By Tate Papworth
Rhonda Floate, a pillar of early childhood education in Brimbank, recently celebrated her 30th anniversary with Keilor Gatehouse Preschool. She chats with Tate Papworth about a life spent shaping future generations.
What’s your connection to Brimbank?
I moved to Keilor Downs in 1980 and I’ve been at the kinder since 1989.
What’s kept you in Brimbank so long?
I love the general feel of the community. It’s a really family oriented area. The children I’ve met through the kinder have also been absolutely wonderful.
Is there anything you think could be done to improve the area?
On the whole, I love the area and the community. However, transport is a bit of a problem. It’s getting bigger and bigger, and with that traffic builds, which is something we could look at. I think the public transport options out here could be improved.
What’s changed over the years?
The kinder has changed a bit over the years. We were once run by council and were even called Calder Rise Preschool back in the day. The early years framework is also something that’s been brought in, which changed things a bit. I’ve worked with four amazing teachers over the years, as well. They’re all very different, but amazing in their own way.
What’s been the best part of your job?
The families I’ve met, the children and the people I work with. We’re a family at Keilor Gatehouse. We all have the same goals for the children, which makes it a great place to work.
Thirty years is a significant milestone. Do you keep in touch with any of your former students?
I do. There’s one I catch up with every year in particular. She’s 32 now and I often catch up with her and her mum. Because I live and work in the area, I see a lot of the families at shopping centres or at events. Some of them even have their own children now, so it’s beautiful.
