Published: Thursday, 21st February, 2008 09:30
Nostalgic day as pupils bring chapter to an end
By Steve McElroy
Print Article
SYMBOLIC GESTURE: MR Urie and the Senior Management Team close the gates for the last time.
IT will be the end of a 40-year education era when Helensburgh’s Hermitage Academy closes it doors for the last time tomorrow (Friday).
The final term for pupils came last week when they left what was the largest school in Argyll and Bute.
First-year student John Moran was the last pupil to leave the building and he will be among the 1,400 other teenagers — and almost 100 teaching staff — entering the new state-of the-art academy when it opens its doors officially for the first time on Monday.
Geoff Urie, head teacher, is looking forward to the new building and its surroundings, but there has also been some nostalgia for the old secondary, which is now showing signs of dilapidation.
He said: “Some pupils have been doing a project video diary of the move and taken photographs. We even used a balloon to take aerial views. The school has served its purpose.
“The move is going exceptionally well and we are all looking forward to it. The new school is a fabulous building.
“The pupils have all been briefed about the changes. We held an assembly before the end of last week, so they all know where to go and they have been given timetables.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better setting for the new building with views over the Clyde at the front and the hills at the back.
“There have also been thousands of shrubs planted around the grounds.”
The removal from the old building, situated in Campbell Drive since 1966, has been a major logistical exercise and achieved in a series of stages with the school working in partnership with a removal company and the contractor.
The Scottish Government also granted a request for an additional four school closure days to allow the change from one building to the other to take place.
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
Heart fund's £23,000