When Neshelle Battle drives home late at night, she sometimes encounters students from her school still riding their bikes.
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"It's late in the evening and they are riding around on their bikes on the road," she said.
"Everyday we need to make sure that for the six hours that they are with us we make the most of it."
And she does.
Mrs Battle is the principal of Westdale Public School in Tamworth.
The school has been recognised by the Australian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (ACARA) as one of 20 "high performing" schools in NSW despite significant socio-economic disadvantage.
Her students are literally some of the poorest in the state with a FOEI (Family Occupation and Education Index) of 144 compared to a state average of 100. Around 47 per cent of the students are Aboriginal.
The latest NAPLAN results are a reward for years of investment, Mrs Battle said.
"A long road," she said.
She's been the principal for nine years at Westdale and deputy for three.
She loves her job. Loves the students. It isn't actual work, she said.
Having high expectations is the key
Mrs Battle has always had big dreams for her students.
Most have parents who don't have educational qualifications or consistent, permanent work.
"We have a high expectations culture at Westdale," she told ACM.
"Everything we do, regardless of the background or the socio-economic status of our students, is for the students. We believe that they have the skills to do well and we believe what we are doing is the right philosophy."
Communicating those expectations was "very important".
"We want the best for these students and we believe they can do it," she said.
Funding is vital
They squeeze every cent out of the funding they get.
"Our classrooms are so well equipped, everyone has all the tools they need to perform their role every day, and the students don't need to bring anything in," she said.
Recent whispers about funding cuts have alarmed her.
"If we were to have our funding cut it would further disadvantage our students and crucify our school because it would take away so many opportunities that we can provide," she said.
One aspect she acknowledges that has made the difference is the consistency of staff.
They have a very stable workforce, unlike most regional and rural schools.
"We don't have a lot of change as far as our class teachers go. Our staff turnover is very low and that certainly shines through in the results," she said.
"The teachers are not coming in from other schools year in and year out."
Mrs Battle is known for regularly being in the classroom. Being visible. It shows the other teachers that she is there in the trenches, too.
"Our executives are in the classrooms every day," she said. "Not locked in offices. If you are there in the classrooms with the students and the teachers, working shoulder to shoulder, people will work for you and with you for the greater good of the students."
'Country girl'
Mrs Battle grew up on a large cattle farm on the NSW mid-north coast and attended Kempsey West Public School and Kempsey High School.
"It was never a question of going to Sydney," she said. "I just had to be in the country."
She admits she kind of "fell into" teaching starting in Parkes in the central west a quarter of a century ago. Initially, she worked in special education before moving into leadership positions.
She sees the kids she teaches on the weekends when she takes her teenage sons to sporting competitions. Or sometimes at the local shops.
"You are there at Saturday morning sport and you see the students you work with everyday at school, it provides that wonderful relationship" she said. "It's a way that you can relate to the parents as well because they see you as a real person. That you do normal things on the weekend."
And she sheds tears when she talks about the rewards. Every day there are glimmers of hope.
Recently she was at the shops when the assistant exclaimed "I know you Mrs Battle, I'll never forget you."
"That's what we want," she said.
Many of her kids come from highly dysfunctional backgrounds. How do you turn that around?
"There's always an answer. You've just got to find it. That connection. There are always ways to help support," Mrs Battle said.
Carla Mascarenhas
Carla Mascarenhas is the NSW correspondent covering breaking news, state politics and investigations. She is based in Sydney. Contact her on carla.mascarenhas@austcommunitymedia.com.au
