Tatura kindergarten teacher Catherine Brooks has carried one important motto with her throughout her long career: "You're as silly as the kids are . . . you can always still be a kid at heart.”
For the past 22 years, Miss Brooks has worked at Tatura Children's Centre, looking after generations of young children who have passed through the doors.
Now reaching her sixties, Miss Brooks had her final day at the centre on Friday, February 19.
“It was very sad to say goodbye,” she said.
“Twenty-two years is a lot of kids. I've seen a lot of changes, but sometimes you've just got to bite the bullet and say that's it, because it could go on forever.”
When Miss Brooks started teaching in 1998, there were only three rooms at the centre — the nursery, the toddlers’ room and the kindergarten room.
“We were only a 64-place centre,” Miss Brooks said.
“And now it's 104 places and they've got another building solely for the preschool program.
“A lot of educators have gone through, we have probably 30 educators now when we used to have half that.”
With recent playground upgrades and a freshly painted mural on the side of the Tatura Library facing the centre, Miss Brooks felt she was leaving her kindergarteners in safe hands.
She is taking with her years of memories — her favourites being the "special" days held at the centre, from crazy hair day and harmony day to footy day.
“When I was employed there I never thought I was going to last 22 years, but it's been a great community, a great environment,” she said.
“And one benefit of living in a small town like Tatura is you still see the families you taught down the street — you say hi.
“I'm involved in the local footy club so I see kids that I taught as adults as well.”
Miss Brooks always knew she wanted to be a kindergarten teacher.
The second-eldest of 10 children, she grew up looking after the younger kids and helping her mum at home.
After studying her Higher School Certificate, Miss Brooks travelled to college in Melbourne to study a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, and later specialised in special needs amongst young children.
The importance of the job was always at the forefront of Miss Brooks’ mind.
“Parents are basically giving up their prized possessions for you to care for,” she said.
“So you need to do a good job.”
As for her newfound freedom?
“I'd love to go to Ireland, but with the way things are at the moment, I'll do more volunteer work at the footy club and spend more time with my family,” she said.
“I don't think I could fully stop.”