Forest View Primary School principal bids farewell after 43 years
Forest View Primary School principal Shayleen Shum says that she will miss the school as she reaches the end of her teaching career.
FOREST View Primary School bids farewell to their principal, Shayleen Shum, as she is entering retirement. Having spent 43 years in the school, Forest View has seen Shum, from the early days of her teaching career, grow into various roles and now reach the end of her career.
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Speaking to the Highway Mail, Shum said it has been a pleasure witnessing various generations come and go for the past four decades.
“I had always known that I would become a teacher as it was something I had always wanted to do. I came into the school straight after college and started as a senior primary school teacher. In 1996, I was appointed as the departmental head by the School Governing Body (SGB), and in 2013, I was appointed as the principal,” she explained.
Shum said that, over the years, it has been rewarding to see her former learners grow into various careers.
“Some of my former learners are parents to the children who are our current learners – it is always amazing reconnecting with them in their adulthood,” she said.
When asked what she will miss about her role and the community in the school, she said she will miss everything. “This community has been a big part of my life. I will miss my colleagues and the children – they light my day in many special ways. My farewell message to them is this year’s words of encouragement, which are about making good choices. ‘You are free to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of your choices. Stand firm and have faith,'” she said.
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The principal said she looks forward to resting and enjoying her free time. “I will also be giving back to the community and looking for ways that I can serve, but for now, I want to focus on resting,” she said.
Shum will be spending her last day as the principal at Forest View Primary on Wednesday (July 31).
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