Knockevin principal retires after 36 years

Knockevin principal retires after 36 years

27 June 2018

IT will be a poignant end of an era for the principal of Knockevin Special School when she leaves on Friday for the last time in 36 years.

Mrs Ann Cooper admits that she has already shed an unexpected tear or two as she visited classes to spend some precious final time with her students ahead of her retirement.

“Friday will be a sad day when I’m saying goodbye to the pupils. For some of the senior pupils, they knew why I was there and made a fuss of me,” said the Ballykinlar woman.

“Some of the younger ones don’t know what retirement means but for those who do, they have said that they will miss me.

“I’m sure that I will shed a few tears when I leave as I’ve already done so as it just takes me unawares sometimes.”

Mrs Cooper has been principal for the last ten years at Knockevin, which since 2016 has been a two-site campus at Racecourse Hill in Downpatrick and the Early Years Centre in Dundrum’s Main Street.

She leads a team of over 100 staff and together they educate and support 140 students with special education needs from the ages of nine to 19 in learning for life and future employment for those with less complex needs.

Since she qualified as a teacher, she has never looked towards another school, either in the special needs or mainstream sectors, from taking up her position in 1982.

It was clear in her mind that teaching, and teaching students with special needs, was her calling after she spent time volunteering as a teenager in the Downpatrick Gateway Club and helping out with her school’s summer scheme.

“I’ve never regretted being a special needs teacher, it’s a niche that doesn’t suit everyone. You either love it or don’t,” she said.

“I never saw the disability and just had a very natural connection with the young adults.”

She has seen great changes in her years with Knockevin, which was under the control of the former Eastern Health and Social Board until the education authorities became responsible for it in 1984.

More importantly, she has seen great improvements in understanding and integration of children and young adults within the community.

Mrs Cooper says she owes a lot to the principals who came before her — the founder, Iris MrBride, and her predecessor, Anne Blakely, for their inspiration and their leadership example.

“We always have had to be creative, enthusiastic and thinking outside the box as our pupils are outside the box. We have to tailor things to meet the specific needs of the pupil but they really had a vision of how our pupils should be in our community and that was very instrumental to my work.”

She gave thanks to the board of governors, the staff, the parents and the Parents and Staff Association, which helped to raise £100,000 for the new Sparkle sensory room and garden last year. 

“I would like to pay tribute to the school governors for their commitment and stamina and of course to the parents for their wonderful support, all my dedicated and long-serving staff and our fantastic Parents Staff Association who have really supported the school.

“Looking back now, there have been wonderful achievements at the school and the staff have brought the school to where it is now.”

She has been extremely touched over the years about the unexpected gifts of money, support and kindness from the community and is particularly happy that funding has now been approved under the Schools Enhancement Programme for a purpose-built extension by 2020/21. Five mobiles will be removed as well as the refurbishment of the Downpatrick campus.

The process of finding her replacement is still being carried out by the school governors.

However, the mother of three adult children and grandmother of three adds: “I plan to take a bit of chill time and travel with my husband, Terry and family, as between one thing and another school life can take over and it can be hard to switch off. Then I will take stock and see what’s out there for me to put my skills to good use.”