Goodbye To All That #1

This is the first in an occasional series leading up to the summer break when we will move into our new building and the old school will be demolished. The original school was built in the fifties. We've had extra buildings added on over the years due to ROSLA, changing needs, expanding roll and the loss of middle schools (don't get me started on those politics!). I arrived in 1978 when it was still Rhodesway School and I've seen a few changes in my time. In recent years we have become an Academy. Throughout all the comings and goings of philosophy, students and staff, the School Hall has pretty much remained the same. It holds many great memories for me of Alec Allan's unforgettable assemblies, dances, Christmas parties, plays, Presentation Evenings, Parents Evenings and wonderful talent shows which pal Helen and I staged when we still had bags of energy and half the marking! Children's faces from across the years flit ghostlike down its corridors and stairs; Melanie of the lovely voice; the Sharks and the Jets; hunky PE teacher Jimmy in his lederhosen; Ian dressed as a carrot for Red Nose Day; the Dance of the Chickens; fourth former Brian in role as Dracula handing out Blood Donation leaflets; male staff in tutus; the legendary 'it's Raining Men'; the Stonk.......wonderful memories!