Ballakermeen High School has paid tribute to Carol Synott, a teacher at the school who died this week.

Head teacher Adrienne Burnett said Carol was an optimist who loved life and whose ’joie de vivre’ was readily shared with all who knew her.

She said how, as a lover of languages, Carol and a former colleague could talk to each other in Italian and Spanish at the same time while giggling at each other.

Mrs Burnett added: ’Others tell of Carol’s many acts of kindness. One teacher described her delight when Carol would always ask about her "gorgeous children" and would then regale her with stories of her "beautiful boy" Michael.

’She had the capacity to truly empathise with others and kind word here and there improved the lives of both staff and students.’

Parents of children past and presented at the school have said Carol was ’love woman, who was genuine, who showed understanding and who encouraged her students to be better versions of themselves’.

Mrs Burnett described Carol as someone who was happiest in the classroom.

She added: ’When you teach from the heart, as Carol did, you sometimes risk your heart being bruised. But no matter the challenges of a bad day, Carol would return, newly enthused, smiling and determined that tomorrow would be a better day.

’Even when Carol wasn’t in her classroom, her presence could be felt in the rooms she occupied with her bright and colour displays. Late after the day had ended and frequently throughout the holidays, Carol would be in school planning her lessons and organising her room.

’Her teaching was filled with passion, positivity and above all else a seemingly endless series of anecdotes, so that every lesson could be related back to real life.’

Carol was devoted to her husband Barry and beloved son Michael who continue to part of the Ballakermeen family.