The CLEAR Education Team
Meet Our Passionate Tutors!
Our tutors, already having excelled under the direction of CLEAR are also continually mentored and trained by Karene Buchanan. They have each shown an exceptional drive to achieve outstanding results, immersing themselves in the friendly, but driven atmosphere CLEAR Education provides. Each mentor has excelled in English or Maths and has the ability to communicate and teach effectively.
Meet the team below!
Karene Buchanan (Lucas), Founder
Karene Buchanan holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education in English and Drama which was completed at UNSW in 1998. She taught at St Spyridon College for 8 years and then had her first child in 2009. She then started a part time tutoring business which has now flourished into CLEAR. Her passion is for students to receive a good education to ensure they get the results they need to successfully fulfil their career goals.
"We focus on specialised one on one lessons to individually support and challenge each of our students. We have chosen ex students to become a part of our team as they have excelled using our CLEAR approach and they are excited to share their knowledge and skills with their students. The process of selecting the appropriate tutor for our students is also integral to our approach. If a student has a dynamic tutor who can build rapport, motivate and extend them, then their commitment will improve as will their
Confidence, Literacy, Effort, Abilities and Results and that is the whole point of CLEAR."
The tutors, the role models, the champions
Lucas Fagundes-Lydon
English isn’t an easy subject, especially if it doesn’t come naturally to you, but I promise you, it doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems. Karene, our director at CLEAR Education, taught me personally at my high school of Marist College Kogarah. She proved to me, and everyone time and time again, that with a guiding hand to show you direction, and a personal desire to self-actualise, you can achieve whatever mark or band you desire in this subject.
I was fortunate and privileged enough to have gifted and dedicated teachers at my high school like Karene. It was only through their help and the supportive environment that they created, that I was able to achieve my goals of a band 6 and E4 in both Advanced and Extension English respectively. Karene made it clear to me, if you give this subject what it deserves and commit yourself to making the at first inconceivable a reality, it will happen.
Karene, my colleagues and I ensure that when you walk through the doors of CLEAR Education, you walk into a community that only wants the best for you and will make sure that you have every tool necessary to become the best you can be at English. So, come to CLEAR Education, and let us show you the abilities you didn’t even know you had.
Siena Pantaleone
Siena is an ex-student of CLEAR education, where she was tutored by Karene for English Advanced, who helped her improve her skills in English and helped her grow her marks dramatically by the end of year 12.
She graduated OLSH College Kensington in 2020, with an ATAR of 96.75. Siena was also awarded the NSW Premier's All Rounder's Award for achieving a Band 6 in all of her subjects, including English Advanced, Maths Standard 2, Studies of Religion 2, Geography and PDHPE. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science at University of Technology Sydney, with the hope of studying Physiotherapy.
Siena has a great passion for both health and fitness and mathematics, whereby she was ranked first for PDHPE and Maths Standard 2 in her cohort for year 11 and 12. She excelled in all her subjects through her great diligence, determination and hard work. She is excited to pass on her expertise and knowledge to all her students, allowing them to achieve their goals and feel confident in all their subjects, whilst also creating a positive and safe environment for all.
Kshaunish Chaplot
Kshaunish graduated from Marist College Kogarah in 2017 as College Dux, with an ATAR of 99.75. Now, he is currently studying a Doctor of Medicine.
Through recursive hard-work, perseverance and a little bit of strategy that he likes to call “playing the HSC game”, Kshaunish was able to achieve HSC marks of 99/100 in both Extension 1 & 2 Mathematics, 94/100 in Chemistry, 93/100 in Physics and 91/100 in Advanced English, achieving the HSC All-Rounder award for Band 6 in all his subjects.
Yet, preceding Kshaunish’s knighting as the princely ‘Guru’ of Mathematics, he remained a mere mortal, achieving a mid to low ranking throughout Stage 5 without any clear passion for the subject. It was with the help of his teachers and tutors including Karene that he soon came to realise his true potential and strove to achieve greatness.
Kshaunish hopes to drive not only the values of resilience, dedication and hard-work into his students, but also mentor and support their mental focus and passion for this truly magnificent, mathematical world we live in (his words not ours!). This is what he and CLEAR education believe, is the recipe to HSC success.
