Mrs Ellen Sendy has clocked up an impressive 45 years as a teacher, all at Balranald Central School.

It never really hit home for her, the time she had been in the teaching field for until a friend pointed it out.

Ellen can recall teaching the grandparent of a Year 10 student she is teaching this year.

She was always intent on being a primary teacher, until she came across a pivotal influence in her secondary schooling years.

“I absolutely adored my Year 11 Home Science teacher, and thought, “I just want to be like you,” she recalled.

It’s so ironic, the influence of one person on Ellen’s life propelled her into a career where she has touched so many lives herself.

So, it was 1981 when a young Ellen Sendy came to Balranald.

These were still the days when a teacher would either opt in to teach in the city only, or anywhere in NSW.

Ellen chose anywhere in NSW, and was then advised she was selected to teach in Balranald.

“Doreen Greenham was invaluable when I first started,” Ellen recalled.

“Joan Purton and Cynthia Barber, two other iconic Balranald teachers, were both like mothers to me. These ladies were wonderful to me.

“I would more often than not go to Cynthia’s house for Sunday dinner. It was a wonderful little community and culture from the get go.”

Ellen met her husband Laurie, a local, and they were married.

They have two children, James and Amanda, who both completed their schooling at Balranald Central School and went on to foster successful lives and careers.

A 45-year commitment to teaching, her vocation, is no small feat, but Ellen wouldn’t have dreamed about being anywhere else.

“I never ever thought about leaving,” she said. “Either teaching or Balranald. I love what I do and I love the town.”

Despite her specialty being home economics, Ellen didn’t always teach in this role.

She taught in the school’s distance education department mainly textiles and English, worked as a support teacher.

Some of the highlights of her career were teaching distance education, and the time one of her students received a Band 6 for their work in the HSC, and their work ws entered into the larger Exhibition of Year 12 work.

One of her classes, who she called ‘my dream team,’ all scored band 5. One of her dream team began working at Balranald Central School as an SLSO in 2025, and Ellen was very proud and emotional.

She has always noticed the stark differences between how girls enjoy and learn in her classes to the way boys do.

“Boys just like machines, anything with an accelerator, so they gravitate towards the sewing machines,” she said.

“Girls get in there and immerse themselves in different ways.

“One time, back in the day where there were still boys’ classes and girls’ classes, I had a class going.

" We had a veritable sewing circle and production line going; there were busy girls cutting patterns, sewing on machines, hand sewing and more.

“It just so happened to be the day the principal was touring people around, showing them the different classes.

“He said to me later, “You must’ve known I was coming, but I didn’t” she laughed.

What Mrs Sendy really enjoys about boys classes is the random conversations or things they bring up during class, like telling her things while they are washing the dishes.

Home is where you make it, and Ellen vastly enjoys her home, Balranald.

“Who could want anything more,” she said.

“We have a lovely, friendly town with great people. The river is close by, and it is really green here.”

Although she would like to retire one day, the kitchen at Balranald Central School is what drives her to stay in teaching.

“I couldn’t stand the thought of the kitchen closing and the children missing out,” she said.

“I just cannot fathom the idea of being at home, with a closed kitchen and the kids not having that option.”

Incredibly modest, down to Earth and practical, it is so easy to see why Mrs Sendy is so treasured and respected. Congratulations on such a magnificent career.