All the very best to Sue Campbell-Kelly, the acting head of St Michael’s First School, who is retiring at the end of today (Friday 17th July).
Today’s leavers’ service at the school will be a particularly emotional one as the hugely popular Mrs Campbell-Kelly bows out after 18 years at the school.
Sue’s involvement with the school began as a helper in the library when her children were pupils. She was also involved in the PTA and became chairman. A qualified teacher, then head Mary Gale spotted her potential and asked her to cover a temporary role. She soon got a full-time job and then became Mrs Gale’s deputy, a post she held for many years. When Mrs Gale herself retired in 2013, Sue decided not to apply for the job.
But when Mrs Gale’s replacement sadly became ill, 18 months ago Mrs Campbell-Kelly stepped into the breach as acting head. Her inspirational leadership and boundless energy eased the school through what could have been a tricky period.
Mrs Campbell-Kelly and Mrs Gale set up the parent-school choir, and it is perhaps Sue’s passion for music that parents and children will remember her best (especially her bottom-wiggling performances conducting the choir!). With husband Ian at the piano, and often joined by their children for many school events as The Campbell-Kelly Band, Sue has inspired generations of Stone children to get involved in music. And even though she’s retiring from St Michael’s, her musical work will continue – she’s organising a concert for 2016 with Mrs Gale at the Victoria Hall for all Stone schoolchildren.
Mrs Campbell-Kelly has certainly had a busy last few weeks at St Michael’s, with a final parent-school choir concert and leavers’ service at St Michael’s Church last week, not to mention a fun-packed sports day and Year 4 leavers’ party – where she got a soaking from pupils during an end-of-party water fight!
Mrs Gale spoke at the final parent-school choir concert of Mrs Campbell-Kelly’s reluctance to take on the headteacher role, that she was more than happy to be teaching in the classroom, her real passion. But when the school needed her, Sue stepped up to the plate!
A specially-written medley was performed for Mrs Campbell-Kelly at her last parent-school choir concert at the school on 9th July. You can listen to it here…
Mrs Campbell-Kelly has received bundles of presents and well wishes from parents and pupils, including an incredible patchwork quilt containing individual patches produced by each pupil at the school. She also had the canvas print that she’s holding at the top of the page – a treble clef made of tiny photos of all St Michael’s pupils.
In a letter to parents at the end of term, Mrs Campbell-Kelly wrote: “All I can say is the most heartfelt thanks to you all for the support, good humour and encouragement you have given me over the past 18 months in my role as Acting Head. I have had a fantastic 18 years in total at St. Michael’s and have so many wonderful memories. Also can I say how overwhelmed I was by the patchwork quilt I was given on Monday night by the school. I know that many of you sent a patch into school and these have all been sewn together very kindly by Mrs Kennerell-Walters. The thought that has gone into these patches is truly amazing and overwhelming. This is certainly something I will treasure.
“Mrs Wass and Miss Whitney are so excited about taking over in September and they are going to be a great team which will take St. Michael’s forward. So take care, thank you again, I will miss you all and will never forget you.
“So in the words of a song (what else) – ‘So long, farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Adieu, Adieu, Adieu, to you and you and you’.”
Thank you for the music – and everything – Mrs Campbell-Kelly. Have a long and happy retirement.
