Case Story

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“Mrs (Wendy) O’Hanlon was my year six teacher in 2005 and since then she has been a huge help to me. She has always been there to help me get through my problems.

When I started running away from home, she was there to help mediate between me and my parents and to get me safely back home. When I started using drugs she was always there to help and guide me in the right direction and to get clean. She also helped get me back to talking to my parents and to rebuild my relationship with them. I was also able to talk to her when I couldn’t talk to them.

For the last eight years she has always been there. When I wouldn’t go to school she was there to make me go and do the right thing. When I got off drugs she was still there to talk to and in a way counsel me so I wouldn’t get back on drugs.

Recently she has also been there to push me to continue with my education and I have successfully completed a year ten equivalent TAFE course and have enrolled  in a Certificate IV accounting TAFE course, which I begin in July this year. She has constantly been there to guide and push me away from more trouble.

Mrs O’Hanlon has always done what’s in my best interest, even when it has unfairly caused many problems for herself; she has always looked out for me first. Without her I don’t know where I would be or who I would talk to. She has been a rock for me and I am forever grateful for this.”

My name is Wendy O’Hanlon. I grew up on the North Shore in Sydney and went to Pymble Public School until the age of 8. I then went to PLC Ingleholme until year 6 and then transferred to the main school at PLC Pymble for my High School Years. I loved going to school and always felt that my school was an extension of my family. I felt I belonged. My passion from an early age was to teach and I followed this passion, first by attending Teacher’s College and then Macquarie University where I obtained a BA DIPED and had also majored in English and Linguistics. I have taught in a variety of schools in the Catholic System, Private System and with the Department of Education. I have also attended a two year course in Process Psychology and I have also completed a Certificate 1V in Training and Assessment. I also trained with “I Can Read” and teach with I Can Read Centres in Sydney.

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