Back to school: Toowoomba region’s future leaders ready to shine

The region’s smallest and brightest future leaders are embarking on a very special journey in 2023, and it is set to be a tear-jerker.

As thousands of children head back to school in 2023, the region’s smallest and newest students are embarking on an exciting, nerve-racking, and enlightening adventure.

It will be the first 40-week school year with no interruptions since Covid-19 mandates disrupted the system in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Marking a personal and historic millstone, little Miss Vera Masters will be starting her educational journey at Downlands College as part of the Catholic school’s first cohort of Prep students.

The soon to be five-year-old’s mother, Megan Masters, said her household was excited and apprehensive about their only child starting school – despite how fearless and strong she could be.

“My biggest worry is probably getting the lunch box right,” she joked.

Vera Masters is ready to start school as a new Prep student. Vera will attend Downlands College, Thursday, January 19, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“There’s this disbelief sometimes when your kid grows up, you’re like ‘it was just yesterday she was this tiny little bundle and now she’s off doing all the big stuff’.”

Lucky for Vera, her father Robert is a teacher at Downlands College, so she will have an extra layer of support, even if she does not need it.

“The excitement of being at ‘daddy’s school’ is enough to outweigh a lot of the misgivings,” Mrs Masters said.

“She seems excited, but she did tell me specifically, ‘I’m a little bit nervous, mummy’.

“I said, ‘well that’s absolutely fine, you’re allowed to be nervous, but as long as you know there’s nothing to be scared of you’re going to have a great time.

“She’s mostly in a really good frame of mind … I think she’s mostly nervous about meeting new kids and making new friends.”

The 40-year-old mum is a teacher herself and said a key component of their school plan was positivity and ensuring Vera could open her lunch box and snack packaging with no issues.

Ezekiel Heslop and Vera Masters are ready to start school as new Prep students. Vera will attend Downlands College and Ezekiel will start at Kingsthorpe State School, Thursday, January 19, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“She’ll get out there and get them I reckon … she’s one of those kids who’s pretty keen to jump,” Mrs Masters said.

“She’s (also) a bit of a natural-born leader.

“As soon as she hit those toddler years she was always getting other kids up and being like ‘come on, lets run around’.

“Let’s have a revolution – yeah that’s my kid.”

Although Vera might not have her daycare friend Ezekiel Heslop by her side, her dinosaur shaped sandwiches will keep her company until she makes new friends and takes over the school. Ezekiel will be attending Kingsthorpe State School.