1984 was the year that Helen Campbell began working at Deniliquin Preschool, under director and teacher Mary Browne. After studying while working full time and with 3 children, Helen got her Bachelor and took over as the teacher, and then the director, a role which she continued from 1989 till 2011 (22 years).
Helen has been part of many changes in early childhood education. From parent helper and fruit mums, to renovations, assessment and rating, national quality framework, changes to regs and to funding. The mobile service and childcare centre were both born while Helen was the director, as was the Deniliquin Children’s Centre.
Helen has mentored so many educators over the years- countless prac students and fresh faced educators in her room.
What has remained consistent through the past 40 years, is Helens commitment to the children she teaches and their families. Helen bases her whole program around children’s interests, and grows and develops their ideas, to be projects which foster literacy, numeracy, independence, team work and confidence. Countless children have loved being taught by Helen. Many now have their own children attending the preschool and they remember with great fondness their time in Helens room.
40 years of continuous service in any field is an amazing achievement. To work for 40 years as a preschool teacher, where you give so much of yourself every day- physically, emotionally and mentally, and to remain as passionate and joyful as Helen is truly remarkable.
The organisaiton celebrated this remarkable achievement at our organisaiton training day in February 2024.
