Isabelle honoured by the Queen

Jan 8 2009 by Shirley Bartynek, Hamilton Advertiser

A HAMILTON woman has received a CBE in the Queen’s New Year honours list in recognition of her outstanding contribution to education.

Isabelle Boyd, head teacher of Cardinal Newman High School in Bellshill, was last week looking forward to celebrating her award with both family, friends and colleagues.

She said: “I am delighted to receive this award not only in recognition of my own work but the work of all the community at Cardinal Newman over my time at the school.”

Isabelle has been the head teacher at Cardinal Newman since December 2002 following previous spells as a depute head teacher at Taylor High School, New Stevenston (October 1998 - December 2002) and assistant head teacher at Our Lady's High School, Cumbernauld (April 1994 - October 1998).

She took up her first teaching post at John Bosco (the patron saint of education) school in Glasgow in 1978 following her graduation from Strathclyde University in 1977 and the completion of her post graduate teacher training at Notre Dame (now Glasgow University) in 1978.

North Lanarkshire councillor Jim Logue, convener of learning and leisure services, commented: "I am delighted Isabelle has collected this honour in the Queen's New Year list. Isabelle is a very popular head teacher at Cardinal Newman High School with both the staff and pupils.

"Her enthusiasm and dedication to her job and the enjoyment it gives her makes her the ideal person to receive such an award. The CBE award is testament to the hard work Isabelle has carried out over the years for education. Everyone at the Council would like to congratulate Isabelle on this outstanding recognition of her achievements."