MOST of the world is still fast asleep when he arrives at work in the morning and many families are sitting down for a hearty meal when he locks up his office for the evening.
Shane Cuthbertson’s commitment and dedication to Thomas More College has spanned more than 16 years and, when he retires in December, his legacy is sure to be remembered.
Shane has held the position of executive principal at the school for 16 years and also headed the high school for the first six years.
His typical day at the office consists of meetings upon meetings, ensuring the school runs as smoothly as possible.
While there are many who would find this tedious and laboursome, Shane flourishes.
“There are also a lot of fun, ceremonial events I attend, from sports matches to choir performances and school plays,” he quipped.
Before he worked at TMC, he headed Lowveld High School for five years and has a string of qualifications under his belt.
He described himself as being an outdoorsy person and initially wanted to follow a career path in Zoology and had high hopes of working in a veterinary practice.
He soon realised he wanted to take on a career that was more of a passion than a job.
While he may have discarded his thoughts of veterinary scrubs, he still found the time to fit in a few outdoor trips that included rock climbing expeditions, scuba diving and, now that he is older, wilderness trips.
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His work on many boards and associations has allowed him to garner recognition for the school, creating a national awareness for the work its does and recognition for the hard-working learners under its care and guidance.
While the job has its daily stresses, Shane found that not a day would go by without a humourous moment attached to it.
“There are times I would be out at a sports match and would be the last person to arrive back at the main building, only to find that it had been locked up. There have been many times I have had to climb through my windows to get back inside.
“On one occasion I arrived back and everything on the bottom floor was locked up but I could see a window open on the first floor. So I scaled one of the concrete pipes. I honestly thought everyone had gone home. I climbed in through the window, much to the surprise of the secretary still sitting behind her computer,” laughed Shane.
The role of executive principal is all-consuming and Shane said he looks forward to the time he will have available for personal recreation, including regaining his fitness.
During his first year of retirement he will be also be sprucing up his home and plans to do a road trip across South Africa with his wife and possibly squeeze in a visit to their family overseas.
Shane has two grandchildren, who both affectionately know him as Bumpy, which he believes was actually meant to be ‘grumpy’.
“I look forward to stepping into full grandparent mode, sometimes picking them up from school and supporting them at their school plays and concerts,” said Shane.
What he will miss most during his time at Thomas More College are his colleagues.
“There are some people you work with quite closely and who you develop strong relationships with and then all of a sudden you don’t see them everyday anymore, that is what I will miss the most.”
“I was told that when I took up this position it would be like having 1 000 bosses but the parent body has given me no drama and are all supportive, trustworthy and appreciative. I have loved coming into an environment where there are children who are genuinely excited to see you. This is another reason I will miss this school,” said Shane.
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