A MUCH- loved lunchtime supervisor at a Leamington school is retiring after 54 years.
Maxine Tabor, lunchtime supervisor at St. Paul’s Church of England Primary School, is retiring on Thursday (December 21) after over half a century of dedication.
Maxine joined the school on January 1 1970, when she had young children herself, to help pay the household bills. Shortly after joining St. Paul’s she decided to send her own children to the school too.
Her journey at the school began at its original location in Cross Street where she recalls the children having to go through the playground and across the road to use the toilet. She tells of the children using carbolic soap to wash their hands and rough Izal toilet paper, something she says you wouldn’t want to use very often.
Over the 54 years, she has worked for five headteachers and has served just under half a million meals.
She says although some things have changed, like the quality of education, children remain just the same but are just a little more outgoing nowadays.
Maxine continued: “All children are different but are all lovely in their own way. I’ve been doing this job for so long because I love working with children.
“St. Paul’s isn’t just a workplace for me, it is a friendly school that I love being a part of and I consider them more like a family.”
As the school says farewell to her, she intends to stay as part of the family and keep in touch.
Matthew Bown, the current headteacher, added: ‘It has been a real privilege to get to know Max and have her work at St. Paul’s. She is loved by all the children and staff alike. Her kindness and sense of humour is something we all love about her. We are all sad that she is leaving her role as a lunchtime supervisor, but know we will still be seeing her and welcoming her back often. We all wish her a happy, and well earned, retirement.”
