Kimberley Educators Awarded

The Catholic Education Office of Western Australia formally recognised thirty years of service by two Saint Mary’s College Teachers in a recent ceremony.

Brian Kane came to Saint Mary’s College Broome in 1979 just to fill in for a couple of weeks and did not leave. Brian is currently the Religious Education Coordinator and has also taught many generations of students Mathematics & ICT.

Michael arrived at Saint Mary’s College Broome 1980 on a two year contract as a Design & Technology Teacher. That two year contract stretched into thirteen years before Michael took up a position at JohnPaulCollege in Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Michael returned to Saint Mary’s College six years ago and is currently a Senior Teacher: Design and Technology.

When acknowledging Brian and Michaels service at a recent ceremony at the College the Director of Catholic Education in WA, Mr Ron Dullard stated that it takes a very special type of person with great dedication to work in Kimberley and country schools for thirty years.

Brian and Michael were presented with certificates of appreciation to mark their milestones in education.

Verbatim Transcript, Ron Dullard, Academic Assembly Week 9 Term 1 2009

Well it’s really a pleasure for me to be here today and to actually see how nice you all look in your uniforms and how attentive you are today to your commentators and performers.

It’s a real pleasant surprise for me to be here to see the dance.

What a fantastic group of young ladies that are to perform at such a level that gets such recognition across the state and I also in that sense, congratulate their teachers for their involvement.

Because you all know that if do your very best, with the support of your teachers there, you can really do great things.

You’ve got to listen to your teachers

You actually have to be trying your very best.

The reason that I am here, as it was pointed out, is to make a presentation, actually two presentations.

One person who can’t be here today Mr Brian Kane

These presentations are for people who have worked in Catholic Schools in Western Australia for thirty years or more.

Now thirty years here, is an even a greater contribution to Catholic Education than a lot of other people who have actually worked in Catholic Education for over thirty years. We had a presentation last week in Perth we would have had sixty teachers and staff, not just teachers, but staff in Catholic Schools who received this award but none of them would have had the dedication that it takes to be actually working in the Kimberly, it takes a very special type of person. I am just sorry that Brian Kane is not able to be with us today.

Let me just read out what it says;

Catholic Education Office of Western Australia acknowledges with appreciation the thirty years of service given to Catholic Education in Western Australia by Mr Brian Kane. We in Catholic Education seek to create environments that enhance learning, nurture young people and empower them to live the Catholic faith in the spirit of Jesus Christ.

So we will leave that for Mr Kane when he comes back

I have another one for a person who is present today that is MrMichaelLake.

Now Michael is another person who actually served in Catholic Education over thirty years and he has done it even more difficult circumstances. He has been here twice in that time and in Kalgoorlie and he has really done the hard yards.

It gives me pleasure to have known Michael for a long time.

I really have to ask the question about your wife,

Michael points to Bette in the crowd

You have a few more years to go.

Michael responds that Bette is now working for Notre Dame.

Oh you left us for Notre Dame!

This pair have really dedicated themselves to Catholic Education particularly in country centres and we really do appreciated it

(Certificate presented to Michael with applause.)