VA L E T E
Valete This year we said goodbye to... linked. Compassion, thoroughness, good humour and (nearly always) a chance to laugh accompanied each pastoral meeting. They were times of the week which we looked forward to, both because they were fun and productive, and because they reinforced what was most important to us all - the interests of the pupils. The final two and a half years at St Peter’s showed us Joanna at her very best. Through the complications of restructuring her role and the inevitable uncertainty in a period of transition of school leadership, Joanna’s steadfastness, professionalism and sense of what mattered had an enormous, yet often invisible, impact on colleagues and pupils. Her appointment as Head of King Edward’s, Witley speaks highly both of Joanna and their governors. They sought someone who would understand their school, someone who would care for it, someone who was ambitious, not for themselves but the institution they were to lead, someone who was both wise and pragmatic, and someone who people would be inspired to work under. In Joanna they found all these just as we had.
JOANNA WRIGHT Deputy Head
Joanna Wright joined the staff at St Peter’s in 2012 as the Head Master’s deputy. Her remit included leading the pastoral care of the school, boarding, the day to day running of the school and much more besides. That fact that on her departure, her original role was fulfilled by at least three able and industrious senior leaders gives some idea of the breadth of Joanna’s ability. She will, however, be remembered at St Peter’s for the way she did things as much as what she did. Under her leadership the housemasters and housemistresses became a cohesive and influential group. Values, thought and an open sharing of ideas became the hallmarks of pastoral care and discipline, which were in turn seen as inextricably
We also said goodbye to a number of other colleagues. Emma Greenhalgh, part of our Chemistry department for five years, who moves to Harrogate Ladies College. Wendy Goodson has taught singing since 1998 as well as performing as a soloist in many of our major concerts. Our Bursar, Michael Schofield has overseen significant improvements to the campus and moves to Haileybury after six years here.
12
The Peterite 2018–2019
Whether in a difficult discussion with a parent, managing meetings of colleagues, addressing a year group on a challenging topic, listening to a distressed pupil, asking pointed questions of a colleague, disentangling the truth behind an unedifying teenaged escapade, or just enjoying a funny moment with pupil or a colleague, Joanna’s charm, wit, wisdom compassion, and, where needed steely strength of will, shone through. We shall miss her but many of us will continue to ask ourselves, when faced with an apparently intractable challenge, how would Joanna have responded to this. Mr Duncan Gillies
The Head Master’s PA, Joy Warner, who has worked in several independent schools in pastoral and administrative roles moves on after three years, branching out to work for NFU Mutual.
