Final bell for head teacher after 42 years of service
IT’S been a monumental day for St John Paul II Primary in Castlemilk as they say goodbye to head teacher Jim McShane retires after 42 years at the teaching helm.
Jim intends to “spend his retirement trying to get better at golf” , cycling on his new bike from Cardonald to Finnieston to have breakfast with his mother, and spending time with his 18 grandchildren.
He said: “You can see why I’ll be escaping to the golf course.
“I’ve spent 20 years in Castlemilk and originally, I was in St Margaret Mary’s Primary School. When the three schools came together I got the job in 2005. The new school opened after consultation with the community and the school name was decided collectively in 2007.
“We’ve done some amazing things with the school. A year ago we were the Evening Times Local Champion’s Award winners, and in the same year we were finalists in the community awards, where we were runners up.”
In June 2019, the school was awarded with a Scottish Education Award for outstanding Digital Learning and teaching.
More recently, Jim successfully led a project to develop an inspiring learning space at St John Paul II Primary. The school was granted £35,000 of funding which helped to create a new inspired learning space which has become an inspirational learning environment for the children in the school which is innovative, creative, functional and inspiring.
Claire Gildea, a teacher in St John Paul II Primary school, said Jim will be sorely missed.
She said: “I am sure I speak on behalf of all the staff and children when I say we will all miss him so much. Life at St John Paul II Primary will not be the same.”
Councillor Chris Cunningham, Education, Skills & Early Years convener from Glasgow City Council said: “Congratulations to Mr McShane on his retirement – 40 years in teaching and 20 years as a head teacher is an amazing achievement. We wish him a long and happy retirement.”
‘‘ We’ve done some amazing things with the school