The forward momentum of the School is greatly enhanced by the efforts of all the support staff, including our groundsmen, painters, joiners, electricians, Housemothers, medical, catering and domestic staff who work so hard in the background to ensure that the School fabric is maintained and your sons well looked after. Let us also not forget the important contributions made by our classroom assistants, and by Marta Cordingley (Exchange Shop) Liz Scott, Marilyn Carnie and Andrew Ross (laboratory technicians), Bill Rouse (Design & Technology technician), Alister MacNeill (IT technician), Caroline McIntosh, Mike Murray, Judith Davies and Anne Killin (Accounts staff), Georgie Gibson (receptionist), Catriona Hall (Deputy Heads’ secretary), Kirsty Cook (Master of Works’ secretary), Vivien Birchmore (Academic Management Team’s secretary), Marion Linden (assistant for Admissions, Director of Sport and Director of Music), and, last, but not least, by Kirstine Hogg, Carolyn Thornton and Ellie Tracey, who work in the Development/Merchistonian Club Office.
The Common Room will know that I am wont to say that each team of staff at Merchiston is as vital as every other team, and this is becoming more and more the case as running a school becomes more complex. My thanks go to all these members of staff for showing us that “in service we lead and in leadership we serve”. As many of you will know, this is the Sandhurst mantra. Derek Smith, the Bursar, and David Stenhouse, the Master of Works, have borne the brunt of the new Sixth Form House development and I am extremely grateful to them for their wisdom and perseverance over the course of this project. |
