Hellos and Goodbye

Autumn Term Greetings

Mrs Gill Humphries:

Mrs Gill Humphries, an Early Years and KS1 specialist, joined us as a Year Group Co-ordinator in Foundation, having taught at Olive Hill Primary School in Halesowen since January 2004. Before that she taught at Amblecote Primary School in Stourbridge for 13 years.

Mrs Bridget Oakley:

Mrs Bridget Oakley joined Foundation from St. John and St. Monica Primary School in Moseley. Before that she taught at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School in Yardley Wood for 12 years.

Mrs Lizzie Clifton:

Mrs Lizzie Clifton joined Reception from English Martyrs’ Catholic Primary School in Sparkhill, shortly after her marriage to Patrick!

Miss Marcia Tang:

Miss Marcia Tang joined the Year 1 team from Audley Primary School in Stechford.

Mrs Alyson Devonshire:

Mrs Alyson Devonshire joins us as Marketing and Admissions Manager from Priory School, where she was the Admissions Registrar since 2005.

Mr Neil Harris:

Mr Neil Harris has been appointed by Accent Catering to be our new chef.

Miss Amanda Cochrane:

Although Miss Amanda Cochrane is not a new member of staff, she has been appointed to a new position in School, that of Assistant Head – a post created partly from the old post of Senior Teacher. She works closely with the Deputy Head and is responsible for charity work, the School Council and pastoral matters in Years 3 and 4.

Autumn Term Farewells

Mrs Fiona Hims:

We were sad to see Mrs Fiona Hims leave to take up a position of Head of the Junior School of Hydesville Tower School in Walsall.

She had given outstanding service to Hallfield for over 10 years as teacher, Head of Science and latterly Director of Studies. Her sense of fun is missed by both children and staff alike – and her reputation as a thespian was legend to all who eagerly awaited the Christmas staff pantomime!

Mrs Mary Thorburn:

We also said goodbye to Mrs Mary Thorburn after 10 years of service to the School. Mrs Thorburn’s husband, the Rev. Simon Thorburn, has been appointed Vicar of the Parish Church of Oswestry and Rector of Rhydycroesau. We wish them well in their new location.

Mrs Lesley Bowler:

Mrs Lesley Bowler left Hallfield after 8 years to take up a position at Edgbaston High School for Girls to teach in the Reception age range.

Mrs Megan Webster

By John Shackleton, Headmaster: Mrs Megan Webster died in the early hours of Tuesday 2nd December 2008 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. She had suffered a massive heart attack two weeks before and never fully regained consciousness.

Mrs Webster was a qualified teacher who specialised in Fine Art. She arrived at Hallfield in 1995 to cover consecutive maternity leaves for Mrs Hore (then Head of Art), followed immediately by Mrs Stanley (Year 3). She was offered a full-time position teaching in Year 3 in November 1996.

Mrs Hore relocated and left Hallfield in July 2007 and I was responsible in appointing Mrs Webster to the post of Head of Art. It was obvious that she loved the job and the quality of work that the pupils produced in the short period of time she was in the post was first class.

Mrs Webster was a lively, bright, vivacious person, loved by children and staff alike. She will be remembered with fondness and great affection.

We held a celebration service to commemorate Mrs Webster’s life at St. George’s Church on Tuesday 20th January at 11.00 a.m. Children in Years 3 to 6 attended the service along with all the Upper School staff. I was most grateful to Rev. Simon Thorburn for leading this service since his last day at St. George’s Church was Sunday 11th December – before he moved to Oswestry on 22nd January.

Memorial print:

Everyone who knew Megan felt they would like to have a permanent memorial to her in School. So a collection was taken to buy a piece of artwork that was felt to be appropriate for her as Head of Art.

There was a degree of speculation about what to buy – a painting, print or a piece of sculpture – but there was a feeling that Megan’s love of shoes or hats could be a suitable subject. Nothing was decided upon until Mrs Shackleton attended a print-making course in July run by a Birmingham printmaker, Celia Nancarrow. She had brought some

of her prints to show the group and amongst them was a collagraph of shoes in boxes. As Megan had studied printmaking and had met Celia Nancarrow it was an obvious choice. So Mrs Villiers Cundy, Mr Shackleton and Mrs Shackleton met to decide which one, from a number Mrs Nancarrow had printed in various colours, to buy for the School.

Mrs Nancarrow hadn’t yet named the print, but having realised the great affection in which Megan was held, came up with the wonderful idea of ‘Sole Mates’. It will be a colourful, lively reminder of a friend and teacher who brought a lot of colour into everyone’s life at Hallfield.

5

The Hallfieldian

2008-2009

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