Fulton’s Beryl begins new chapter
The loving and caring principal at Fulton School for the Deaf, Beryl Campbell, will begin her retirement at the end of the first term.
FULTON School for the Deaf’s best kept secret was the surprise farewell for its beloved principal, Beryl Campbell.
From staff, learners, friends and family members, not a single person uttered a clue about the celebration that was being planned.
Beryl has held the role of principal since she started at the school back in January 2000, 18 years ago, and has grown the school, always ensuring her charges are well taken care of.
Beryl has been in education for 36 years, beginning her career at Brettonwood High School.
It was a year later that she said ‘I do’ and married Jeremy. The loving couple moved to Newcastle in 1983, where she took up a post at the Madadeni Teachers Training College for about seven years.
Her husband was transferred back to Durban and Beryl was offered a teaching post at Ogwini Comprehensive Technical High School in Umlazi.
She said this was during the late 80s and included travelling a great distance to work each day.
“There were ongoing riots in the area and I would often have to dodge burning tyres and road blockades and my family was young,” said Beryl.
She soon spotted an advert for a post at Kwa Thintwa School for the Deaf in Inchanga, teaching vocational subjects to high school learners.
“I was very fortunate to be appointed,” said the beaming principal.
Prior to this post, Beryl had never taught deaf children before and described it as a ‘huge learning curve’ but one that she embraced wholeheartedly.
“Sign language has grown and developed. In deaf education back then sign language was only just emerging as prior to this it had been discouraged. What is so exciting now is that we have lobbied and fought so hard that it is an official school subject and this is the first time that our matrics are able to write it as one of their seven subjects,” said a proud Beryl.
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Nine years later, she took up the leadership role at Fulton School for the Deaf, a post that has allowed her to find new and innovative ways to empower the children in her care.
“As principal you make the decisions and are ultimately responsible for everything that takes place. It did take me a while to get used to making the ultimate and final decisions but I have always been blessed with a wonderful management team and passionate staff.”
Early on in her role she realised the sheer number of children in need of the specialised education provided by the school but were unable to cover the cost of schooling.
“I made it my mission to raise funds to provide opportunities to children who needed to be here. That is how the sponsor-a-child initiative started,” she said.
Beryl said her highlights during her time at the school are plentiful but what she would miss most would be interacting with her charges.
“I am privileged to watch their successes and achievements, from those who have struggled to their light bulb moments where it all just comes together. It is just so satisfying.”
Her last day as the school’s principal is on 28 March and she looks forward to the free time retirement will bring.
Beryl will spend more time with her family, including visiting her relatives in the UK, and pursue her hobbies, needlework and quilting and continue her volunteer work in the sport of Triathlon, particularly in the disadvantaged areas.
“It will be me doing more of the things that I never really have time to do,” she laughed.
“I am going to miss the children but I will make very sure that I am available at the weekends if they ever need me to provide support at sporting events. I have made so many memories here with the staff, children and parents and I will miss it all,” she said.
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