Peter Ghobrial
Peter Ghobrial graduated from St Mark's Coptic Orthodox College in 2020 and now studies Veterinary Science. He has always been passionate about maths and science, achieving band 6s in Extension 1 and 2 Mathematics while still in Year 11 and band 6s in both Chemistry and Physics in Year 12.
Throughout highschool, his internal ranks in English were always low compared to his ranks in other subjects. Before joining CLEAR education, he had accepted the fact that he would not do well in English. However, with the help of Lucas and Zach, he was able to rebuild his essay writing foundations and learn the power of simplicity in a good essay. Then, with the guidance of Karene throughout year 12, Peter not only improved his ranks but gained confidence in his writing skills and went on to achieve a mark of 88/100 in English Advanced which, although not his highest mark, is the mark he is most proud of.
Peter's goal at CLEAR education is to motivate students by helping them to deeply understand and visualise concepts rather than to simply memorise them.
Kyle Gordon
Kyle Gordon was an ex-student at Clear Education, graduating from Marcellin College in 2021 with an ATAR of 97.35. With the support of Georgia and Alyssa as his English teachers he was able to improve his marks in English and improve his essay writing in many of his subjects.
Kyle has a passion for Business and Economics after coming first in both subjects at his school with a mark of 92 in Economics and 96 in Business. He also achieved a Band 6 in Maths Advanced which led him to study a Bachelor of Commerce and Advanced Studies at the University of Sydney.
Kyle hopes to share his knowledge and experience with the students he works with so that they can feel more confident in their subjects and succeed in their studies to the best of their ability.
Saoirse Flahive
Saoirse graduated from Brigidine College Randwick in 2021 with an ATAR of 97.8. She is currently studying veterinary medicine at the University of Sydney. Though she has a passion for science as seen in her HSC biology mark of 95/100, she also loves English achieving 96/100 in Advanced English and 47/50 in English Extension 1. Her dedication and persistence is also evident as she excelled in all other subject areas, achieving band 6’s in economics and sor 1, and 88/100 in advanced mathematics.
She is proud of her results, however, is more proud of the personal growth and the skills she learnt during the HSC that still help her today. She hopes to use her understanding of the HSC, and the struggles that she personally faced, to share these very skills and passions - so that everyone can also reach their goal.
Daniela Stamatellis
Daniela Stamatellis is an ex-student of CLEAR Education, graduating in 2020 from Brigidine College Randwick with an ATAR of 92.15.
With help from CLEAR Daniela achieved an HSC Advanced English mark of 91/100 and Extension English mark of 46/50. Daniela initially seeked the help of CLEAR as a primary school student struggling significantly with English. However, has excelled developing an array of skills prior to completing the HSC, which she is determined to instil within her students.
Daniela’s passion and determination resulted in achieving a band 6 also in PDHPE, which lead to her currently studying a bachelor of exercise physiology at University of New South Wales.
Jocelyne Santoso
Jocelyne Santoso is an ex-student of CLEAR Education, graduating from OLSH College Kensington in 2021 with an ATAR of 93.9. With the help of Maddy as her English tutor and Anthea as her Maths tutor, she was able to refine her skills and improve her marks in both subjects dramatically.
Jocelyne has a passion for business after completing Business Studies and Economics in her HSC year, whilst achieving 1st Place in her cohort and the Youth Partnership VET Excellence Student Award in Business Services. Her interest in Mathematics also led to her studying a Bachelor of Business at the University of Technology Sydney.
Jocelyne hopes to support her students and pass on her diligence and knowledge in order to motivate and build up their confidence in their studies.
Alexandra Zogopoulos
Alexandra graduated St Scholastica’s College, Glebe Point, in 2019 with an ATAR of 96.45. As the School Captain, she was proud of implementing new initiatives at school. She studied a variety of subjects and achieved band 6s in Chemistry, Japanese, Society and Culture, and English Advanced. As she loved all her subjects and has a passion for learning, she decided to pursue Arts and Science at University. Alexandra now studies Global Studies and Chemistry as a Dalyell Scholar at the University of Sydney with the goal of studying Medicine in the future.
Alexandra takes a holistic approach when assisting students at Clear Education to improve their confidence in their studies and feel encouraged in all aspects of school life.
