Family members Emma Russell, young Eliza and Annabelle, Kaye McKee and Sara McKee all attend or work at Baden Powell College, which has campuses in Hoppers Crossing and Tarneit. 77291 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Alesha Capone
SCHOOL is a family affair for five women and girls at Baden Powell College.
Emma Russell works as an integration aide at the school, where her daughters Eliza and Annabelle are in Grade 3 and 4.
Ms Russell’s aunty, Kaye McKee, is a library technician at the school – and her daughter Sarah is a teacher.
The school’s Hoppers Crossing campus, known as Derrimut Heath Primary School, will celebrate its 20th anniversary next month, and the family are excited about the event.
Sarah said she and her twin brother Adam were in Grade Prep when the school opened in 1992 with around 240 pupils.
Nowadays, the school’s student population is more than 1850.
Sarah’s mother, Ms McKee, has worked at the school since almost day one.
Ms McKee said on her twins’ first day of school, she sat in the courtyard and cried.
“On the third day they introduced me to the librarian and I haven’t been home since,” she said.
Sarah said her Mum enjoyed asking the Grade 1 and 2 students if her daughter was behaving in the classroom.
“Mum comes in and talks to the kids, they love her. She says to them, ‘Has she been good?’ and they always say no,” Sarah said.
Ms Russell’s daughter Annabelle, who is nine-year-old, is keen to keep her family at the school for many years to come.
“My kids are going to go to this school,” she said.
The Derrimut Heath Primary School’s 20th anniversary celebrations will include open classrooms on 16 March, a commemorative day on 17 March from 10am-2pm and a cocktail party at 7pm at the Italian Sports Club in Werribee.
Any past staff members or students can attend. Contact 9748 8688 or love.suzanne.s@edumail.vic.gov.au for more information.
