An interview with: Ms. Kolesky

Adding to the legendary teacher saga, it was inevitable that Ms. Kolesky was to make her celebrity appearance at some point. My interview with her not only confirmed her cool and fabulous personality but also revealed something completely unexpected: school shenanigans to come.

I started by asking for her advice for us students as academic responsibilities become more demanding. She commented that “studying” becomes less about memorising and more about “actually understanding”, and then a pause, “yes, sorry”. She added that our long school journey will be an exciting one, perhaps a little overwhelming, and on occasion, it will feel like being handed the map to a country you didn’t know existed.

The key? Stay organised from the start – as well as something she lives by religiously (to be revealed later). “Consistency beats a frantic 1 a.m. panic-session every time”. She advises to ask questions, seek feedback, stay curious, and—very importantly—remember that these next two years don’t just shape your grades but they shape your independence, confidence, and the study habits you’ll rely on long after school is over.

I also asked for a quote that she believes everyone will find inspirational:
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
No truer words have ever been spoken for a student staring at their first exam of the season and thinking, “Is this… legal?”. At first, everything feels impossible: the workload, the independence, the expectations. But slowly, with effort, persistence, and “the occasional break”, you realise you can do it. And you will.
We moved to discussing how she personally held up at school as the stress level increased. Ms. Kolesky went to a government school. She goes on to say that it was not the same experience for us, doing our IGCSEs and A-level courses, but it didn’t mean that it was any less stressful. Her secret weapon: Organisation. I found out about Ma’am’s secret passion for planning and staying organized. It was helpful for her to set alarms and to schedule her days to keep at bay what seemed like inevitable procrastination, a sentiment I’m sure we are all familiar with.

But she also realised rest wasn’t optional but essential. Exercise, family friends, music, and asking for help became just as important as studying. It was this telltale trait that made her girls diagnose her with OCD. “A complete type A”.
It is thanks to this personality type that she owes her love for planning surprises.
From organising events in secret, to hiding in colleagues’ offices for a birthday ambushes — surprising people is basically her super-power.

Continuing on the topic of planning, when asked about other career paths, she chose Event management. She’s already secretly been doing it: family events, school gatherings, that legendary Integrated Lunch (“my brainchild”). She loves the creativity, the planning, the tiny details that make people smile, and the satisfaction of seeing it all come together.

Back on the topic of school, Ma’am shared the rather tall tale of 15 girls, one Art room, no sleep, and a very creepy school building. Yes, a full 24-hour all-nighter in Matric to finish final Art portfolios. No teachers. No supervision. No health and safety protocols. Just teenagers scrambling to finish their final pieces. It was creepy then, being in the school building, but just imagine the sheer terror of doing that here, even with the added security that they didn’t have when she was at school. To keep it brief, she warned about the “ghost of Woodland Heights” — but that’s for another article entirely…
And of course, to bring this interview to a close, I asked about her favourite animal: “I am fascinated by giraffes.” Her house? Filled with giraffe statues, trinkets, and décor.
Her holidays? Mostly spent scanning the horizon for giraffes.
Her conversations? Occasionally, include giraffe facts. But truly, she loves them because they stand out without trying to. “They’re gentle, observant, and calm. They see the world from a higher perspective, quite literally, and remind us all to move forward at our own pace.”

And that, I think, is the perfect note to end on. A big thank you to Ms. Kolesky for giving up her valuable time to sit and talk to me about giraffes, and to you for reading all the way through this.

– Rachel