Darren Tjioe
The HSC may sometimes feel impossible to conquer, but any success story is possible when you believe and have the right people guiding you to the end. Having completed this journey with the rare privilege of such guidance, Darren is determined to help you find and couple self-belief with an elegant voice in English and other writing-based subjects.
Darren graduated from Champagnat Catholic College in 2022 with a band 6 in English Advanced, Studies of Religion II, Visual Arts and Modern History, ultimately receiving an ATAR of 96.75. He is studying a Bachelor of Psychology Honours at the University of Sydney.
Darren developed a passion for art in high school, which inspired him to create seven novel paintings of his dog for his major work. The creative aspect of art also benefited Darren’s analytical skills in ways that sharpened his approach to unseen English texts and other modules: one of many critical skills he is keen on sharing at CLEAR.
It is Darren’s aim to ensure that you not only nail the fundamental and more nuanced skills conducive to shining in English, but do so with greater passion for the subject.
Mihalis Dovellos
Mihalis graduated from St. Spyridon College Highschool in 2021 and completed his HSC with an ATAR of 98.00. He completed 13 units, those being English Advanced, Mathematics Extension 1 & 2, Physics, Chemistry, Modern Greek Continuers/Extension.
By connecting and further learning his family’s native language within the subject of Modern Greek, he achieved 5th in the state. Mihalis’ love for Mathematics, on the other hand, is driven by his great satisfaction in solving difficult and perplexing questions. With Modern Greek and Mathematics Extension 1 & 2 being his most enjoyed subjects, he hopes to instill this same enthusiasm and passion into his students.
He now studies at the University of New South Wales, undertaking a Bachelor of Actuarial Studies and Science. Outside of the realm of education, he mostly enjoys kickboxing as it is a fun way to exercise whilst also socialising and meeting others in the gym.
Alyana Kondilios
Alyana graduated from Reddam House in 2022 and was an ex student of CLEAR Education. She is passionate about Art, Legal and Math but always struggled with English. With the help of her tutors, Karene and Kshaunish, she gained confidence and her rankings siginficantly increased. She received an overall ATAR of 95.80 and received many Band 6's.
Alyana understands that each student learns differently, so she will use this information to find a way to extrapolate the best of all her students abilities and help them to improve as best they can.
Rishi Beer
Rishi graduated from Reddaam House in 2022 with an ATAR of 95.45. He achieved a band 6 in Music One, Modern History, Extension History, Advanced English and Advanced Mathematics which he completed as an accelerated subject.
Despite his eventual result in English, it was far from a subject that came naturally to him. From labouring and learning how to write effectively throughout year 10 and 11, Rishi believe's he has gained the skill and insight to teach students how to improve and excel in a range of subjects.
He is studying a double degree of Law/Science at UTS, as he has discovered he has a great interest for both the humanities and sciences throughout high school.
Danielle Sandroussi
Danielle Sandroussi is an ex-student of CLEAR Education, graduating in 2022 from Presbyterian Ladies Collage Croydon. Utilising the support of Karene and Daniela as her English tutors she was able to improve her structure, spelling and clarity resulting in higher marks in English, whilst also enhancing her essay writing in many of her subjects. As she improved in English it encouraged her to pursue Advanced and Extension English during her HSC ultimately ending up loving the subject.
Danielle initially sought the help of CLEAR in order to maximise the marks she received in English. However, with help from CLEAR, Danielle excelled in Advanced and Extension English. Danielle has taken on a range of skills prior to completing the HSC, which she is determined to instil within her students. Danielle’s passion and determination resulted in her achieving a band 6 in Design and Technology, which lead to her currently studying a Bachelor of Product Design and Creative Intelligence at the University of Technology, Sydney.
Ben Valdeabella
Ben graduated from Champagnat Catholic College in 2022 with a band 6 in English Advanced, Modern History, History Extension, Studies of Religion II and Legal Studies, receiving an ATAR of 97.75 and DUX. Ben also achieved an E3 in Extension English. He is currently studying a double degree in law and arts at UNSW.
Having had Lucas as a tutor at CLEAR, Ben was able to significantly improve his English skills, as reflected in his success in the HSC. Inspired by Lucas’ experience, Ben similarly strives to foster an engaging environment for students studying English and education in general.
