After 21 years of continuous service as director of Mittagong Preschool, Pauline Iacono was recognised for her years of service at the AGM last week.

In that time she has cared for 1680 children over 7765 days and attended 231 committee meetings.

She was presented with a plaque at the AGM which had the number of months and days she had worked at the preschool as well as the number of children she has cared for.

Pauline has been with the preschool for more than 21 years, but left to have children during that time.

When she was first director, Pauline played a big role in getting a second room built.

She applied for the grant and was involved in the designs, despite being at being at home with her daughter at the time of construction.

And after all this time, she still finds it an exciting place to work.

“The reward comes in the reaction of the children,” she said.

“They do little things and react to things in a certain way and it still warms my heart.”

As early childhood education continues to evolve, teaching methods are always changing too.

Pauline said children nowadays were often described as “digital natives” and technology had become an important learning tool.

‘You’ve got to prepare them for the future,” she said.

But while in some ways the preschool has continued to evolve, in many other ways it has remained the same since it began 42 years ago.

“I think I’ve been able to stay so long at the preschool because of the community-based nature of the preschool,” Pauline said. 

“It’s really what I believe is the ethos of early childhood education. It’s part of the community. I’ve got so many friends and connections because of being here at the preschool.”

And Pauline is not the only staff member who has a long history with the preschool.

She said many of the staff had been there for more than 10 years.

“I think the reason they stay is that sense of community and support we offer each other.”

Not only is it the staff who have a strong connection. Pauline said people who had attended the preschool when they were young, were now sending their children there as well.

Mittagong Preschool in an incorporated association which is run by a voluntary committee.

Pauline said over the many years she has been associated with the preschool, she had worked some amazing staff and committee members.

“They’ve all been so engaged with this community angle of the preschool and understand they’re doing something not just for the preschool but for their child and other people's children. For children to come. There’s that sense of passing it on- what you do today is good to the future.”