Hunter teachers recognised at inaugural Department of Education Service dinner

They were among 59 others honoured at the Department of Education Service Recognition Dinner, for working a minimum of 50 years in the public school system.

It was a precious moment for teaching brothers Leo Hudson from Toronto High School and Graham Hudson from Dungog High School, who were able to share their memories over the evening.

"I have a degree of excitement because it's wonderful to share it with my brother," Leo Hudson, 71, said.

"Both of us had wonderful successes in our careers of kids going places and achieving things beyond belief.

"From starting at a little co-educational high school in suburbia, and now at the top of their game in various realms across the across the globe. One of my students is a professor of anaesthesiology in Canada teaching medical students to become doctors," he said.

Mr Hudson started teaching at Hunter Girls' High in 1974, transferred to Newcastle Technology High later that year and Toronto High the following year where he is due to celebrate his 50^th year with the school in a few weeks.

His brother Graham, 73, started teaching in 1970 but was called to serve in peacekeeping forces in Singapore and Malaya. When he returned he taught at several Hunter high schools and passed his 50 year milestone in June 2020.

Also honoured from the Hunter was Singleton High School's head teacher of mathematics Kathleen Prudence and Cessnock West Public School assistant principal Ann Barry.

Ms Prudence taught in Manildra, Mullumbimby and Quirindi before taking up positions in the Hunter from 1979. In 2006 she received a NSW Premier's Teacher Scholarship to study Realistic Mathematics Education in the UK.

Ms Barry's first teaching role was at Muswellbrook South Public School in 1965. She's worked at public schools for more than 57 and a half years, 52 of them at Cessnock West.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said it was an extraordinary effort to log 50 or more years in public education.

"We're incredibly thankful to the Hudson brothers, Kathleen Prudence and Ann Barry for their outstanding service over such a long period of time," she said.

NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar also congratulated the Hunter teachers.

"So much passion and sacrifice goes into the teaching profession and many other roles within public education and I'd like to personally acknowledge and congratulate Leo, Graham and Kathleen for their service," he said.

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