By Lisa Ramsden
TWO local women have just retired from a primary school in Newcastle, having left their indelible stamp on many children’s lives.
As pupils and staff at All Children’s Integrated Primary School prepared to wrap up for the Easter holidays, they also bade a fond farewell to two “truly special members” of the school family who, between them, devoted almost 40 years of their working lives to the school.
Sharon Maginnis and Miriam Spence will, as principal Neville Watson said, be remembered for their invaluable contributions to the school.
Both ladies started their journeys at All Children’s as classroom assistants.
Mrs Spence began working at the school in 2011, with Mrs Maginnis having joined the team six years earlier, in 2005.
As Mr Watson explained, over the years, their roles grew and changed – with Mrs Spence becoming “a compassionate and unwavering Special Educational Needs assistant whose sense of humour delighted her classes and staff members alike,” and Mrs Maginnis “becoming the steady, welcoming presence at the heart of our school office”.
Mr Watson said that throughout their careers one thing never changed – the “care they gave so freely to every child and colleague around them”.
Wishing them well as they embark on this next chapter, Mr Watson described both local women as “two truly special members of our school family”.
On behalf of everyone associated with the school, he wished them health and happiness “as they begin their well-earned retirement”.
He continued: “The impact they have had simply cannot be measured.
“It lives on in the confidence they nurtured, the comfort they gave, the smiles they created, and the countless little moments that meant everything to the children in their care.”
He said Mrs Maginnis and Mrs Spence “have been more than staff members, they have been constants, supporters, listeners, and friends.”
The local principal added: “Our school is better because of them, and their legacy will be felt in our halls for many years to come.
“While we are so sad to see them go, we are equally grateful for all they have given and excited for the next chapter of their lives.
“Retirement is so richly deserved. I’m sure there are many parents and young people that share our sentiments.”
Thanking the women “for everything” achieved during their careers, Mr Watson said both “will always be part of our school family”.
He said: “They both worked with a range of children and staff and contributed fully to school life during their years of service.”
