June 18, 2014
An era will truly come to an end when Jenny Cross hangs up her hat next week after 47 years teaching in the South Burnett.
Jenny has had a hand in shaping the young lives of hundreds and hundreds of students at many schools throughout the region.
Born in Nanango, she attended St Patrick’s Primary School and then St Mary’s, Ipswich, before heading off to Teachers’ College in Brisbane.
Coming back home, she was posted to Taabinga State School in 1968, where she stayed for two years.
Then it was off to Kumbia SS, Proston SS and Wooroolin SS.
In 1973, she joined the Catholic Education system and started at St Mary’s Primary School in Kingaroy, then located in Albert Street (the current Catholic Church hall).
In 1976, she returned “home” to St Pat’s in Nanango where she stayed until 1990.
In 1991, she came back to St Mary’s, then known as the South Burnett Catholic College, where she has been ever since …
“I have done everything,” Jenny told southburnett.com.au this week.
“I have taught every class from Prep to Grade 12. I was Acting Principal over at Nanango for a while and have been Deputy Principal here (St Mary’s), curriculum co-ordinator, pastoral care co-ordinator, assistant to the principal …
“I have accompanied students to Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Indonesia, Malaysia and all points in between; to camps and retreats.
“Teaching is an extraordinarily interesting job and I have enjoyed every minute of it.”
Jenny may be quitting teaching on Friday week, but she’s not retiring from working.
She’s going to be concentrating her efforts now on the family farm, which is located in the foothills of the Bunya Mountains near Alice Creek.
Jenny and her husband Jim have a cattle breeding property which they established four years ago, after re-locating from Brooklands because of the proposed Kunioon mine.
“I will be just changing jobs,” Jenny said.
“All the skills I have learned in teaching will stand me in good stead, especially all the computer skills.”
The staff and students of St Mary’s Catholic College will be putting on a special farewell for Jenny next Thursday in the school’s Mary Knoll Centre which will include a Liturgy of Thanks and farewell dinner.
For more information, and to RSVP, contact Alice Hauritz at the school before Friday (June 20) on (07) 4162-2011 or by email
Congratulations Jenny on a wonderful and incredibly long career in teaching. Your unwavering contribution to Catholic Education and to the students you have taught over 47 years will live on. Enjoy your change in career and I hope you get some time just for you (& Jim too).
Good on you Mrs C!! I salute you for so many years of putting up with so many teens and the sort! Wise beyond anyone I know and I’m sure you have so much more to share with the people around you. Good luck precious! :-D