Queensburgh Girls’ welcomes new principal

AFTER discovering her passion for education, Michelle McLachlan hopes she can inspire young girls to reach their potential as she heads up her new position.

McLachlan was recently appointed as the principal of Queensburgh Girls’ High School, taking over from Thiru Motheeram, who retired last year.

She has been involved in education for 25 years, serving in various capacities from English teacher to department head to deputy principal and finally principal.

McLachlan has taught at Sarel Cilliers High School, Bechet High School and Durban Girls’ Secondary School.

“I’m honoured and humbled to be in this position. There is a great deal of excitement, and I enjoy a challenge. I’m looking forward to making a difference in the lives of our learners because I firmly believe in empowering girls on how to be bold, assertive and most importantly, how to be good citizens.

“When I was deputy principal at Durban Girls’ Secondary School, our principal would often speak about the three Cs when it comes to education. The first was to make sure the learners were critical thinkers, [then to teach them to] be creative and communicate effectively. I liked all three and suggested we add a fourth C – compassion. I firmly believe that more compassion will make the world a better place,” she said.

Also read: Atholl Heights Primary School welcomes newly appointed principal

Speaking of her love for teaching, McLachlan said she remembers telling her mother in Grade One that she wanted to be a teacher.

“My Grade One teacher, Miss Hendriks, and my Grade 12 history teacher, Mr Curtis, as they really inspired me on my journey. Miss Hendriks was so loving and kind, and I remember actually going home and telling my mother I wanted to be a teacher. This would be reinforced by Mr Curtis who was entertaining, approachable and very much a father figure. I wanted to emulate them both but also be a combination of those qualities,” she said.

Her two decades of service to education started off in a different field entirely, however.

“When it came to my matric year, I had to have two options to pursue. Teaching was one and nursing the other. My mother was a nursing sister, hence why I considered nursing. I applied for nursing and teaching, and the nursing reply came first for me to work at Addington Hospital. I was working there for a month when I had a reply for the teaching position but I stuck with nursing. However, two years into it, I realised my passion lay in education. I gave up the position and went into education. Being involved in education has always been about the children and giving back,” she said.

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