bouquet of tulips

Teaching support assistant passes away after contracting Covid-19

The National Education Union (NEU) Isle of Wight district are mourning the loss of a member and colleague.

Lynne Morgan, who worked as a learning support assistant at Christ the King College for many years, tragically passed away on Monday after contracting Coronavirus earlier in the month.

Shreeve: Always cheerful and dedicated to helping her students
Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union said:

“My family has known Lynne for a long time having worked with her. She was always cheerful, dedicated to helping her students and never let anything get her down.

“She was also a long-standing member of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers prior to it becoming part of the National Education Union. All who knew her are deeply saddened. Our thoughts are with them and her students at this time.”

Coughlin: Deeply saddened
Dominic Coughlin, District Secretary of the National Education Union said: 

“I and other members of the NEU on the Island are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and colleague.

“Since hearing the news members have contacted the union expressing their thoughts and wanting us to pass on their deepest condolences to her family, friends and work colleagues at this difficult time.”


News shared by Peter on behalf of National Education Union. Ed

Image: Ivan Di under CC BY 2.0

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The Sciolist
25, April 2014 7:07 am

Councillor Priest has done the right thing here, the meeting is overdue and welcome – on the condition that some answers are given as to why and how this mess arose. With little chance of anyone from the former council attending to offer any excuses, it will be up to the new administration to speak honestly. Islander’s want some frankness from their councillor’s and public servants. Covering… Read more »

David
25, April 2014 9:19 am

There is still no word from the school itself about the meeting. Understandably, the meeting will be dominated by questions on the “mismanagement” of the building project and the subsequent snagging issues. There appears to be no formal channel for the parents to voice their concerns about the staff restructuring. Ormiston Academic Trust and the Principal cannot be blamed for the school running up a huge budget… Read more »

Colin
25, April 2014 10:38 am

It isn’t just Cowes that is reducing SENs, LSAs and other support staff; all the other senior academies are too. These posts have built up over the years as many pupils have been identified as needing support. However they are seen as easy targets by management to reduce costs/increase profits. Are not schools run as charities/not for profit, I hear you say? Supposed to be is the… Read more »

Cynic
Reply to  Colin
25, April 2014 10:57 am

“The country’s largest academy chain, Academies Enterprise Trust (AET), is considering outsourcing most non-teaching roles to private companies in a deal worth up to £400 million. The 10 year contract would include school business managers, librarians and IT staff as well as a range of back office positions such as HR, finance, and secretaries.” (TES News 31 Jan 2014) Is this strategy also in the mind of… Read more »

Cynic
Reply to  Cynic
25, April 2014 11:01 am

Some will recall that one years ago AET was alleged to have paid almost £500,000 over three years to private businesses owned by its trustees and executives.
(per Observer 20 July 2013).

David
Reply to  Colin
25, April 2014 11:30 am

LSA and support staff are easy targets. This decision is not being made on ‘need’ but on quick fix cost cutting – probably to appease Ofsted and, more likely, the Ormiston Academic Trust.

Meanwhile the ones that suffer are the most vunerable – students with special needs.

It’s shameful.

David
Reply to  David
25, April 2014 3:00 pm

Apparently the school is now paying for the services of a PR company….money that could have been spent on teachers and LSAs.

It beggars belief!!

And, as for the extra 9 million that might be needed to repair the building, someone needs to get a grip. It’s spiralling out of control.

lammasu
25, April 2014 7:36 pm

It has been shyly revealed today that the meeting on Monday at the College will have “stewards” present to ensure that no-one is allowed to be other than in the entrance foyer of the building or the main hall. The word “marshall” was also used, but these people are not believed to be employees of the school. If this is true it is most unusual. Schools work… Read more »

Cynic
Reply to  lammasu
25, April 2014 8:47 pm

“Elf n Safety”? :-))

Cynic
Reply to  Cynic
26, April 2014 8:17 am

A| serious question. Who currently owns the building and whom could be sued if a member of the public injured him/herself going off-piste when attending the meeting? It would not be surprising if the current owner took action (i.e. marshals/stewards/guides) to prevent possible injury. On the other hand taking such action might also indicate a parlous state of construction in which such an accident ws possible if… Read more »

lammasu
26, April 2014 9:50 am

Are the children safe, then? This is not a subject for faint humour. If the governance of Cowes do this for Monday’s meeting it has to be acknowledged this is not normal practice, for stewards to be used to prevent access to parts of a school, a building used by 1000 people every day. What is the real reason? If it is safety concerns, then parents, staff… Read more »

Cynic
Reply to  lammasu
26, April 2014 10:11 am

I was being serious not indulging in “faint humour”.

???
Reply to  lammasu
26, April 2014 12:18 pm

If the children were not safe, the building would not be open. Many schools use staff to make sure parents are going to the right areas on parents evening. Its not a new practice. If Cowes are employing a company specifically to provide this service, perhaps they are worried about people wandering around the building to try and get photos of various areas – with a few… Read more »

JipperNipper
Reply to  ???
26, April 2014 1:27 pm

I think you will find that as the meeting to discuss the building has been called and organised by the Isle of Wight Council that it is they that have organised the marshalls for the event and is nothing to do with the school whatsoever. They just happen to be providing the venue for the event.

lammasu
Reply to  Sally Perry
28, April 2014 9:58 am

“Across the Island?”
Surely not!
There is a real chance this meeting will now lack focus. It needs to conventrate on the issues of CEC, not the whole Island.

Cynic
Reply to  Sally Perry
28, April 2014 10:58 am

Agree! This smells like the classic political bull-doodoo of trying to divert attention from the salient problem (i.e. CEC construction and management) by spreading the meeting’s focus more thinly over a broader area.

Disappointing for the Asministration that boasts transparency! It is either naive or politically insidious!

lammasu
Reply to  ???
28, April 2014 7:59 am

Cowes is a school, built with public money, but it is a deeply flawed new building put up at great cost. So why should it’s many issues not be in the public arena then? Who is deciding these flaws may not be seen or talked about? What matter if the problems that affect a school built for our community are photographed and made public? CEC is not… Read more »

lammasu
26, April 2014 5:37 pm

The new build of Cowes Enterprise College was intended to provide 21st century educational facilities that would be a beacon of good practice and facilities, arguably the envy of Europe. Other educationalists would view it and take away ideas to improve their own delivery. Something this Island could be proud of. Instead we have an unfinished, incompletely resourced building. It is not even an effective teaching space.… Read more »

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