Long-serving teacher retires
WHALSAY School teacher John Dally retired from his position of deputy head at the end of last term after almost 34 years of service.
Mr Dally arrived in Shetland with his wife Moira and their young son Hamish in the summer of 1975 and started work in the Whalsay primary department on 25th August that year. He arrived shortly before the departure of long-serving head teacher William MacRobbie who was replaced by Andrew J. Williamson.
Mr Dally continued to work as a primary teacher until being appointed assistant head teacher, following the retiral of Janet Arthur in 1985. For the next 10 years, he worked alongside Mr Williamson and Ian Coan as part of the management team.
In 2002, after Mr Coan retired, Mr Dally moved to the position of depute head teacher, a position he has occupied until now.
Mr Dally has seen many events in his time at Whalsay School, not least when the primary department moved into new buildings in 1993.
At the school’s Christmas dinner at the end of last term, primary seven pupil Andy Anderson presented Mr Dally with a card on behalf of the pupils, and a surprise video was shown in tribute to him.
Also, instead of the usual Christmas hats, pupils and staff wore ties in recognition of Mr Dally’s vast tie collection.
In his speech to the pupils and staff before the lunch, Mr Dally said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time here at Whalsay School and I have many wonderful memories. I’m sad to be going, and I’ll miss every single one of you.”
A spokesman said everyone at Whalsay School wished Mr Dally a long and very happy retirement.
