Bega Valley Market Place crafter and Thomas Moore School parent Tabitha Bilaniwskyj-Zarins invited the school to come down to her store at the marketplace to learn about spinning, wool craft, and the different things which can be made from wool. 

“The children were getting experience of some of the craft activities which happen locally,” Thomas Moore School co-principal Kevin McCulloch said.

“Montessori is a very hands-on form of education, so this is right up our alley.” 

On the day, Thomas Moore’s new teacher Thilini Hapugoda talked enthusiastically about her new school and living in the Bega Valley.

“I’ve been to Melbourne, and the difference between there and here is that there is a much closer community here,” she said. 

“I really like how people greet each other here, it is really lovely and friendly.” 

Ms Hapugoda, who is from Colombo, Sri Lanka, started teaching at the school in January, however after a few months she returned home for a time before beginning teaching in Bega again in May. 

She will be at Thomas Moore School until the end of this year. 

A Montessori teacher since 2009, she said one of the world’s main Montessori training centres is in Colombo, and there are many Montessori teachers in her country, mainly in the pre-school sector. 

This is not the first foreign country Ms Hapugoda has taught in as she has also worked in Singapore, and she loves sharing her experiences of life overseas with her pupils. 

She may teach overseas again, but she is planning to have a family next year so is uncertain of what is in store.  

“I don’t know what I’ll do, but I don’t think I’ll ever stop teaching,” she said.

Mr McCulloch said Ms Hapugoda fits into Thomas Moore School “perfectly”.