Miss Prentice, or Miss P as many would know her, has influenced the lives of many students, taught hundreds of people and shaped that first vital step by introducing many a kindergarten student to their first year of ‘big school’. 

But this year is a little different as Miss Prentice has retired from teaching, taking long service and a gap year before pursuing other life endeavours. 

After 35 years devoted to her love and passion for teaching, Miss Prentice misses the school yard and the nurturing                 classroom as she feels she has never really left school until now. 

It’s a little interesting that she has taught kindergarten nearly all her career, however she actually never went to kindergarten herself as she and her brother Warwick were taught home correspondence by their mother at their home on a sheep grazing property between Barraba and Bundarra. 

Later she attended Martin’s Gully Public School and Uralla Central School before secondary at the New England Girls School at Armidale.

Coming from a long line of teachers, Miss Prentice’s likelihood of becoming a teacher was apparent early when she would teach the neighbours children in front of a blackboard after school and on weekends. 

After following in her mother’s footsteps and gaining a distinction at the Armidale College of Advanced Education (the old Armidale Teachers College), the young woman continued studying while teaching long placements in and around the Armidale area to complete a Bachelor of Education at the University of New England.

Her first official appointment was at Coonamble Public School where she taught upper primary classes for four years. 

After rigorous inspection by the appropriate personnel, Miss Prentice started to work her way up the promotions ladder by being awarded a ‘List 1’.

With the ultimate goal of moving back closer to her family, when the opportunity arose in 1989 to move to Scone Public School, Miss Prentice took it and never looked back. 

Under the leadership of the principal Roy Molyneux, Miss Prentice was appointed to a delightful, if large, kindergarten class of about 38 children, compared to about 20 these days.

Throughout the years since Miss Prentice has witnessed many changes at the local school including two major building programs and three major curriculum and syllabus changes.

She has taught more than 1000 students, including many kindergarten classes, K/1, year 5 classes and a talented and gifted 5/6 class with very few moments that she hasn’t enjoyed every bit of.

In 2000, Miss Prentice continued her promotion being appointed an executive teacher enabling her to take on numerous leadership roles as an assistant principal.

In this position, the enthusiastic teacher developed her mantra – “Always giving your best so the children can showcase their talents and celebrate their successes”, and she said the “warm fuzzies” she received back made it all worthwhile. 

Reflecting on her all-consuming life as a teacher, Miss Prentice said the role of a teacher is very dedicated and it truly is a ‘calling’ as it becomes your life. 

She said as well as looking great, the feel and tone of Scone Public School is still warm and embracing, still achieving great things for our young ones and you just know and feel that magic happens in each and every classroom. 

“To live in a community such as Scone and have parents, young adults and students still say “hello Miss P” when I’m downtown, to have taught the children of some of my first students and to have grandparents remember you is very special,” Miss Prentice said. 

“It has been and, is indeed, a privilege to teach in Scone.

“There is a real sense of belonging and I guess that’s why Scone is my home,” she said. 

“I will miss it as I really loved teaching and especially giving children the power to read, it is such an infectious passion. 

“I like to think I have set all my students up for the future, opening the wonderful world of literature and numeracy for them in a warm, creative classroom. 

“To be able to read, means you can do almost anything and to quote Dr Seuss: “you never know the places you’ll go” when you read a book as they have the power to take you anywhere and you’re never alone if you have a book.”

In the future, Miss Prentice intends to enjoy her time with her mother, visit her brother and family, pursue her artistic  talents, get her garden back on track and finish the many patchwork quilts she has started over the years, play golf and hopefully even practice her piano and guitar.