'Above and beyond': Passionate educators call time on the classroom

Educators Jan Nolan and Mick Sully had their final day at school on Monday, December 18, 2023 after immersing themselves in the west Warrnambool community where they've got to know countless families and taught thousands of children.

Mr Sully's impact was so special, a student named a family goldfish after him, one of the 40-year veteran's many highlights.

The passionate educators have enjoyed seeing second and third generation children come through the ranks, as well as working with a growing number of migrant families in more recent years.

Mr Sully has spent almost all his 40-year career at St Pius, starting there as a 27-year-old, employed by then-parish priest Father Peter Hudson. He's worked as a classroom teacher and numeracy leader, driving initiatives in the subject area and mentoring staff.

Mrs Nolan has taught at St Pius for 29 years as part of her 42-year career which includes schools in the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. She began in education in 1967 and has worked as classroom teacher, spending much of her time at St Pius in a learning support role.

Mrs Nolan took time out from teaching to work on the family farm and raise children James, Tom, Lucy and David with husband Chris, whose role as Warrnambool Racing Club chief executive brought the family to the south-west.

"I've been blessed, really blessed to be a part of this community," Mrs Nolan said.

She said she was privileged to work in a variety of schools, including St Pius.

"It's been a privilege and I've been blessed with good health, friendships, camaraderie and feeling joy when you come to work," she said.

"Everybody has contributed and enriched my life and given me opportunities. It's been a privilege."

Mrs Nolan is looking forward to spending more time with family, including their 11 grandchildren who range in age from 24 to two. She'll continue her involvement with St Vincent de Paul and its school program, the church community and the Red Tent Singers.

Meanwhile, Mr Sully's journey began at the Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education. He completed further study at Australian Catholic University and continued to learn throughout his career.

"I liked learning and the intellectual aspect of it," Mr Sully said. "There's always something new and better, there's better ways to go about teaching. I couldn't have taught for 40 years if I didn't have fun in the classroom and didn't do interesting things with the kids.

"The highlights for me are funny kids and kids you can have a joke with and that's most kids. They're just brilliant kids."

He's spent the past three years working with children with learning difficulties who he said were a real joy to teach.

"They're great kids who want to learn," he said. "When you get somewhere with them, it's very satisfying."

Mr Sully said he'd always worked with good principals and colleagues. "I've had a lot of support from fellow teachers, I couldn't keep doing the job if I couldn't come to work and have fun.

"When I started, west Warrnambool was, in some ways, a much tighter-knit community. There was no oval, there was no stadium, there was no church. We used to have working bees and there's still people here that were here when I started still doing work around the place."

He said he'd known some families since he started at the school and he was now teaching their grandchildren.

"They're just good people... It's that community and spirit."

Mr Sully is looking forward to spending more time with wife Angela, their adult children Jeremy, Laura and Sophie and his mum Aileen. He'll also venture into the garden and onto the golf course.

Principal Stacey Atkins said the school was fortunate to have two long-standing, committed staff members who'd continued to "go above and beyond for their community".

She said both Mr Sully and Mrs Nolan talked about how good the community had been to them "but it's because people like Jan and Mick are good to the community - what they get out is what they put in".

"They're both excellent, dedicated educators but it's the people they are that makes them great," Ms Atkins said.