New head is excited to take on top job at school
THE founding headteacher of Aberdare Community School who was awarded an OBE for her services to education has retired to be replaced by the head of a Pontyclun comprehensive.
Sue Davies left the school at the end of the Spring Term to retire, and Mark Powell, who was appointed last year, has joined after leaving his role at Y Pant Comprehensive in Pontyclun.
He said: “It is my pleasure and privilege to be able to introduce myself to you as the new headteacher of Aberdare Community School.
“This is my 27th year in education, my sixth school, my second headship and I am extremely excited by the opportunity to lead the school into the next stage of its development.
“I am grateful to Sue Davies for the excellent foundations laid during her time as headteacher, foundations which I now look forward to building upon with the help of the excellent team of professionals we have working in this fantastic new school.”
A spokesman for the school said Ms Davies had played a “key role” in establishing the new school as a “fantastic learning and teaching environment in the heart of our town”.
He added: “Many members of the wider com- munity joined with pupils and staff to wish Ms Davies a long and happy retirement.”
Mr Powell added: “Most of all, I am looking forward to working with the young people of Aberdare. I am from the valleys myself and I have close family connections to Aberdare so I feel that I have a reasonably sound understanding already of the needs of our pupils and students. I have much to learn, though, and will indeed be learning much in the coming weeks. All decisions made by myself will be made in what I understand to be the very best interests of these young people.”
He also said he was excited to be working with parents and carers, and thanked them for their “tremendous expression of trust and faith in us as a school”.
He added: “You can rest assured that we will work our hardest to repay that trust and to give their sons and daughters the best possible learning experiences. Our school is a partnership, where we want parents and carers to tell us when we are doing things well and let us know when they think we can do things better. We are here to listen and to serve this community.”
He said his expectations of what the school can do for its pupils was high, adding: “I also have high expectations of our pupils. I expect them to observe all school rules, to act and speak with respect and courtesy for all members of the school community and to try their hardest at all times.
“If they do so then I can guarantee that they will have an extremely rewarding educational experience in their time with us, an experience which will give them the best possible chance of success after they leave school.
“I would be most grateful for the support of the whole community in helping us achieve this for all of our young people.”