When Mrs Seccull joined the school, she taught 24 students over four days a week.
“We were a small staff, which included a full-time principal, a full-time primary teacher and myself for four days a week, an admin person for two-and-a-half days a week and a Japanese teacher for around four hours a week,” Mrs Seccull said.
“Our buildings included four classrooms connected by decking.”
As the student numbers grew over the first few years, a number of buildings were added, including portable classrooms, a library, an administration building and a science lab."As more years passed the school saw further construction and landscaping which developed the school and grounds to become the inviting and welcoming place of learning it is today,” Mrs Seccull said.She said everyone was involved in the day-to-day running of the school including cleaning, yard duties and administration duties."We all stepped up to take on roles simply so they would be done,” she said."I have loved all my years at the school but these first few years were special.
“We were very much a family-oriented school and everyone knew everyone else. “I am now teaching with several of our past students who have returned to the fold as teachers, as well as the children of many other past students.“I have also had the pleasure and privilege of teaching and working with many dedicated teachers and admin staff."Mrs Seccull has worked with five principals and two interim principals.
During her time at the school, she has taught religious and values education to every year level.
She has also taught a range of other subjects, including physical education, health, community service, maths, English, integrated studies, humanities, commerce and VCE business management.“I often refer to CAGS as my school and I state that most proudly,” she said.
Mrs Seccull reflected on some of the most memorable moments of her career.
“I had one student who now holds a prominent position in his community who, when told of the Bible story of the woman who was to be stoned, put up his hand and bravely inquired, ‘Miss, when you say she was stoned does that mean she was a drug addict or . . . ?’,'' she said.“On a more recent note, a class teacher informed me of a class conversation when they were discussing Michelangelo and one student proudly informed the class that Michelangelo was the artist of The Last Supper as he was there at the time.
“Both these examples demonstrate the difference between what an adult says and the visual perception a child absorbs."Mrs Seccull said she was honoured to be a part of the school's beginnings and thanked parents and colleagues for their support.
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