At the end of the spring term St. Pauls School will lose one of its most highly valued and respected members of staff. Pam Dawe has worked at the school as a lunchtime supervisor for almost 31 years, from the days of walking the children down the road to get their lunch to the relative luxury of the present day. She is now looking forward to her well deserved retirement.
I expect Pam might well relish the prospect of a quiet weekday lunch without 200 children to get in the way! There again, knowing how much Pam loves being with the children, she will undoubtedly find it hard at first to spend a lunchtime without them.
Pam has worked tirelessly for the school. She is one of a kind and has always shown total commitment in everything she has done in support of the school. She always has the best interests of the children at heart and she has succeeded, without exception, in building strong and lasting relationships with the children and staff. Whenever the children have needed individual care or supervision, whenever a child has been hurt or upset, Pam has been there for them.
The children know Pam as “Auntie Pam” and despite efforts to change this title from time to time, it has always stuck. For the past 31 years she has certainly kept watch over her large “school family” and what a superb job she has done.
without which she would not have achieved as much as she has. She has always maintained discipline and yet she has the total respect and friendship of the children. Pam has given generously of her time to situations both within and outside her working hours. She listens patiently and treats every child equally, fairly and with affection. Pam values every child.
I am sure someone must have sat down and worked out just how many children and staff have come into contact with Pam over the years both in the old school and in the present building. I wonder how many plates have been scraped, how many injuries treated and how many tears dried!
We are going to miss Pam terribly. I dont think it has yet sunk in that she wont be back after Easter, hard as I have tried to hang on to her. (I have even resorted to throwing money at her!) We are all hoping, however, that we will be seeing Pam at the school on a regular basis at future events.
Pam has decided that the time has come to join her husband, John, in retirement. We all wish them a long and happy retirement and we hope that Pam will treasure her memories of St. Pauls School for many years to come.
Thank you Pam.
With our love and best wishes.
Lyndon Evans. On behalf of everyone at St. Pauls School