On the 7^th July,2020 we lost our beloved friend and colleague, Mrs Nadene Smith. Mrs Smith had worked at Burnie Primary School for 16 years as a Teacher’s Aide. During this time she had worked with children and families from playgroup age to Grade 6. Mrs Smith became a friend to all she worked with. Even though she was a teacher’s aide, she ended up being the teacher, teaching us all how to be a better teacher with compassion, a better person through being genuine and always conquering life’s bumps with a big smile and a big heart. She really was a role model for us all with the way she lead her life. Always knowing the value of what is truly important.

On any given day that Mrs Smith was working in Kinder you would glance outside and see her sitting with a child or group of children around her, all smiling and laughing and feeling so cared for and important in her presence. She brought so much warmth and joy to every conversation so that you always walked away smiling brighter and feeling happier and this was equally if not more evident with her interactions with the children.

To honour her memory, we wanted to create a place for many more warm conversations and laughter for years to come and that’s where the inspiration for this memorial seat came from. This seat takes pride of place in our Kinder yard and we recently held a small event for Mrs Smith’s family and for past and present staff to officially present the seat to the BPS community in her memory.

There are some that bring a light so great to the world that even after they have gone, the light remains......