Embracing rural teaching: Teacher Polly Healey with students Lara Roberts, Mikayla Knuckey, Corbin Egberts, Karla Church, Lilly Parsons. Front row - Ryder Smith, Noah Parsons, Ella Church, Ruby Sait, Riley Cook, Lacie Everett and Parker Goulding.
Four years ago primary school teacher Polly Healey took on a position at Leitchville Primary School — and she is yet to leave.
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She finds teaching in a small, rural school extremely rewarding and has embraced all the opportunities it has brought her way.
“I love the fact that I get the chance to teach English, maths, science and PE or I might be the first aid officer or help out in the office with administration; there are just so many additional opportunities in a smaller school, which helps me when it comes to leadership as well,” she said.
Polly currently has 13 students in her class from Prep through to Grade 6. Each child is taught individually; however, they share the one classroom.
“Being a smaller school, we cater for each child's individual needs and we teach with a great sense of community and connection,” she said.
“When I first started at Leitchville I didn't think I would still be here four years later but I have found I really enjoy teaching in a small school.
“I love seeing the kids every day, some of them have been here as long as I have and it is great to be part of their journey through education.”
Rewarding: Teacher Polly Healey with students Lara Roberts, Mikayla Knuckey, Corbin Egberts, Karla Church, Lilly Parsons. Front row - Ryder Smith, Noah Parsons, Ella Church, Ruby Sait, Riley Cook, Lacie Everett and Parker Goulding.
Of course the past couple of years of teaching have been interrupted by COVID-19 but Polly said that has just been a matter of adjusting.
For Polly that meant a weekly mail-out of hard-copy lessons, with each pack individualised for each student.
“We found a lot of our students had older siblings who got priority with the computer so we mailed out their work and organised an online session once a week and that seemed to work pretty well,” she said.
The school remained open for children of essential workers and Polly found herself teaching between home and school, depending on the number of students at school.
Polly said despite the unknown of COVID and lockdowns she had been able to remain pretty relaxed throughout it all.
“The break in routine was probably more frustrating than anything and when the kids returned this term, it was like we had missed 18 months of their lives. It was so good to have them back in the classroom — some of these kids have been at Leitchville as long as I have.”
During the peak of COVID, enrolments dropped to five students but numbers have since more than doubled to13.
“It has been great to see more families moving back to the area and I think in the end COVID has actually helped with that, as people are starting to return and value what rural communities and their schools can offer.”
Leitchville Primary School is no stranger to hardship.
Over the past couple of decades the town has been heavily impacted by loss of irrigation water, the closing of the milk factory and a decline in the dairy industry but through it all, Leitchville Primary School has managed to keep its doors open to the community.
This year the school applied for funding for a maths program and has been lucky enough to secure the services of an additional teacher 2.5 days a week.
With the kids returning to the classroom, this term has been jam packed with curricular activities for the kids to make up for lost time.
Students are busy participating in swimming lessons and excursions and are once again enjoying the socialisation that comes with a classroom environment.
“COVID affected our students because we are such a close-knit school and all of a sudden the kids were staying home and missing out on all the social interaction,” Polly said.
“They are loving being back at school and we are loving supporting them again.”
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