He's been the face that has greeted generations of students at Cowra High School for two decades however Deputy Principal Paul Bullock says it’s time to put down the chalk.
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After 22 years at the school, Mr Bullock is set to retire at the end of this term, with a special assembly to be held in his honour next Friday, November 30.
Mr Bullock said he’s looking forward to the next stage of his life.
”I’ve had a wonderful career in education and I’ve loved every day of it,” he said,
“I’ve been here long enough to be part of the furniture.
“Mary (Bullock) and I bought a new caravan so we plan to do some travel around Australia... and then some travel overseas.
“I want to pursue my photography hobby, learn a little bit more about that.”
Mr Bullock started his teaching career in 1980 in Moree before spending 15 years in Gilgandra and finally settling in Cowra in 1996 as Head Teacher Maths.
He was appointed to the Deputy Principal role in 2006.
He said the reaction to the news of his retirement has been both amazing and overwhelming.
If you can come to work and you’re going to make a small difference in the life of one kid, then you’ve done something worthwhile
- Paul Bullock
“The degree of genuine comments from the kids at school who have come up and said, “Oh we've heard you are retiring, don’t go” all of that sort of stuff,” he said.
“It really makes me feel that I’ve contributed to the lives of kids in Cowra in some small way.”
He said while it’s hard to narrow down a highlight of his career, simply helping kids was enough for him.
“I’ve always felt that if you can come to work and you’re going to make a small difference in the life of one kid, then you’ve done something worthwhile and I hope that I’ve done that everyday,” he said.
“It’s been the ethos that I’ve tried to apply everyday in this office.”
Mr Bullock said one particular student paid tribute to him last year.
“Last year, on the Year 12 Final Assembly, Rachael Graham presented me with the A Day Made Better,” she said.
“She was a kid who sort of struggled at Cowra High School and she nominated me for that award.
“She was proud as punch that she got herself through Year 12 because back in about Year 9 or 10, I would have said no, she's gone, but I walked beside her, supported her and got her back on the straight and narrow I guess.
“I just thought that was amazing, to have a kid say, “hey you’ve made a difference”, that’s something I always thought was a bit of a stand out for me.”
He said his final assembly will be bittersweet for him.
“I’m proud of this school,” he said.
“I’ll be very proud on that day and certainly very grateful for the effort that's been made to do an assembly like that for me and I will be happy to what the kids have to say.
“I’m ready to retire but I will leave behind some fantastic memories.”