‘It was always about the children’

After 40 years in the teaching profession, Garlandale High School’s principal, Dawn Crowie, is retiring.

Ms Crowie started at the school in 1984 as a typing and physical education teacher, and, later, she taught history and went on to be appointed the deputy principal. In 2012, she became the principal.

Her passion for children and sport kept her in the job all this time, she says.

Garlandale High was originally known as Athlone 2 when it opened in 1982 and was only renamed the following year when a permanent principal was appointed, she says, adding that in the post-apartheid era, the school drew pupils from all over the Cape Flats.

“The children themselves haven’t changed, but we do feel the impact of the socio-economic situations across the Cape Flats affecting our pupils. Pastoral care is a lot harder because children have so many more issues than they had 20 years ago. What they need from us has changed.

“For me, it was always about the children. They kept me going. I was always thinking about what more I could do for the pupils knowing that they will go home, often to nothing. I know that they have so much potential, but not the resources. I always encouraged them to do their best despite their circumstances.”

Ms Crowie says she wants to use her retirement for “some me time” to do all the things she never got around to because teaching is a high-intensity job with many deadlines, and you can end up neglecting your family and yourself.

“Most of our children depend on public transport so school meetings must end at 5pm because that’s when the last bus leaves. I do believe that parents want the best for their children, and they do care, but their physical presence was lacking because they work full time. My message to the pupils and teachers is that I don't want them to be satisfied with being average. They must go out and use whatever resources available to become the best versions of themselves.”

Head of the school’s English department, Marion David, says Ms Crowie will be missed.

“It’s going to be an enormous loss and adjustment for the school. She was very well-respected and liked by both learners and staff. We will miss her terribly. I don’t think we’ve realised how much yet.”

Deputy principal Jerry Leukes says Ms Crowie’s retirement will be a big change for the school because she has been there since its early days.

“You don’t find the type of commitment where people stay at a school for so long. She was a dynamic leader and played a big role in ensuring that the school maintained good academic results. One won’t easily find someone to fill her shoes.”