This latest HT Blog comes from Claire Tasker, Headteacher.
One of our HSS staff is currently representing our country as part of Team GB at the FMBA Basketball Championships in Athens – Mr Ben Lowe. Ben has long been a committed basketball player. As well as playing himself, he devotes hours beyond the school day coaching HSS students and encouraging them to achievements and victories in tournaments. He is also a great Maths teacher, a kind form tutor and a much-liked colleague. I share this in my blog firstly to celebrate Ben. I also share it as an example of the ‘secret’ lives of so many of our teachers and staff. They do so much more than their jobs, often very quietly and without fuss.
Every week I try to write ‘thank you’ postcards to colleagues who go above and beyond, and I have written 227 so far this year. The recent ones range from ‘thank you’ to the teachers who organised the Art and DT exhibition, to the many staff who lead and support the Duke of Edinburgh award, to the premises team who worked so hard one man down to keep us all cool in the heat and to the big group staff who prepared presentations to share their research-informed classroom innovations on our recent INSET day. Next week I will be writing a big stack to everyone who has helped with our school production, Oliver. I could go on. And on.
We are so blessed at HSS to have so many staff who have these ‘secret’ or other lives, quietly giving so much more than their job description. Like Ben Lowe their passions are part of their lives outside school, but they also bring their passions into their school lives for the benefit of so many young people.
