Words that capture exactly why educational support staff member Megan O’Flynn does what she does.
Growing up, she struggled in the classroom, often needing extra assistance to keep up.
Now, she’s using her passion, shaped by personal experience, to support kids with extra needs just like her.
And after five years of guidance, mentorship and being that safe person for the students, Megan says she is exactly where she wants to be.
“I love the unpredictability and how every day is a whole different kettle,” she said.
Referring to herself as a “born and bred Numurkah girl”, Megan has always been surrounded by smaller, country-esque schools, so finding her feet at Shepparton East felt natural.
Starting amid COVID, she remembers her first day vividly: a class of about 10 students.
When lockdowns lifted and students began returning to the classroom, she says, it was a challenge, but that word defines her role perfectly because at the drop of a hat, anything can happen.
One minute she’ll be in the classroom working through comprehension, reading and writing, the next, she could be darting out of the room to check on a students.
“We might have a structure, but we certainly do not follow it,” she said.
It’s that fast-paced environment that she thrives in.
Working with the shy and timid Preps in her earlier years, Megan has now moved up beside them, transitioning into Year 1 and 2 classrooms to support students as they grow.
A shift she says has given her greater appreciation for just how much each student has matured and become ready for the real world.
It’s also an appreciation that has touched almost every child at the school.
“I started five years ago, so the Preps then are now in Grade 5,” she said.
“I’m looking forward to being able to see them off next year.”
Not yet with children of her own, Megan says her role has given her something just as special — the chance to see a group of children, which she considers “like my own”, grow up, year after year.
“It’s heartwarming and very beautiful to see their growth and development over the years,” she said.
And for Megan, it is again that same sense of community the school offers that makes her role so rewarding.
“This school has such a huge connection to community, I feel like I have been here my whole life,” she said.
By Brynne Timewell
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