New ventures and accolades
We will be sorry to say good-bye to three long-serving teachers in June.
Julita Edwards
and David Ripley
Julita is retiring after over thirty years of teaching Spanish at St.
Clare's. She and her partner, David, with 23 years of teaching English
behind him, are moving to Spain. David is looking forward to working freelance
as a teacher, teacher trainer and examiner as well as developing his painting.
Julita's talent for living will have an outlet in decorating their new
house near Barcelona and integrating again into Spanish life.
| Generations of St. Clare's students have enjoyed their stimulating lessons, openness and originality. Both gave their time generously outside the classroom, inviting students home for meals, organising study weekends away and taking groups to concerts and plays. Julita particularly enjoyed the challenge of teaching complete beginners in the IB ab initio course. Using only Spanish she channels the students' creativity into developing their own characters and stories which form the basis of the course. |
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Jackie
Yeo
Also retiring this year Jackie has taught Chemistry for 15 years. Jackie
was also involved in overseeing students on the Pre-IB course in its early
years. She is looking forward to spending more time riding and looking
after her horses.
Chris Glover
Chris, Careers and Higher Education Adviser, will also be retiring next
month. After over 20 years of advising students how to get into university,
Chris is herself going on to study history at Harris Manchester College,
Oxford University.
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Chris' encyclopedic knowledge of the IB and of courses in Britain and elsewhere was appreciated by students on all courses. She had a talent for responding to student's interests and helping them focus on realistic goals. In her supervising of UCAS applications, she was adept at bringing out the strengths of each student. Before coming to St. Clare's, Chris worked in the Royal Air Force and then in the careers service, so she had a wider experience of life than just the world of education. Initially without a degree herself, she gained first class honours in an Open University degree in politics while also doing her job and raising two children. |
Rory Kelly
Rory is not leaving! His commitment to promoting International understanding
was recognised publicly in January when he was given an award by ECIS
(European Council of International Schools) for his work in International
Education. Rory has run the International Affairs discussion group for
16 years. He regularly leads study visits to Northern Ireland, Poland
and Prague.
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This year he started a new initiative designed to give students the philosophical background to understand world events. This evening seminar series, called Philosophy, Politics and Economics, has proved popular with discussions on Inequality, Human Rights and Green Politics. The largest turnout was for a debate between St. Clare's maths teacher Ori Golan from Israel, and Dr Mahmoud Hawari, a Palestinian research student. An audience of 150 packed the hall for an intense but peaceful confrontation.
Portrait by Maria Bondochenkova, first year IB |
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