The Mundarra preschool, Batemans Bay, principal, known as Mrs B, retired after 38 years of teaching, seven of them at the preschool, on Wednesday.

Starting her career at Koonawarra Public School, before moving onto Cooma Public School and then landing herself a job as assistant principal at Batemans Bay Public School, Mrs Borthwick never imagined she would end up in a preschool.

I started and I loved it, she said.

My favorite thing was the kids curiosity and their love of learning. It is right there.

You have a candle there ready to go and you light it and bam! The spirit and the sparks fly.

The first preschoolers she taught are now in year six.

I have a passion for being in the moment with children. There is no bigger moment than when they are in preschool, Mrs Borthwick said.

You know a lot about those kids while they are there and get to spend precious time with them.

This year was important to me because the first year I ever had at the preschool (is) now in year six and my last year (is) now in kindergarten.

Some of the primary students she taught brought their own children to her at Mundarra.

In retirement, Mrs Borthwick will spend time with her husband, read books of her choice, ride her horse and volunteer at the Eurobodalla Riding for the Disabled group.

She had some advice for teachers.

To teachers, I would say take the time it takes and light the fire because you never know when you are creating a memory in someones life, Mrs Borthwick said.

You have all the movements and the curriculum, but sometimes you have to do a different dance with a different child.

They all have their own music and go to their own rhythm.

To students, she said keep the love of learning.