Most听people spend a few years at school. Sharon Brown has spent听almost听a听lifetime connected to听St听James鈥� Primary School听at Kotara South.听
From her first听day as a four-year-old听student in 1969 to retiring this year after 26 years teaching at Kotara South, Sharon鈥檚 connection to听St听James鈥� spans an extraordinary 57 years.听
鈥淚n 1969,听St听James鈥� Primary School was at Garden Suburb,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen the area听started to grow, and they built the new school at Kotara South.鈥�听
The school鈥檚 history is deeply connected to Sharon鈥檚 own family听story.听
鈥淔ather Jim Doran was the听one听who听did the big push for the new church. So, the church was new and the school was new. Father Jim was mum鈥檚 cousin, so my second cousin. And my uncles were听actually the听Dorans听who built the church and the school.鈥�听
Although there was a gap after finishing school,听it was in 2000听that听Sharon听returned to teach at听St听James鈥�.听听
Over the next 26 years, Sharon became a familiar presence听in听the school community, working as a learning support teacher听and听then听a听classroom teacher, before听stepping into leadership roles including acting primary coordinator, acting religious education听coordinator听and acting assistant principal.听
Sharon says听what has always made St James鈥� special is听that听it鈥檚听very family oriented.听
鈥淭here鈥檚 something about听St听James. The academics is really,听really important,听don鈥檛听get me wrong, but so is the rest听of the child,鈥� she said.听
鈥淚 laughed when the Principal Sonya听Boslem听said to me, 鈥楾he theme for this year鈥檚 Catholic Schools Week is: A Home听For听All. Would you come and talk about how听St听James has been a home for you?鈥� And I said, 鈥榃ell, yeah!鈥櫶齌here鈥檚听a听really homey听feeling at听St听James.鈥�听
That community spirit is something Sharon has seen repeatedly over the years.听
鈥淭here have been a couple of times where we鈥檝e had some really sick parents or parents who have passed away, and I think about the things that the community did,鈥� she said.听
鈥淔or one听lady听they went in and they painted the house, everything was done for that family,听the听meal train听started听straight away, looking after the kids, rosters to get the kids to school 鈥� things like that just听happen automatically.听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 just听a really beautiful place.鈥�听
Sharon also became known for sharing the history of听St听James鈥� with younger听students.听
鈥淚 would laugh and say, 鈥業 was school captain of听St听James鈥櫶齛nd I was one of the first听altar girls for听St听Philip鈥檚.鈥櫶齏e used to do the Friday altar serving, something that was a real no go back then 鈥� girls on the altars.听The kids would just听go, 鈥榃ow!鈥欌��听
There is even a long-running family听story that听illustrates听Sharon听may have听single-handedly saved the school from closure in the late听1960s.听听听
鈥淚t鈥檚 a funny听story, and I can鈥檛 verify this, but my parents always told me that the year I turned four, the school was one听student听short of having听the听numbers to听stay open,鈥� she said.听
鈥淭he school promised,鈥痓ecause I was one of six, that鈥痶hey鈥檇鈥痩ook after me.听So,鈥疘 went to鈥痵chool,鈥痓ut when I got to听Year听1听they said, 鈥楲ook, academically鈥痵he鈥檚鈥痜ine but鈥痵he鈥檚鈥痸ery young.鈥欌�疭o,鈥痶hen I repeated听Year 1.听
鈥淚 said to听my parents, 鈥榃hat on earth were you doing? I was so tiny!鈥櫶齌hey just听wanted me there another year to keep the school going!鈥�听
Across decades in Catholic education, Sharon has seen enormous change.听
鈥淚 love the fact that there鈥檚 more offered to kids today than what was offered when I was a kid. With our gifted programs, I think about what听St听James鈥櫶齣s doing with robotics for kids who want to do that, and听there鈥檚听the most听beautiful choir.鈥�听
When asked what she hopes听students learned from her beyond the classroom, her answer is simple.听
鈥淎cceptance of others,鈥� Sharon said.听
鈥淲ellness of kids was very, very forefront in my mind. And the fact that we are all different. If we听don鈥檛听get it right with our kids, we听don鈥檛听get it right.鈥�听
Retirement will bring more time with family, especially her grandchildren, but Sharon already knows what she will miss most.听
鈥淚 will听definitely miss听the听staff. And I love being a teacher and having those moments with the kids,鈥� she said.听
鈥淵ears ago, one of the boys that I taught came to me at the end of the year and gave me a little angel to put on a bracelet that I wore.听And he said, 鈥業t鈥檚听not because I think听you鈥檙e听an angel. I got it so that the wings annoy you and you remember me forever!鈥�听
Even after听nearly six听decades connected to听St听James鈥�,听Sharon hopes one thing never changes.听
鈥淲hen I went to school, there was barely 100 kids there. I went to school with only 12 children in my class. So, I hope that small school feel听stays and that connection to the parish. With it being across the road,听it鈥檚听really lucky.鈥�听
It is the same sense of connection and belonging that first听welcomed a four-year-old Sharon through the school gates in 1969 and kept drawing her back for the next 57 years.
