Haverhill school head retires after 40 year career
Wendy Lashmar is leaving St Felix Primary School after 40 yrs in teaching - staff putting on a panto for her
A Haverhill school head described as ‘inspiring’ by colleagues has retired after a career spanning nearly four decades.
A Haverhill school head described as ‘inspiring’ by colleagues has retired after a career spanning nearly four decades.
St Felix Primary School head Wendy Lashmar, 61, celebrated her last day at the school on Friday (December 21), with staff performing a pantomime based on Alice in Wonderland for her.
Her first teaching job was at Chalkstone Middle School in 1973, moving to Haverhill having lived in Lancashire and gained her degree in Retford, north Nottinghamshire.
She left after seven years, an,d following a two year break, went to Kedington Primary School. She was a teacher at St Felix in 1988 and then became head of Hundon Primary School in 1995.
Wendy, who is a catholic herself, became head of St Louis Middle School in Bury St Edmunds in 1999 before returning to St Felix as head in 2006.
She is now looking forward to spending more time with husband Bob, 67, improving her piano playing skills and holidaying somewhere ‘warm and sunny’.
Wendy has two children – Elizabeth, 31, and Robert, 28.
“I’ve had a fabulous day and want to say thank you to all the staff and children who make it worth getting up every day,” she said, also thanking the school governors.
“Throughout my career I’ve tried to ensure I’ve done the best I can to ensure the children get a good deal.
“A lot of the success of this school is because staff have a sense of belonging, but are also flexibile and prepared to meet change.”
Margaret Stewart, who is now the school’s acting head and has been there for 25 years, said: “Wendy has been an inspiring head.
“She has brought the best out of everybody here.”
Senior teacher Jo Worth, who has been at St Felix for 38 years, added: “Wendy has led us through more than one unexpected event and a lot of change.
“She would never asking any member of staff to do anything she wouldn’t happily do herself, and that’s one of the reasons she is held in such affection here.”
For all the latest news see Thursday’s (January 3) Echo.
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Weather for Haverhill
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
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