Calling all dads, uncles, grandpas and male step relatives!
It’s been the usual busy week at Smithton ELC and Primary but a good week, too. All four seasons in one week but that didn’t stop tennis, woodwork, fire service visit, cross country meet and learning in class as well. I appreciate the mud coming home this week must have been a pain and it’s easy for me to say they were having fun when I’m not washing the clothes…we discovered one child’s full coverall suit in his bag when we went to change him out of his head to toe muddy gear! My annual apology for this mud but we continue to learn from the outdoors.
Talking of outdoors the gardening group have come out of hibernation and started bringing colour to the grounds of the school – a huge thank you to Elaine and other helpers over the year who have given up time to bring colour and order to our environment. (See photos in the slideshow.)
We’re looking forward to Monday’s P7 enterprise event and have said please no more than £3 per person. Tuesday is our ‘What Does Easter Mean To You?’ display and on Thursday we finish for the holidays with an Easter assembly at Smithton Free Church 9.30am to which all parents are most welcome. We’ll also be presenting a new award gifted by the Parent Council for leadership across the school and to be honest, there are so many children to choose from as so many look at what they can do to support the whole school – a truly great group of children and young people across the school. School finishes at the usual time on Thursday and restarts on Monday 15th April (no in service day).
As yet we are still to hear who will lead and manage the school after the holidays but I’m ever trusting that the area manager has this in hand.
As I look back at my career as a head teacher for the last time on this blog I go back to what has shaped me for who I am. Like most people I have experiences and upsets in life and these resulted in me becoming independent and determined. (Just ask Mr Grandison about my thinking face…) My experiences as a child in school mean I know exactly the tricks they all get up to and they are amazed when I can call them out or express that I know that feeling. I’ve had the privilege of working in a variety of schools with a variety of people but nothing has been as good as being the head teacher at Smithton Primary. Every day there’s something new I’ve learned or something amazing that a child can now do. Staff kindness towards each other as well as to parents and young people is so entrenched that it becomes the norm until new people come or supply staff come in and comment on the warmth amongst the staff. We’re all tired and needing a break (yes, even staff need a break – it’s not just the children!) but everyone keeps encouraging each other. It makes a very complex and exhausting job the best in the world. It has been a real privilege to work with you all and, despite my failings, you’ve all encouraged me throughout the years. Forgive those failings and know that I have tried my best on a daily basis. I will be giving my all until next Thursday – but in the meantime – thank you for my time here at Smithton and know you are loved.
Aileen Mackay, HT
Smithton Primary School 