TAMMY FRAY
Parkside Primary School has produced notable public servants in the years since it was founded as a result of the dedication of educators such as Lizelle Abrahams, who was appointed its new principal on July 28.
Abrahams, who has been an educator at Parkside Primary for 34 years, had been the foundation phase head of department since 2013 before her appointment as principal.
She describes the dynamics of Parkside Primary as challenging for educators because of the vast disparities in the socio-economic backgrounds of pupils.
This requires teachers to take on additional responsibilities of caring for pupils on a more personal level.
This stretches the demands placed on teachers, and as part of her tenure, Abrahams intends to provide more supportive infrastructure for them.
“When teachers and pupils feel supported by parents and administrators, it changes the attitude towards school and class work,” Abrahams says.
“I also believe in the participative approach to leadership which invites educators to participate in decisions to build commitment among educators as a team and to generate new ideas.”
In the short-term, Abrahams says she hopes to build the school’s capacity for sports development in different sporting codes as well as position Parkside Primary as a bridge towards future opportunities for pupils.
