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Celebrating 30 years at Beaconhills

Prep to Year 2 teacher Kathy Boynes has just celebrated her 30th year of teaching at Beaconhills College.

It’s an admirable record in an industry facing many modern challenges, but Kathy says she has loved every year she has taught at the College’s Pakenham Campus Junior School.

At a staff award ceremony in December, Kathy made an emotional speech which brought many of her teaching colleagues to tears. She estimated she had taught more than 750 children during her 30 years, adding that “each one of those students is a tiny diamond in my heart”.

“In Junior School you deal with the same 26 children and their families every day. You are privileged to watch them learn, share their families with you, celebrate their successes and passions, support them when they may go through those tough times, and help them to grow and navigate their world.”

She said her greatest gifts were the visits from Year 12 students at the end of each year, when they asked her if she remembered them.

“Standing in front of me are students who are much taller, and some with the deepest of voices,” she said. “Of course, as soon as I look into their eyes, I see those five and six-year-olds…and it fills me such pride to think I had a tiny part in shaping these wonderful individuals in their journey through Beaconhills.”

Kathy also paid tribute to many of the “amazing” colleagues she had worked with during her time at the school. She said teaching was a profession that gave her joy and fulfilment every day.