Grocott's Mail caught up with Jill Rothman, the much loved and respected retiring principal of Kuyasa Special Needs School, on her emotional last day at the institution she helped build up to its current status.
Grocott's Mail caught up with Jill Rothman, the much loved and respected retiring principal of Kuyasa Special Needs School, on her emotional last day at the institution she helped build up to its current status.
Rothman was a teacher at Victoria Girls' High School for 20 years, before her post was made redundant and she was forced to find other employment. In 1989 she applied for work at the Caritas Playcentre, which the community founded in 1980 for children with cerebral palsy, under the umbrella of the Eastern Province Cerebral Palsy Association.
Based in the Scout Hall in African Street, it was the first school in Grahamstown to become multiracial – a rare situation at the time. A post on a blog about the school by Caritas founder teacher June Walters describes just how significant it has been for the community.
"Our school fulfilled a desperate need for parents of handicapped children, who before our school was established, had a choice of either not schooling their child at all, or else resigning from their Grahamstown job and trying to find work in a bigger centre, where there were special schools," wrote Walters.
Rothman is widely respected in the community for her work in further developing the school and its staff. Among other things, she has been behind moves to ensure staff not only have teaching qualifications, but also are trained to focus on special needs children.
She said the school grew rapidly when the Department of Education took over in the early 90s. "In the beginning, I was the only teacher, with 20 students and two classes," said Rothman. "This year we had 142 students. Next year there will be 152 students, and a staff of 12."
In 1993 the department of education got involved and it was officially registered as a formal school. Rothman is retiring at the age of 65 after serving the school for more than 20 years She said her life would be very different without the school and that she was looking forward to doing her own creative activities. "I didn't have time for them when I was teaching," she said.
But there's no rest for the very good and Rothman is likely to be called in to help out for some time yet. She believes she can offer the school assistance on a consultative basis. "And I am willing to help when teachers are absent." "My hope for the school is that the next principal is qualified and experienced enough to work with these children," Rothman said.
"He or she must have a passion for it and understand the needs of special needs kids. "You can't do this job if you don't have it in your head and heart." Kary McConnachie will be the acting principal until the department appoints a new one. A formal farewell for Rothman will be held at the school early next year.
