Pastoral Care - Secondary

Transitions (No. 2)

I am not entirely comfortable with colleague farewells, particularly retirements. 

I am onboard with well-earned rest/next phase of life/more time with family/smelling the roses/get a caravan/see the world etc etc and I wish them tremendously well, but it always feels a touch hollow. 

It is hard to put aside loss of experience, loss of friendship and support. How can you sum up or adequately thank someone who has for forty years touched the future, lived a life of service, given love and knowledge and care to literally thousands of kids; got them through, refined their skills, helped them find themselves, shaped them, changed (saved) their lives, perhaps be a voice in their head offering guidance in adulthood’s hard times? It’s not all of them, but probably most. 

So if there are problems already, imagine being faced with four of the best going at once. 

How do you sum up 150 years of love, care and inspiration? You can’t really. But you try to express your gratitude. 

Mrs Cummings has that deep well of love and compassion for everyone – colleagues and kids, with the courage to let you know if you are short-changing either. Can I pay her my highest tribute? She is the go-to person for the values of a Catholic school. Everyone loves Mrs Cummings, which is only fair because she loves all of us. 

Mr Lipsham can do everything. Plays, builds, insatiable curiosity about how things work. Few of us can teach anything at any level – he can. Held important leadership roles over many years, most notably in Pastoral Care. Staggering to think of the lives touched in this role. There is often the temptation to negotiate peace and move on. I have often admired Mr Lipsham for insisting peace comes on the back of right. And he infuriates me with his mechanical, technical and musical aptitude, because he effortlessly does all those things I can’t. 

Ms Veness, Head of Science for almost 20 years (at Lumen)  – imagine the expertise and knowledge she has imparted. An organisational demon, generous to a fault (volunteering can be a dangerous thing Marlene) and the loyalest of friends. Then throw in a wicked sense of humour. Bailed me out a dozen times over the years (and then I took the credit). 

Mr McGee? I’m going to be fielding a lot of “Where’s Mr Gee?” questions, because it’s going to be a bit like a car on three wheels, so instrumental has he been to the soul of the school. The House system and the Male Choir are down to him in their genesis. Hundreds of kids will remember for the rest of their lives the passion of his House chants or belting out “Lumen’s Call.” As with Mr Lipsham, then add the leadership in Pastoral Care. For those of us who know, that last sentence speaks volumes on its own.  

If Schoolzine is meant to give parents some information or insight into the College, learning and loving the kids, I’m sure that I am on a winner this week. The great teachers, like Mrs Cummings, Ms Veness, Mr Lipsham and Mr McGee, are very special. When we are in full partnership – students/parents/teachers, the magic happens. 

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