Monday 3 March 2025
For 30 years, Denise Webb and Lisa Patterson and have been shaping young minds at St Liborius School in Eaglehawk, creating a legacy of education, community and friendship. The two educators have made a lasting impact on generations of students and their families in the Eaglehawk community.
Denise's path to teaching was paved from an early age.
"I always wanted to be a teacher. I played schools as a kid," she recalls. Having attended St Liborius herself, the school held a special place in her heart. She initially stepped into the role as a teacher aide before transitioning into a full-time teaching position 18 months later. "And I’ve been here ever since."
Lisa, a seasoned educator in the school’s upper grades, has seen firsthand how teaching and the school community have evolved over the years.
"People keep asking why we've stayed here this long - the Borough is a special place. Denise was born and raised here, and our own children have been through St Libs. It’s an amazing community. We’re now teaching the next generation," says Lisa.
For Denise, this sense of continuity and belonging is at the heart of her dedication.
"Even if families don’t come to St Lib's, they know kids from other schools. We often try to connect the schools and the community together. It’s all about the connections."
But it’s not just the students and families that have made St Liborius a second home for these two educators.
"We've always had amazing staff (at St Liborius). In the 'olden days', we’d play netball with parents, attend school balls and socialise as a team. We’ve built on that, and the staff here continue to support each other. We’ve always got each other's backs," says Lisa.
Lisa adds that their career has not just been professional but deeply personal.
"Denise and I are best friends. We’ve grown up together in a way. We even travel together."
Over three decades, they’ve witnessed remarkable changes in education.
"Technology is the biggest difference. When I started, we had one computer for the whole school, and it took up an entire room," says Lisa.
Denise adds, "The changes actually help keep you here. People ask how we’ve stayed so long, but every day is different. It never gets boring."
Perhaps the most rewarding part of their careers has been seeing the impact they’ve made.
"One of the best things is walking down the street and having former students come up and say, ‘Hey, Mrs Patterson, do you remember me?’" Even if I don’t always remember names, it’s nice to know we’ve made a difference in their lives," says Lisa.
Their roles as mentors for new teachers is something both Denise and Lisa embrace wholeheartedly. For those entering the profession, Denise and Lisa has some sage advice.
“You've got to pace yourself. You've got to learn from others. I think it’s really important that you ask for support when you need it. It's not an easy gig at all but for longevity, you need to have good support around you. When you surround yourself with good people, then you're on the right track,” says Lisa.
Denise adds, “You've got to realise that everything can wait, and your family and your mental health take priority. Some people say there's no work-life balance but there can be. Yes, there's stuff you've always got to do, but it can wait. If you want to go out for dinner with your family or go away on a holiday, you don't need to open your laptop every day or every night. And I think that's how we've survived.”
Principal Alannah Darmody said they were lucky to have Denise and Lisa at St Liborius and believes that it is a lovely testament to the strength of their community that they are still here after 30 years in the job.
“While neither Lisa nor Denise wanted a fuss made, we couldn’t let this significant milestone go unrecognised,” says Alannah.
“The narrative around teaching being a profession that people are leaving in droves is not necessarily accurate, certainly in our diocese the retention of staff is high. At St Liborius School, Denise and Lisa are testament to the fact that those who love teaching, love it for a lifetime and it is a definitely a vocation rather than a job.”
While they may joke about whether they’ll reach 40 years, their impact is undeniable. St Liborius isn’t just a workplace — it’s a family. And for Denise and Lisa, it has been the heart of their lives for three decades.
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