He might have been crowned Teacher of the Year at the recent Scottish Education Awards but to his pupils at St. Ninian's High School in Kirkintilloch, he's still just Mr McKean.
"We've always thought he was brilliant," they said as they gathered in the school's amphitheatre for celebratory photographs to mark his recent success.
John McKean is a popular Language and Communication Principal Teacher who works with pupils with additional support needs such as autism to help them access the mainstream school environment. He has been at the Kirkintilloch school for three years and is clearly a hit with staff and pupils alike.
He said, "I'm delighted to win the award. It's a fantastic recognition of the hard work that is put in by the whole team to help the young people overcome the challenges that they face and to support them to reach their potential.”
Councillor Jim Goodall met John and some of his pupils at the school and said, "This is an outstanding achievement and I was keen to meet John to pass on my personal congratulations. In a crowded field he has stood out and been rightly honoured for the work he does at St. Ninian's as part of an exceptional team."
The Kirkintilloch school's 2018 inspection saw the best results of any school under Education Scotland’s current system and ranks it among the top three schools in Scotland.
Follow us on Twitter @EDCouncil or like us on Facebook