SCHOOL was out for the last time for three of Swan Hill College’s most experienced teachers, with Steve Bates, Lisa Gilby and Julie Rovere finishing up at the college with a combined 109 years of teaching experience.
Swan Hill College principal Andrew Sartori noted the huge contribution all three teachers made to the staff and students during their tenure at the school.
“They have had a big impact on the college, and would have taught a lot of students during their time here, they have also played a big part in the professional development of staff,” he said.
Ms Rovere started at Swan Hill Tech in 1982 as a teacher librarian and was the most experienced of the trio, where she was primarily an English teacher during her career at the college.
“Julie has had a massive impact on Swan Hill College in her teaching of English, she would have taught a lot of students during her time at the school and she has also been a massive influence in IT development,” Mr Sartori said.
Mr Bates has been a science teachers for 36 years and a senior biology teacher for a number of those years, as well as being a regular teacher of Year 7 to10 science.
“Steve was one of the first people I met when I first came to the school, and his impact is profound on many aspects of the school community, he has organised the staff raffle for as long as I can remember,” Mr Sartori said.
Ms Gilby has been a dedicated teacher who taught all year groups at the college during her 33-year career at the college, after she started her teaching career in 1989.
“Lisa has had a huge impact in establishing good teaching practice throughout the college, as has her expertise in her teaching of English and literature to a lot of students during her time at the school,” Mr Sartori said.
Mr Sartori commended the three teachers for their role in being mentors to students, but also to staff members who had taught at the school during the time the trio had been at the college.
