The last day of school is always cause for celebration but there were still bittersweet feelings for some yesterday.
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Cynthia Bennett yesterday finished 25 years as a kindergarten teacher's aide at East Launceston Primary School, as thousands of public schoolchildren cheered the end of the school year.
Mrs Bennett's association with the school started in 1961 when her daughter Libby enrolled.
Her other children _ Sue, Richard and Michael _ also attended East Launceston, and she became an integral part of the school.
The grandmother of four was president of the mothers' club, served on the parents and friends association, supervised the library for six years and ran the clothing pool for 17 years.
She has enjoyed being a help to successive kindergarten teachers, keeping a grandmotherly eye over the young children.
``I just love that age group, they're so unspoilt,'' Mrs Bennett said.
``The children move on to other classes but some still come for a cuddle every day. I just feel they're part of my family.''
Other long- serving employees this week ended their association with public school education in Tasmania.
John Forrester ended 13 years of involvement with early special education in Northern Tasmania.
An educator for 40 years, Mr Forrester most recently worked with special needs children from birth to four years old, preparing them for the day they enrolled in kindergarten.
Queechy High School teachers Graham Dangerfield and Heinz Kruesmann retire today.
Mr Dangerfield, 60, has been a teacher for 36 years, the last 22 at Queechy.
Mr Kruesmann, 55, was a former student of Queechy who returned to teach there in 1995 after teaching at Launceston College and the former Alanvale College.
There were 73,265 students enrolled in government schools this year.
The Education Department expects a slight increase in enrolments in the next school year.
