AT THE end of another great year for Balarang Public School, the students and teachers farewelled two special friends last week.
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With a combined 42 years in the class room, Balarang teachers Julie Faddy and Pat Boniface put the chalk to the board for the last time in 2014 as the pair head into retirement.
Affectionately known in the staff room as the “dynamic duo”, the pair had cultivated a strong bond while working at Balarang that extended to colleagues, students and the wider community.
Mrs Faddy began teaching at Balarang in 1995 and was soon well known for her “green thumb” in the school vegetable garden as well as her pumpkin scones. Mrs Boniface started at Balarang in 1990 and her love of music regularly saw the classroom filled with singing and melodies.
Over the past two years, the pair worked together teaching a Kindergarten class and Mrs Faddy said it had been a lot of fun along the way.
“I’ll miss the kids, the smiles and also the staff who have been so supportive,” Mrs faddy said.
“It was lovely to see all the kids grow up and see what they do with their lives. And through the kids we got to know all the families and that was really beautiful too.”
Mrs Boniface said that they hoped to pursue other interests and spend time with their grandchildren, but would voluntarily venture back into the classroom.
“I’m going to volunteer at Minnamurra Primary School where my grandchildren are a help in the classroom,” she said.
“As well as do more physical activity, I hope to join a choir, learn the ukulele and be a grey nomad and travel around parts of Australia.”
School principal Anne-Marie Hurley said the pair were loving, dedicated and caring teachers and she was sad to see them go.
As part of the send-off, Ms Hurley together with Peter Brailey from Brailey’s transport arranged a ride around the streets in a semi-truck to fulfil a long-time dream of Mrs Faddy’s.