Starters for '10

21st January, 2010

The New Year at Packwood has begun with the arrival of three new temporary members of staff. We are delighted to welcome Anthony Dowlen as Head of Music and, from Australia, two gap year students Connor Hale and Lucy Tressider.

Anthony has many years experience teaching music at Radley College where he was Head of Music. He will be in charge of the Music Department for the year while Mrs Westlake is on maternity leave and will not only teach instrumental lessons in piano but also take on responsibility for the choir and senior orchestra. He has in fact already worked with the choir when he stepped in at very short notice at the end of last term to help them with their final preparations for the Packwood Carol Service. The service was a great success as always and the singing by the choir in particular was a highlight of the occasion.

Connor and Lucy join is from All Saints College, Bathurst in New South Wales where they have recently completed their final year at school. They will be at Packwood until December and on return to Australia Connor plans to join the army while Lucy will take up her place at university. Connor and Lucy live on site and will contribute to the day to day running of the school in many ways. Their role encompasses assisting in the Acorns pre-prep department with the youngest children at Packwood, helping with sports coaching, supervising free time, updating and maintaining records of Sixes (house) points and innumerable other small tasks and duties. They will very quickly find themselves to be an invaluable and indispensable part of the Packwood community!

Both say that they are settling in well and feel very at home although the recent extremely low temperatures and extensive snow have been rather a shocking contrast to life in Australia. "Our friends back home keep telling us how hot and sunny it is there with temperatures up to 40 degrees! We've had great fun in the snow though, especially sledging down at the spinney and having snowball fights with the children."