Ben’s interests in contemporary guitar and rock climbing reflects his balanced and holistic approach to life, which he aims to promote for his students and their education.
Jessica Dang
Jessica graduated from Sydney Girls High School in 2022 and also attended the OC for Woollahra Public School. She understands the requirements of academically selective exams and how to best prepare your children to excel their skills in maths and english. Completing Mathematics Extension 2, English Extension 1, Engineering Studies, Chemistry and accelerated IPT for her HSC studies; her love for these subjects led her to start studying at USYD with a Bachelor of Engineering Honours/ Commerce.
Also an ex-student of CLEAR Education, she understands how difficult the workload and preparation for the HSC is, but drawing from her own experience she will do her best to adapt to and improve every student she has.
Jessica hopes all her students will feel confident in their studies afterwards and go to excel in their future studies.
Chloe Turner
Chloe is a 2022 graduate of OLSH College Kensington, and achieved an atar 91.85. With the aid of members of the Clear Education team, she was able to reach an E4 in Extension 1 Mathematics, and an E3 in Extension 2, whilst obtaining successful marks in Physics and Chemistry as well. Continuing her passion for exploring the STEM field, Chloe is currently studying a Bachelor of Engineering at UNSW.
Chloe understands the challenges that maths brings and hopes to instill new strategies that will aid in approaching the complex and unusual exam questions. She hopes that she may help students to gain confidence in their abilities and nurture passion for science and mathematics.
Shauna Peppard
Shauna Peppard is an ex-student of CLEAR Education, graduating from Brigidine College Randwick in 2023 with an ATAR of 96.55.
With the help and support of her tutor, Alice, Shauna was able to rank 1st in her cohort for HSC Trials and become 1 of only 120 students in NSW to achieve a Band 6 in English Standard. Shauna was also awarded the NSW Premier's All Rounder's Award for achieving a band 6 in all of her subjects, including Maths Standard 2, English Standard, Business, PDHPE, Studies of Religion 1, and Hospitality.
Her passion for supporting others inspired her to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Speech Pathology at The University of Sydney. Shauna hopes to guide students to reach their full potential by sharing her knowledge and study techniques to boost their confidence and reduce stress.
Eleanna Gatsi
Eleanna Gatsi graduated from Blakehurst High School in 2023 with an ATAR of 95.95. She was tutored by Karene in Years 11 and 12 in English Advanced who helped her gain confidence, improve her essay writing skills and the ability to adapt to an array of HSC style questions. Karene’s assistance and guidance, coupled with hard work, assisted Eleanna in achieving 1st place in her cohort.
At her school, she also came 1st in Mathematics Standard 2, Modern Greek Continuers & Extension, 2nd in Italian Beginners and 3rd in PDHPE. Eleanna also achieved many band 6s in the HSC including; English Advanced (91/100), Mathematics Standard 2 (93/100), Italian Beginners (96/100), Modern Greek Continuers (97/100) and Modern Greek Extension (47/50). Additionally, she also received two state rankings: 6th in the State in Modern Greek Continuers and 8th in the State for Modern Greek Extension.
She is currently studying a Bachelor of Speech Pathology at the University of Sydney. Eleanna is very proud of her achievements and personal growth throughout her HSC journey and hopes to instil in her students that with hard work, dedication and perseverance they will be able to gain confidence and motivation to achieve their goals.
Lucia Habib
In 2023, Lucia graduated from SCEGGS Darlinghurst. By employing Karene's guidance during her final years, she managed to enhance the complexity of her writing, resulting in clear and sophisticated essays. This skill was able to be utilised in other subjects, yielding a significant overall advantage. Lucia was able to improve at tackling difficult problem-solving questions in Advanced Math with the help of her tutor, Alyana. Lucia's HSC subjects were: Advanced Math, Avanced English, Biology, Drama and Art. She thoroughly enjoyed Biology and as a result is majoring in Biology at Univeristy.
Having previously attended CLEAR Education, she is aware of the challenges associated with the extensive workload involved in HSC preparation. Nevertheless, she will use her personal experience to guide her efforts in helping each student succeed. Lucia aspires for all of her students to graduate from high school with a sense of confidence in their academic abilities.
