Leaving LTS After 8 Years
After eight great years with LTS I have decided it is time for a change.
I am going to leave my post as Director of Learning and Technology in the summer to start up my own business.
The plan is to develop a portfolio career picking up bits and pieces of work here and there and helping out where maybe I can make a difference. I want to continue working in the learning and technology space – where I have been for the last 10 years full time and to some extent throughout my career as teacher, school manager and local authority officer. However, I am also interested in trying my hand at some new things and keeping my options open.
It all feels a bit risky giving up a brilliant job in the public sector during a recession but it just seems like the right time for me. I need a new challenge and I think there are opportunities out there to build on my experience at LTS. Lets hope so!
I will really miss the great people I have been lucky to work with at LTS and across the country and recognise how privileged I have been to hold this post and be involved in all the major developments in education at a national level.
One thing I won’t miss is the 170+ miles round trip, commuting between Broughty Ferry and the centre of Glasgow three or four days a week. It’s not just the distance it’s the 4 hours of travel that eventually starts to impact on quality of life. Hopefully the 0652 train will disappear from my daily routine.
Anyway this is much more about seeking new challenges to develop, grow and continue to make a contribution. I feel optimistic, and at 48 believe I still have a lot to offer.
My leaving date has been confirmed as 30 June and over the next 98 days I hope to be able to find some time to reflect on my time at LTS and the challenges that lie ahead. Watch this space …
Posted: March 25th, 2009 under LTS, People.
Comments: 32
Comments
Comment from Tess Watson
Time: March 25, 2009, 1:22 pm
Very best of luck Laurie!
You will be a huge loss to LTS but I am sure there will be gains for other areas of education.
Talk to you soon,
Tess 
Comment from john heffernan
Time: March 25, 2009, 1:48 pm
“a teacher leaves his mark on a parish for three generations.”
Bryan MacMahon a former Primary schoolteacher and writer
No doubt your legacy in LTS will be as long
John
Comment from Fiona Taylor
Time: March 25, 2009, 2:20 pm
Laurie,
Best wishes for the future! You will be missed by many people. I will always remember my happy times at LTS working on CPDScotland.
Kind regards
Fiona
Comment from OllieBray
Time: March 25, 2009, 3:21 pm
Good Luck Laurie!
Comment from Mark Pentleton
Time: March 25, 2009, 3:25 pm
Very best wishes, Laurie.
Comment from Ewan McIntosh
Time: March 25, 2009, 5:23 pm
I think this is a great period to be thinking afresh and I can only empathise about the desire to find the quality of life you need. As someone who does the 0430 twice a week, I know it can only be done so long.
Best of luck with lodonnell.com and I look forward to our coffee soon.
Comment from Garry Westwater
Time: March 25, 2009, 5:26 pm
Brave – yes! Daft – maybe?!? Successful – I’m sure of it 
All the very best with the ‘new’ career!
GW
Comment from lou
Time: March 25, 2009, 9:52 pm
Laurie, you are truly one of life’s good guys and the sun shines wherever you are! I look forward to working with you.
Ps nothing beats the feeling of being in control of your own destiny. Work smart!
Lou x
Comment from Tommy Lawson
Time: March 25, 2009, 9:54 pm
We will all miss you at SickDug but look forward to working with you in your next port of call. Best wishes from Midlothian and thanks for the big difference you have made to our youngsters’ futures.
PS When’s the pairty?
Comment from Karen Robertson
Time: March 25, 2009, 10:05 pm
Good luck Laurie! I hope all goes well for you – I am sure it will!
Comment from Sally Fulton
Time: March 25, 2009, 10:21 pm
Fab news Laurie – and great idea to let everyone know now.
Really chuffed for you and know you feel ready for whatever new challenges lie ahead – good luck!
Speak soon
-Sally
Comment from joe wilson
Time: March 25, 2009, 10:49 pm
I think there are not a few local authorities and maybe some other places too who will benefit from you being free to offer them support in moving thing on at grassroots level .
Look forward to working with you in the future
All the very best
Comment from Derek Robertson
Time: March 25, 2009, 11:31 pm
From a selfish point of view I am very sorry to see you moving on but I know that you feel it’s time to move on. I also know that you’ll make a success of whatever you do next. All the very best for the future Laurie.
Comment from gmckinlay
Time: March 26, 2009, 6:49 am
All the very best Laurie. A big step for sure!
Comment from Robert Sim
Time: March 26, 2009, 10:16 am
All the best, Laurie, and be sure to fit in a trip to Shetland!
