Teacher’s life

By Dion Teasdale
WANDIN Yallock Primary School students, staff and friends last week celebrated the life of one of the community’s most highly respected teachers, environmentalists and footy fans.
Primary school teacher Jeanette Hodgson died unexpectedly on Friday, 18 August and her death was marked by a special memorial service held at Wandin Yallock Primary school last Wednesday morning, 23 August.
The school’s 284 students, joined by staff and parents and Ms Hodgson’s husband and sister, gathered on the school’s oval to release close to 300 pink and purple helium filled balloons into the sky in Ms Hodgson’s honour.
Ms Hodgson, 48, had taught at the school for more than 11 years after teaching at other Upper Yarra primary schools in Millgrove and Warburton during her 27 year teaching career.
Students and teachers from the school spoke warmly and fondly of Ms Hodgson during a memorial service held in the school’s assembly courtyard.
They shared memories of a teacher with a unique sense of humour and participated in prayers and one minute of silence.
Ms Hodgson’s husband, Paul Hewitt, and her sister, Carol Hodgson, told the Mail of the school teacher’s love of children, her work as secretary of the Don Valley Landcare Group and her passion for the Warburton Millgrove Football Club.
Mr Hewitt said his wife had devoted herself to teaching and enjoyed all aspects of her work.
“She loved teaching. She was the best teacher and she remained a teacher right until the very end,” he said.
“She had a wonderful sense of humour and loved working with the children. She was always surrounded by swarms of kids.”
The school’s acting principal, David Rosendale, said the memorial service evolved out of a need for the school community to come together and mark Ms Hodgson’s passing.
“We had parents and friends of the school wanting to show how much they admired and loved her and we wanted the students and staff to have a chance to remember her and celebrate her,” he said.
“She was an excellent teacher. She was dedicated and such a huge part of the school community,” he said.