Heathmont Gazette

Thank you, Linda

Thank you, Linda Lopez

 

At the end of this year, we farewell Linda Lopez who has made the decision to retire. Linda has led a remarkable career and will be sorely missed by everyone here at the Heathmont College Community. She will now be able to spend more time with her family and finally able to convert her garden into a vegie patch! 

 

Recently, Linda has reached the incredible milestone of teaching within the Department of Education for 35 years. Linda started her teacher training year at Blackburn Technical school in 1979 where she taught English and Humanities. She then began as a fully qualified teacher at Ringwood Technical School back in1980. Ringwood Technical School was rebadged as Eastern Secondary College in 1990. Then, in 1993 it amalgamated with Heathmont Secondary College to form the dual campus "Heathmont College". Heathmont College was consolidated on the single site at Waters Grove in 2003. So, while the school kept changing around Linda, essentially, Linda has remained loyal to the same school for her entire career. Her career has included 35 years of full-time teaching and a period of time on maternity leave raising her 3 daughters (including twins!). 

 

Ringwood Technical School in 1979
Ringwood Technical School in 1979

 

Some of Linda's highlights include:

  • Acting Assistant Principal for 10 months
  • Year 8 Coordinator in the first year Year Level Coordinators were introduced.
  • Pathways Coordinator
  • VCE Coordinator
  • Taught a young man by the name of "Chris Hemsworth". Linda gave the sage advice to Chris to "not just count on acting as a career" and to "have a career pathway mapped out". He did not listen. Chris went onto to a reasonably successful acting career.  

Well done Linda and congratulations on our Retirement!! Everyone within the Heathmont Community will miss you and we all thank you for your service.