Tristan da Cunha St Mary's School News 2015

Tristan da Cunha Police Assurance Officer, Jonathan Barcio (know here as Jonah), from Gibraltar Police is spending 3 months on the Island. Whilst he is here he has been working with the younger members of the community, running games and activities. He has also worked in the school explaining road safety, care of bicycles, first aid and telling us about life on Gibraltar.

He has brought with him some gifts which will be distributed as prizes during his work with the school.

The children have been very excited about his visit and look forward to seeing much more of Jonah, during his stay here.

Marlene Swain retired from St Mary's School on 24th July and Jane Hill's photo right shows Marlene (right) alongside Head Teacher Anne Green during the end of term assembly when Marlene was presented with card, flowers and gifts.

There was also a special reception held to mark Marlene ( and Yvonne Glass's) retirement on 30th July 2015 - see the
Community News page - for a report and photos.

Marlene's career....so far

Instead of leaving school on her 15 th birthday on 27th July 1967, Marlene stayed on to help out until January 1968 when she went to St Helena for 18 months training to teach infants. Marlene then started teaching infants in the old school situated in wooden buildings which were part of the Second World War naval station, then moving to the current St Mary’s School when it was opened in June 1975.

Marlene married Allan in 1973 and Larry was born in 1973 and Dawn in 1976. In 1982 the family came to Bristol in England where Allan studied at Brunel College, Marlene worked at St Barnabas Junior School and the children attended Ashley Down School. Marlene now taught older children on her return to St Mary’s School. In 1991 Marlene joined Anne Green for a six-month training placement in Hertfordshire schools.

Following the departure of Education Officer Jim Kerr, Marlene became the first islander to become Head Teacher and Education Officer in January 1992, with Anne Green as Deputy Head.

Marlene returned to St Helena in 1993 to study schools there and in 2000 worked alongside Jim Kerr, now Head of Wilbury Primary School in Norfolk. Marlene continued in charge of St Mary’s School until 2010, when she stepped down as Head Teacher to become a class teacher of 9-11 year olds.

Marlene ‘retired’ from St Mary’s School at the end of term on 24th July 2015 but can’t keep away and is returning each day to teach IGCSE maths to the older children.

St Mary's School Update
Photos from visiting vet Aniket Sardana taken on 28th April

Students outside the school:
Several students were absent for the photo,
including Amber and Jade Repetto who were departing for the UK and Ryan Swain who was in Cape Town with his family.

Staff outside St Mary's School:
Left to right: Kelly Burns, Anne-Marie Collins, Dilys Green, Sheila Glass, Poppy Lavarello, Renee Green, Head Teacher Anne green, Julia Hagan, Jane Hill (see below), Ferne Clarke, Yvonne Glass (back from retirement (see below) and David Clarke. Marlene Swain was absent for the photo.

Jane Hill

Primary Teacher Jane Hill arrived on the MV Edinburgh on 2nd April to take up a new post at St Mary's School.She has written the following introduction to herself:

I had never planned to be a teacher. Once I had my geography degree I took the qualification to stay on at University an extra year! But I am very glad I did because I have been a teacher all my working life and have had some wonderful experiences. My first 25 years were spent teaching in primary schools in the UK, I taught a range of year groups in both independent and state schools. I enjoyed teaching all subjects, but I specialised in Geography, Science and Maths.

Once my children became independent I started my overseas career in 1998. My first post was as Yr6 teacher in the Falkland Islands and I was there for 5 years. This was where I first met David and Ferne and we have been friends ever since. Just as I was about to leave I was asked to help out with maths and science in the senior school there, because they were without a teacher. I then took jobs in Chile, Germany and Tenerife, teaching upper junior and lower secondary before returning to the Falklands as a science and maths teacher 2004. At the end of my contract I went back to UK to care for my mother, and then found I was being called back to the Falklands, and Ascension as a supply teacher, on a regular basis. I have also been lucky enough to work on the island of South Georgia as a museum assistant as a result of the friends I had made in the South Atlantic.

When I had the opportunity to come to Tristan da Cunha I was delighted. It will give me an opportunity to share my teaching experiences with the staff and contribute to the education of the children on the Island. It will also give me the chance to experience life on this very special island.

We wish Jane well for her sojourn on Tristan and look forward to hearing about her work and time on the island.

Teacher Yvonne Glass retires after fifty years' service
Report and Photos from David Clarke

Yvonne Glass became a pupil-teacher when she finished her own schooling when she was 15 in 1965.
She finally retired on the last day of term on 2nd April 2015.

She will be a great miss from the school. I am sure that she will be back in to help us out over the coming years though.

We all wish her well and hope she enjoys her retirement though of course on Tristan no one really retires
as there is always work to do at the patches, fish factory and with the animals.

Above Left: The school assembly on 2nd April

Above and left:

Yvonne with her staff colleagues and friends -
Left to Right Anne Green, David Clarke (left photo),
Ferne Clarke (above photo), Sheila Glass, Renee Green,
Yvonne Glass, Dilys Green,
Marlene Swain and Poppy Lavarello

during a party on 1st April

More scenes of the staff end of term retirement party on 1st April:
Left : Staff relaxing enjoying food and drinks; Right: Marlene swain and Yvonne Glass Marlene is due to retire in July.