Ella Howard
Ella Howard is a 2023 graduate from Brigidine College Randwick and was a student at Clear Education. Ella achieved an atar of 90, and through her hard work and diligence, she obtained a band 6 in Business Studies.
With the help of Jocelyne as her maths tutor and Ben as her English tutor, her marks drastically improved in both subjects. Ella also learnt many skills that she will pass on to other students to ensure they achieve the marks they desire.
Her love for both the subjects of Design and Technology and Business Studies led her to pursue a double degree in Design and Commerce at UNSW. Ella hopes to help and support students in broadening their confidence in their subjects and achieve their academic goals.
Jasmine Wooden
Jasmine is an ex-student of CLEAR Education, graduating in 2023 from Brigidine College Randwick.
With the help and support of Karene, her English tutor, her marks significantly improved enabling Jasmine to achieve a band 6 in English Advanced. Karene helped Jasmine refine her writing skills and enhance her overall confidence in English.
Jasmine was also tutored by Siena in Maths, helping her to improve her ability in problem-solving and long worded questions. Jasmine learnt how to break questions down in smaller steps, which she will carry on to teach her students so they can achieve clarity with long questions.
She is pursuing a Bachelor of Criminology and a Bachelor of International Studies at UTS. Jasmine hopes to inspire, support and nurture students in enhancing their confidence in their academic abilities and skills.
Jayden Kuris
Meet Jayden, a CLEAR Education alumnus and dedicated tutor, graduating from Moriah College in 2023 with an ATAR of 97.65. Under the guidance of tutors Lucas and Chloe at CLEAR Education, Jayden excelled in English Advanced and Extension 2 Mathematics, experiencing marked improvement in Year 12.
His academic prowess is evident in achievements such as scoring 91/100 (E4) in Extension 1 Mathematics, an E3 in Extension 2 Mathematics, and 90/100 in English Advanced. Jayden's passion extends to the hard sciences and music, reflected in high Band 5 scores in Chemistry and Physics, and a Band 6 (97/100) in Music 2, where he ranked first in his class.
Attributing his success to diligence, determination, and hard work, Jayden, currently pursuing a double degree in Aerospace Engineering and Commerce at UNSW, is eager to share his expertise. As a committed tutor, he fosters a positive and safe learning environment, instilling values of resilience, dedication, and discipline. Jayden aims to mentor students, fuelling their passion for English, Science, and Mathematics whilst building unshakable confidence in the HSC.
His mission is to deepen understanding and comprehensively prepare students for success in these crucial subjects, ensuring confidence in facing the challenges and triumphs of their HSC journey.
Calista Burrowes
Calista graduated from St Clare’s College Waverley in 2023 with an atar of 95.55. She received a Band 6 in English Advanced, as well as in Legal Studies, Music, Studies of Religion and Modern History.
With the help of Karene as her tutor, she was able to improve not only her marks but her clarity and her confidence in her own voice as a writer. Calista wishes to achieve the same with her own students, allowing them to have both consistent guidance and independence.
Calista is now studying a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Sydney, majoring in History and English.
Amy Cutten
Amy Cutten was a student of Clear Education who graduated from St Vincents College in 2023 with an ATAR of 91.45.
With the help of her English tutor, Lucas and math tutor, Mihalis, she was able to considerably improve her marks and confidence in both subjects. Guided by her tutors, Amy acquired many skills which she hopes to pass onto her students so they too can enhance their academic abilities.
Amy's hard work allowed her to achieve a band 6 in Business Studies which led her to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Sydney. She aspires to support all students and assist them in reaching their full potential.
Lara Enright
Lara Enright is a 2023 graduate of SCEGGS Darlinghurst and achieved an ATAR of 96.85.
Having had Karene as a tutor at CLEAR, Lara was able to significantly improve her English writing skills and develop more effective exam techniques, receiving a Premier's Award for All-round Excellence for achieving a Band 6 in all her subjects: Modern History, Ancient History, Biology, English Advanced, English Extension 1 and Standard 2 Maths.
As an ex-student of CLEAR, she understands that studying for the HSC can be hard and overwhelming, but drawing from her personal experience she will do her best to adapt to and improve every student she has. Lara hopes that all her students graduate high school with a sense of achievement and confidence.
