VALETE Our Fond Farewells Phoebe Aitken Phoebe joined College in 2014, having previously been teaching at Bristol Grammar School. She quickly established herself as a hugely popular, positive and incredibly dedicated member of the Biology Department and wider College community. She was a popular, caring and dedicated teacher of Biology, who worked incredibly hard to ensure pupils were at the centre of her agenda, giving generously of her time. In addition to her significant contributions to the Department she also become extensively involved in the co-curricular aspects of College and her contributions were generous, significant, wholly reliable and enthusiastic; she led the Senior girls Fourth and Fifth Form hockey teams, Senior girls netball and tennis, and also started rounders for girls in the Summer Term. She was a stalwart of the CCF naval section and latterly assumed the responsibility of Officer in Charge, cultivating an enthusiasm and energy amongst the cadets. She was a loyal and expert tutor for Leconfield Lower College boys and her tutees really benefitted from her gentle coaching and positive approach. A talented and accomplished singer, she also found the time to support the Choral Society and sang in the choir on occasions. College was truly fortunate to have such a dedicated teacher, an outstanding colleague and a true professional in every sense of the word and we thank her for all her many and varied contributions to College life. We wish her and her family all the very best for the future.
Ruth Kramer
Karl Cook It is with a heavy heart that we say farewell to Karl and Ruth Cook after 32 years of hugely successful association with College. A new academic year without a member of the Cook family will be very strange indeed. Karl’s contribution to College cannot be underestimated. His many hats have encompassed every area of College life: as a Housemaster of 15 years, Rackets Professional, English teacher, Director of Sport and Director of Sports’ Partnerships, Karl has helped to shape our ethos today. He is a true gentleman and one that embodies those characteristics we seek to nurture in our young Cheltonians. His warmth, diplomacy, integrity and social ease are immediately apparent, qualities that have imbued the corridors
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of Leconfield and from which many past Porcherites and their parents have benefitted. Never one to raise his voice and always preferring a ‘quiet word’, he is the master of courtesy and discretion. Karl’s loyal stewardship of those who have been fortunate to have been taught, coached or mentored by him will stay long in their memory. Above all, he has been a loyal servant to College, and he will be sorely missed. Karl arrived at College in September 1988 as a young Tennis and Rackets Professional. Over the next six years Karl was instrumental in the resurrection of the game of rackets at College: The Cotswold Rackets Club was created and The Cheltenham Gold Racquet became a national tournament for evening club players to encourage players from all over the country to experience the ‘new’ Cheltenham Court. The game had been re-established within both College and in and around Cheltenham and College achieved full recognition from other schools in fielding a commendable pair at all age groups. In 1992 College’s U16 pair reached the Colts’ doubles’ final at The Queen’s Club, London. In 1994, the role of Rackets Professional was taken on, firstly by Richard Ellis and then by Mark Briers. This began a period of outstanding success for College rackets, with Karl and Mark overseeing the development of a huge number of outstanding rackets players, including World Champion Jamie Stout (H, 2002) and our first Ladies World Doubles Champion in India Deakin (W, 2019). During this period College became the leading rackets playing school in the country, producing a regular stream of winners at the National Singles and Doubles competitions held annually at The Queen’s Club. Karl’s strong association with the game will no doubt continue from afar, but he leaves College rackets in fantastic health. Record numbers of pupils are playing the game and College is leading the way in the relatively new area of Ladies Rackets. OCs continue to fly the flag in the world game, and many are hugely indebted to Karl for the guidance and support that he has given them. The next chapter of Karl’s career at College saw him appointed to the role of Housemaster of Leconfield to mould the lives of the numerous Porcherites that passed through his doors. As with all Houses, there were initial challenges to overcome but Karl and Ruth created a hugely supportive and inclusive environment for their charges during a highly successful 15 years at the helm. Since leaving the House, Karl has taken on several diverse roles, including Prep School liaison, Director of Sport and more recently Director of Sports Partnerships. He has raised our profile as a host school for National IAPS competitions and has begun the process of College becoming an MCC Cricket Hub. Of course, another key aspect of Karl’s place at the heart of College is as an inspiring and adept English teacher. Indeed, it is strange to think of an English Department at College without Karl.
Many a colleague has enjoyed popping up to H5 – one of the best-hidden classrooms in College but, critically, the closest to the Hadley – to talk through an idea and get his feedback based on the long-view of his time in the Department. But of course, it’s in the classroom where the magic happens. If you were to visit one of his lessons, you would be immediately struck by the atmosphere: year on year, his teaching has been characterised by high academic ambition and a spirit of mutual respect and collaboration. Karl is particularly adept at making each of his pupils feel part of the journey and out of the class of individuals, Karl creates a team. With his calming presence, reliability and friendship, we will all miss him a great deal. Karl – it’s been a joy for us to have been part of one of your many teams. We wish Karl and Ruth our very best wishes and thank them for all they have achieved as they embark on their new challenge at Peponi School in Nairobi, Kenya, where they will be joining up with former colleague, beloved friend and former College Housemaster, Mark Durstan.
Matt Coley with contributions from Anna Cutts and Andrew Straiton
Ruth Cook For the past 28 years, Ruth has been an integral part of the College community, fulfilling various roles with her characteristic can-do dynamism. In the academic year 1992-3, Ruth joined College as Assistant Marketing Manager at College and what was then Cheltenham College Junior School. She remained as Marketing Manager for College until 1999 and during this time enjoyed promoting the first vanguard of girls into Kingfishers and initiated the first ever ‘24 Hours’ event for prospective College pupils. Apart from a family exchange to Scots College, Wellington, New Zealand in 2005-6, many will remember Ruth, shoulder to shoulder with Karl in Leconfield from 1994 to 2009. In addition to supporting Karl and growing their family of four boys, Jack, Will, George and Sam, her roles in House were many and various: from house training Gappies, to employing and managing all House staff and stepping in to act as Matron herself for a term and a half. The truth is it is hard to put into words what Ruth’s contribution to Leconfield must have entailed, but those who have any insights into the inner workings of a boarding House will know and there is no doubt that Ruth will have caught and held many a fast ball in her time and that the Leconfield team were all the happier for her care, forethought and hard graft. In 2009, when the Cooks left Leconfield, Ruth was keen to use her Personal Training qualifications for College, and she
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