MINTLAW Academy has announced one of its former teachers will replace William McWhirr as head teacher in the summer.
Linda Evans will take up her new post before the school term starts in August as Mr McWhirr retires after 15 years as rector of the Aberdeenshire school.
Mrs Evans taught at Mintlaw from 1984 until 1995 as a class teacher and latterly as a principal teacher, but left to become assistant head teacher at Turriff Academy.
She remained there until 2002, when she was appointed as depute head teacher at Meldrum Academy as the foundations for the new building were being laid.
She had a secondment to the position of education network manager in Banff and Buchan area, but went back to the school twice for spells as acting head teacher.
On her return to Mintlaw, Mrs Evans said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed as the new rector for Mintlaw Academy. I loved the years I spent at this school earlier in my career, and am so pleased to be returning to the Mintlaw community in this capacity.
“Mintlaw Academy is a great school and I am joining it at a really exciting and interesting time as we move towards fully delivering a Curriculum for Excellence.
“I am looking forward to building new and successful working relationships with the Mintlaw Academy community.”
Education, learning and leisure committee chairman councillor Richard Stroud said: “I would like to congratulate Mrs Evans on her appointment at Mintlaw Academy, and wish her the best of luck in her new role.”
Looking back over his time at the school, Mr McWhirr said: “I’ve seen quite a lot of changes in terms of the building, the staff and I’ve obviously seen thousands of pupils come and go over the 15 years.
“The things I remember the most are the achievements of the pupils, whether it’s students getting five A’s in their highers or gaining a place at Oxford and Cambridge, or football teams winning Scottish Cups and all the drama productions and musical events. The highlights for me are seeing pupils succeeding, achieving and getting involved in the school.”
