Community News – 13 May 2024
Staff spotlight- meet Deb!
Deb McGee, MMS’s School Nurse, brings over 30 years of nursing experience. Now in her second year at MMS, Deb finds joy in the warm environment, especially interacting with students. Read on to discover more…
Full Name: Deb McGee
Position: School Nurse
How long have you been at MMS?
I’m in my second year this year.
Where were you beforehand?
I’ve got 33 years’ experience as a nurse. I was at Melbourne Grammar School for 15 years. Before that I was a practice nurse (mainly women’s health and immunisations) for 10 years in country NSW. Before that I worked in the Emergency Department of hospitals in Melbourne and England.
What do you love about working at MMS?
The students and staff. I love the environment – it’s welcoming and friendly. I love working with children – they’re adorable and they are so trusting and innocent, which makes my role feel valued and like I’m making a difference.
It’s so nice being a nurse because the little things that you do can make a big difference in somebody’s life.
What inspires you as a Montessori educator/team member?
I love seeing the children’s happy faces. I love it when they say ‘Hey, Deb!’ The kids just love seeing what I do and they’re fascinated by the school nurse role.
What is your most memorable teaching moment or moment working in a school?
Seeing the Prep students who were in my first year graduating in Year 12. I enjoyed the moment and seeing how much they had grown.
What’s your most memorable moment as a school student?
Finishing Year 12 was incredibly memorable.
Graduating from my nursing degree was also a milestone and hugely memorable. We got our results via mail then. We had to head down to the mailroom at 3.00 am to pick up our certificates and see if we passed! There was a group of us who experienced that together and it was very exciting.
What are five interesting things about you that we may not know?
- I love walking. On the weekend you’re likely to see me on the beach path between Hampton and the city. Rain, hail or shine, I walk every day and squeeze one in on my lunchbreak during the week.
- I read everything. Right now, I’m reading a book called Improve Your French by Reading Arsene Lupin as I am also currently trying to learn French!
- I love spending time with family and friends. This basically revolves around food. I cook for my family and enjoy going out for meals with my friends. I make everything from scratch – from pasta to sauce.
- I love my cats. I have two (one of which belongs to my son who is now living in England). Their names are Chloe and Rina. They’re rescue cats and we’ve had them for five years.
- I love eating chocolate. Specifically, I love Cadbury (mainly nut varieties), and I love putting the blocks in the freezer so they’re extra cold when I eat them!
What does your weekend look like?
A long walk along the beach into the city. Going to Queen Victoria Market. I love getting my fresh produce there and the borek stand is a favourite. I also spend a lot of the time on the weekend cooking. My favourite dish to cook is whatever my son wants – and I’ll generally pick up those ingredients on my market visit.
Then I’ll get the train home because I am laden with shopping bags filled with delicious food.
What is your favourite Maria Montessori quote and why?
‘Let us treat them (children) therefore, with all the kindness which we would wish to help to develop in them.’
