't everywhere."

Trivia

 * Kari taught Dr Quinton in his High School years, after that they became friends
 * Kari had two children named Kelly and Frank
 * Kari taught for 20 years at Snowy Region High as a PD teacher
 * Kari's husband John worked in the mines