Kathy Owens, Holy Cross Girls' PS

www.holycrossgirls.com

Subject or Primary school year: Acting Principal
Your place of birth: Belfast
Studied at: St Dominic's /New University of Ulster
First job: Part time retail assistant
What it taught me: It gave me a great sense of responsibility and independence
Family/status: Married - with 3 wonderful children
Best advice you could give someone thinking of a teaching career: Teaching is not a job - it is a vocation, a very rewarding one. Building good relationships with pupils, staff and parents is key to success.

I attended St Dominic’s High School followed by the New University of Ulster, where I graduated with an Honours degree in Mathematics with Education. I am indebted to my mum, Marie, who instilled in me from an early age the value and importance of education.

I initially began teaching in the post primary sector, transferring to Holy Cross Girls in 1988- the best move I have ever made! I became Vice Principal in 2010 and feel privileged to work in such a great school – the girls are wonderful, the parents are very supportive and the staff are completely dedicated to the pupils.

I took over as Acting Principal in 2020 – a challenging time for all school leaders! With support from my team, we weathered the storm of Covid, maintaining the safety of our girls and ensuring that the learning never stopped.

I consider myself lucky to have had great role models in my previous principals - Anne Tanney, Betty Quinn and Maura McNally. With my colleagues, I hope to continue to provide outstanding pastoral care and excellent academic attainment for our girls. I am extremely proud of all our school’s achievements and love to hear the many success stories from past pupils.