A teacher who was thought of as cheeky in the best way, queen of karaoke and phenomenally supportive has been honoured by her colleagues and students. Jackie Newell was headteacher at Hollybrook Academy, a school for children with additional support needs, from 2013 until 2023 - when she sadly passed away following a battle with cancer at the age of 49. (Image: Image of Jackie Newell, provided by family to the Glasgow Times) Arriving at the Southside school with a passion for teaching, Jackie showed genuine care for families and adoration for pupils – whom she often would sing karaoke with on a Friday afternoon during the kids' health and wellbeing class.
READ NEXT: Popular radio presenters host charity sports day in Glasgow Mairi Barrett, who is now headteacher at Hollybrook, said Jackie would claim she had an important meeting and run away to sing with the children. She said: “You couldn’t find her in the office because any opportunity she had to be out and about with the kids, there she was. “She just adored them, and they were incredibly fond of her.
” Mairi added: “She always listened to the kids and took every request as a serious consideration. She was an awful lot of fun.” (Image: Image of Jackie Newell, provided by family to the Glasgow Times) Hollybrook decided to host a black-tie dinner dance at Hampden Stadium earlier this year to raise funds for Beatson Cancer Charity and the school itself.
The event marked one year since Jackie’s passing. Mairi sa.
