Fifteen years ago, he walked through the gates of St Michael's Catholic Parish Primary School for the first time as a kindergarten student. Five years later he was school captain.

Now he's back as the school's newest teacher, sharing a class with the woman who first inspired his love for education - his Year Five teacher, Maree Hamilton.

Mr Anderson said he's "always known" he wanted to be a teacher. As a high school student he spent three years doing work experience at St Michael's.

"I love it," he said.

"I enjoy coming to school every morning. Day-to-day life for our kids can be so busy, and if I can give them a bit of reprieve at school that's great."

His student-first approach was shaped by Ms Hamilton.

READ MORE:

"Maree always says you see the child before you see the student, you have to see them for who they are before you look at their academics," he said.

"That's really encouraged me into that approach to teaching."

Ms Hamilton said working with Mr Anderson was an absolute pleasure.

"It's hard to go wrong as a teacher if you treat students the way you'd want your own children treated," she said.

"Dylan and I operate in a very similar way - I hope I haven't done too much damage!

"It's worked really well."

Ms Hamilton said she was immensely proud of Mr Anderson - and all her former students.

"I can't go anywhere around town without seeing someone I used to teach," she said.

"And every time I think 'wow, they're doing well'. I'm just so proud of all of them."

Mr Anderson said he was grateful for the opportunity to give back to a community that had given him so much.

"Going to school here gave me so much, and I feel like I need to give something back to our community, rather than go somewhere that did nothing for me," he said.