Fond farewell to big-hearted Lossie teaching 'legend'
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
LOSSIEMOUTH High School today waved an emotional goodbye to a natural-born teacher who has touched many lives through his "outstanding" 33-year contribution.
Donnie Carthew (68) from Lhanbryde, arrived in 1987 as principal of the business studies department after entering the profession in 1975, later progressing to depute head and leading the school's pastoral care teams. Outside secondary education, he organised night classes throughout Moray for many years.
There were tears and laughter in the staff room on Friday, January 31 as staff bade a fond farewell to the "deeply loved" and "relentlessly hardworking" Mr Carthew.
Fellow-depute head teacher Bob Drysdale said: "There are many young people in Moray today who would not be where they are had Donnie not intervened, mediated and, when necessary, deflated."
Dunbarton-born Mr Carthew had jumped at the chance of a Moray teaching job, initially at Elgin Academy, after a childhood spent holidaying each year in Hopeman.
Mr Drysdale said: "Donnie soon developed a reputation for leading pupils to successes of which many would never have dreamed."
As a depute head, Mr Drysdale said, Mr Carthew has "nurtured and been a tower of strength in pupil support". He has also overseen the development of the new Lossiemouth High School, due to open later this year.
Mr Drysdale added: "He is a legend in the community, having taught the mothers or fathers of many of our current pupils, and even the occasional grandparent."
The outgoing teacher said leaving his school colleagues "gets me – but leaving the kids really gets me". He said it was an exciting time for the school and he had enjoyed being part of the new school plans. He said: "That's another sad thing for me – I'm having to leave it when it's getting to the interesting stage."
He said much of his success as a teacher was down to teamwork, adding: "Getting the right team around kids can make an awful lot of difference to the lives of those kids."
Headteacher Janice Simpson said Lossiemouth High would be poorer for his departure. She said Mr Carthew had touched the lives of countless pupils, staff and families, adding: "He has got the biggest heart. He is 100 per cent committed – more than that – to doing the very best for our pupils.
"Not many people go above and beyond like he does.
"Above all, he's supremely caring."
Mrs Simpson said staff and pupils would miss Mr Carthew's ways, including his unique Post-It note filing system in the pockets of his "school troosers and weekend troosers".
She described him as a champion of the underdog who worked for equity long before the school got the title.
Mr Carthew plans to spend more time with his three grown-up children and grandchildren. He added: "I want to travel. I've booked three holidays already this year – all at different cheaper times than teachers normally get."
Winding up his leaving speech, he said: "I want to keep talking because as soon as I stop I know that's the end."
However, reluctant to walk away forever and to the school's delight, Mr Carthew will return to Lossiemouth High occasionally as a supply teacher.
