Sarah Harris is due to retire from her post at SDN Lady McKell this week.
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Ms Harris has worked in the centre for 12 years. She will end a three-decade career in the profession.
“When I was finishing university I was doing a final teaching placement and saw this piece of paper on the noticeboard advertising a position at St Saviour's Long Day Care Centre,” she said.
“Goulburn’s location and the small size of the St Saviour's centre at the time made it a good place to start. I am really drawn to organisations that I feel align with my values.”
When she started at SDN Lady McKell in 2007, Ms Harris jokingly said it was going to be her retirement plan after St Saviour's, where she had been working in “out of care programs with high support needs adolescents.”
“Coming back to working with under school age children, which has always been my joy and passion, was part of returning to my roots,” Ms Harris said.
“I felt it was a great option to return to working with children, which has turned out to be a joy.
“There’s something beautiful that happens every day.
“It’s such a privilege to be entrusted with the care and education of young children.”
The design of SDN Lady McKell was “quite deliberate from the start.” It has always been a not-for-profit.
“The centre reflects our philosophy about how children learn, all the playrooms and outdoor spaces are very calm,” she said.
“The learning environment becomes part of the teacher in terms of what we have in the centre.”
“Apart from returning to work with very young children, I came into a workplace that had a culture of excellence.
“We have a very strong team of educators and support staff,” and “a consistency because staff stay with us a long time.”
“We’ve got people who’ve been here longer than me. It builds trust among parents.”
“Parents know who they’re leaving their children with each day.
“I’ve had families here for 10 years; they’re as familiar with the centre as their own home.”
A highlight for Ms Harris was an official assessment rating in 2016, in which SDN Lady McKell exceeded the national childcare quality standards in 18 areas.
In terms of her plans after retiring Ms Harris said: “I’m actually just stopping full-time work. I’ve already travelled a lot” and “worked full-time since I left school 45 years ago, so I don’t know what to expect.
“I have volunteered with the Lieder Theatre since 1988 doing production work and stage management.
“I’m looking forward to spending time with family and pursuing my passions for the arts.”
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