Comment from Lucy
Time: March 26, 2009, 10:20 am
Embracing change; It sounds very exciting!
Good luck!
But we’ll miss you at LTS
Lucy
Comment from Patricia
Time: March 26, 2009, 12:59 pm
Fantastic, moving onwards and upwards! You know how much we’ll ALL miss you at LTS, especially the laughter, fun and enthuiasm that is such a part of working with you.
Good luck with everything, always.
Patricia x
Comment from Abi
Time: March 26, 2009, 1:38 pm
Congratulations on your decision, and good luck with your new venture. The leap to self-employment has transformed my life – I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Maybe we’ll find ways of working together again in our new guises
All the best, Abi
Comment from David Gilmour
Time: March 26, 2009, 9:44 pm
Best wishes in your new venture. Although there’s a huge amount of activity currently in education ICT, much of it is still being used to support existing ways of learning and not in strategic ways to enable new, more effective, possibilities. That means there’s a need out there for people with your skills, and I wish you well.
By a strange coincidence, I also left my past life at 48, leaving behind a very long commute, to jump in the deep end of a new situation. There’s nothing like it for keeping an ageing brain active!
Comment from Neil Winton
Time: March 27, 2009, 1:51 am
I’m sorry to see you leave, but I’m sure it won’t be the last that Scottish Education will have heard of you!
All the best…
Comment from Michael Hallissy
Time: March 27, 2009, 3:40 pm
Laurie,
Congrats on all the wonderful work you have led in LTS and for putting Scotland to the forefront of ICT in schools on a global stage. Wishing you all the best in your new endeavours.
Michael
Comment from Merlin John
Time: March 27, 2009, 4:01 pm
Congratulations and all the best for the freelance life. You have been at the heart of something very, very special and supported people who are making a huge difference for learners. A generation of talented educators has emerged in Scotland, and the people who have nurtured that have achieved something very important. And Ollie Bray’s award this week has taken the innovation going on in Scottish schools to a world stage. The pleasure and insights that visitors to the Scottish Learning Festival enjoy every year are down to your organisation and people like you. There is a huge demand for those sorts of skills!
Comment from Neil
Time: March 27, 2009, 10:27 pm
Let me wish you all the best Laurie. I’ve very much enjoyed being “freelance” and I’m sure you will too. Thanks for all your support in the past and I’m sure we will continue to work together. I hope this makes it easier to find some golfing time.
Comment from Thalia
Time: March 28, 2009, 7:06 pm
hi laurie, it’s thalia!
mum told me that you’re departing LTS 
hope that doesn’t mean that you won’t visit for cups of tea and chit chat anymore!
your new employers will be very lucky to have you, and i hope you enjoy your extra sleep time in the morning!
thalia x
Comment from Andrew Cairns
Time: March 30, 2009, 8:54 am
I’m sure that everyone at LTS will be sorry to see you go.
Lets hope the riskier the path, the greater the reward!
Good luck on your future plans and – keep in contact
Comment from Bob Harrison
Time: March 30, 2009, 11:20 am
Good luck Laurie and I applaud your decision….freelance can be a bit scary but is very liberating! You will be in great demand believe me!
Comment from sharon mcquillan
Time: March 31, 2009, 3:13 am
Good luck Laurie. Hope you keep blogging – you still provide much inspiration for those of us not quite as brave as yourself.
Best wishes always, Sharon
Comment from Ken McAra
Time: March 31, 2009, 8:41 am
Laurie:
All the best for your new foray into a brave new world! I look forward to meeting you very soon in your new role – I’m sure you won’t be stuck for innovative ideas, nor people keen to employ you.
Cheers,
Ken
Comment from Jim Buchan
Time: March 31, 2009, 9:36 am
All the best for your new future Laurie – I do wish you well in your new venture – I am sure that we will touch base at some point in the future. I can empathise with your comments about looking forward to less regular travel Having been there myself, reduced travel certain aids better thinking time and also its much better for family life
A brave move to step out into a freelance world – I wish you well for the future,
Jim
Comment from Kim Conway
Time: March 31, 2009, 11:39 am
Laurie, best wishes for the future. I am sure you will be successful in all that you do and hope our paths cross again sometime.
Kim
Comment from Sue Moody
Time: May 6, 2009, 7:38 am
Best wishes in your new life, Laurie – it’s the best thing I ever did. I’m sure you’ll be a big success! Keep in touch.
Sue
Pingback from Laurie O’Donnell » Leaving LTS: 11 days left and far to much still to do
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