Double celebration as popular colleagues reach 25 years at Nova
Staff at Nova Hreod Academy held a celebration for Mrs Bathe and Mrs King to mark an incredible 25 years of dedicated service to the school.
Science teacher Natalie King joined the school in May 2000. She went on to hold several roles within the Science team and was Head of Science for a number of years before taking some time off to start her own family, returning to Nova after having each of her three children. Mrs King is a firm favourite with students; staff that have worked with her over the years describe her as a much loved colleague who is always willing to go the extra mile to help them succeed.
Pam Bathe also joined the science team in 2000 as Senior Science Technician. Mrs Bathe is highly respected for her friendly approach and positivity and works hard behind the scenes to organise and set up practical science lessons. She has made a significant impact on generations of students, and the science teachers all respect her dedication and knowledge. Because of her strong organisational skills and scientific knowledge, many Nova Hreod students will have gone on to careers in science without knowing the impact that she has had upon their success.
"We are proud to celebrate this milestone and express our gratitude to them both for an incredible 25 years of service” said Jannine Clapp, Assistant Principal at Nova Hreod Academy. "Mrs Bathe is an invaluable member of the team who helps to ensure that our students get to experience the practical side of science as part of their education. Her positive nature and sense of humour always helps to brighten our days. Mrs King has a nurturing side to her nature and is also a firm believer in authority and hard work, and generations of students have respected her for those qualities. She is also a great support to both new and established teachers, sharing her knowledge and expertise for the benefit of the faculty.
James Harding-Mbogo, Principal of Nova Hreod Academy, said: “we are exceptionally grateful to Mrs Bathe and Mrs King for their dedication to the students who have passed through Nova Hreod Academy over the past 25 years. Their commitment to our school has made a lasting impact on our community.”
We are both privileged to have worked with students at Nova for so many years; we have seen so many changes since joining the school when it was Hreod Parkway and have worked with some wonderful colleagues along the way. It’s amazing that I’m now teaching the children of my former students. “I’m very fortunate that I still love my job after 25 years. It's the students that make the job so rewarding, it's lovely watching them grow, and learn. It's always nice bumping into them in the community years later and hearing what they have been up to."
Natalie King
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