Silversands Primary School finds itself grappling with bittersweet farewells as two cherished members of its staff bid adieu to the tight-knit school community.
Nita Koopman, a teacher that has been at the school since it opened its doors in 1995, retired on 30 May. Sadly another teacher, Wendy le Roux, passed away after a short illness.
Marshall Cupido, school principal, says it is with a heavy heart that he and the staff and learners say goodbye to the beloved teacher. “Opperman was a dedicated teacher since 1977 and she remained dedicated to her craft for 45 years,” says Cupido.
After qualifying from Zonnebloem College, she was offered a principal’s job in Stellenbosch, but eventually ended up in Vredenburg. After a stint at another school, she ended up at Silversands.
Cupido says only good came from Koopman’s hands. “She lived for every child in her teaching career. As a people’s person she joined numerous organisations, throwing herself selflessly into chartering her career. “She became head of department at Silversands in June 2008. Here she led the Foundation Phase with the passion that she has up till today. Curriculum and assessment strategies are her first language. She took her safety officer portfolio very seriously and established the prefect patrol, assisted in liaising with the traffic department and police about the safety of our children,” says Cupido.
Koopman says she will miss the school because it was her life. “I will miss the learners, the parents and the colleagues. For the rest of the year I will rest, before my family and I will start a private school educare centre. Teaching is an honourable work and I believe that every child should be developed holistically,” says Koopman.
The message she leaves behind at school is to “keep the light ablaze in every child”.
