Ben Brooks, Fish Hoek
Yolande du Preez is an excellent journalist, and her story does justice to a splendid educationist, author, speaker and principal: Gavin Fish.
I know there will be many tributes to him in May 2021 when he retires from the school he leads with unique humanity, awareness and kindness (to mention just a few of his qualities).
I have heard so many good things about him and no criticisms or complaints. Principals of top schools are expected to be all things to all people all the time.
I am not involved in Fish Hoek High, but from what I hear he meets that impossible challenge.
This is not a farewell tribute to Mr Fish.
Those will flow in next year from people close to the school. This is simply to say that the folk at his school should not be sad that he is leaving; they should be glad that he was their leader for over a decade and that he is finding ways of meeting the most complex challenges education has faced.
The school now needs to build on his legacy, and he will be out there to advise and encourage. Wonderful.
Henry Adams said: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”
That influence could be for good or for not so good, but in this case it is dedicated to a superbly positive man, a builder of people whose influence will continue to enrich many in multitudinous ways.
