Ms Julie Smith first started teaching 46 years ago, and has spent the last 20 years at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School. Ms Smith talks about her journey to realising teaching was her true calling, and her love for the School community.
I studied at UWA and majored in Psychology, thinking that I would like to work as a School Psychologist. Once I started doing my practical components, I realised that I really wanted to be in a classroom and that Mathematics was closest to my heart. I started teaching in 1974 at Bunbury Senior High School (BSHS).
My father was principal at Harvey Agriculture School at the time and after studying and living away from home, I wanted to get back near family. After spending three years at BSHS, I transferred to Churchlands Senior High School to experience the high lights of the city, but after only one year, I realised I really was a “country girl” and took a promotion to Wongan Hills District High School as Deputy Principal.
During the subsequent years, I moved to the United Kingdom where I took a break from teaching and tried my hand as a chef in a police station. It was there where I finally realised I was born to teach! I moved back to Western Australia where I taught at Mandurah Senior High School and Coodanup Senior High School for several years. In 1991, I moved back to the first school I taught at, BSHS.
An opportunity arose to join the Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School (BCGS) community in 2000 and I was thrilled to be able to enrol my youngest daughter at the same time.
There is a bit of family history in teaching: grandad, dad and brother, as well as myself. You know you have chosen the “right” career when you wake up each day, eager to get to work. I am quite passionate about the teaching/learning of Mathematics and get excited when students show the same interest and zest for learning.
Having taught in more than seven different schools, I feel honoured to be part of the BCGS community. Our students are welcoming, honest, enthusiastic and keen to achieve.
Having been a Boarding student myself in Perth, I was delighted when given the opportunity to be Assistant Head of Marie Palmer Boarding House in 2006. I loved the friendly, busy community of BCGS that had become my home, and has been for the last 13 years. I will never forget (and still keep in touch with) many of the great characters and their wonderful families. Boarding still holds a very special place in my heart.
How lucky are we to live, work and play in a co-curricular Day and Boarding School that is in an awesome bushland setting and be 10 minutes from the pristine Bunbury beaches. I have also made some very special friendships with staff members and a group of us have holidayed and travelled together many times, both within Australia and overseas
