Welcome back to Term 4

We have had a very BIG week, as we farewelled Mrs Bender after a incredible 50 years working in our school.

When Mrs Bender first started to talk seriously about retirement, she always followed this up with…”But I don’t want any fuss; I don’t want anything big.”

This in turn posed a conundrum, because we couldn’t just let such a remarkable person leave without at least some fanfare.

Very rarely have I met someone who you can completely and unequivocally say is, in every way, a lady.

The impact Mrs Bender has had on the lives of countless people is just enormous.

Almost everyone I have talked to recently, be it staff, students, parents or members of the wider community has had a ‘Mrs Bender story’ of some description to share.

What makes these stories so remarkable is that each and every one of them builds on a beautiful image of the loving, caring and compassionate person that she is.

These are stories that tell of the special connections she has forged with individuals. They tell of the actions, both big and small, which she does to help make people feel special, known and cared for. They speak of a gentleness, care and generosity that goes well beyond the call of duty and which seek to build unique and lasting connections with generation after generation of our students and their families.

Mrs Bender spent her final day of work visitng each class in the school sharing stories of her incredible time at Glen Huon Primary School and the whole school formed a guard of honour with high fives and much cheering as she made her way down to the place where we planted a Camellia and laid a plaque from the School Association and school community honouring her incredible service

Lyn, we wish you a long, happy and very much deserved retirement.