It was with sadness that we bid farewell to a truly wonderful teacher this year – Ms Fiona Yen.

Ms Yen has given 15 great year’s of service to CGHS in the Languages department as the Chinese teacher. Ms Yen completed her high school years at Villa Maria and then went on to the University of Canterbury where she completed her degree in Chinese and Russian. After completing her last teaching practice at St Margaret’s College, Fiona was interviewed for the Chinese position at CGHS and was successful in being offered the job. Ms Yen jumped head first into all aspects of school life. She became a house teacher; peer support leader and she took a number of very successful trips to China. Outside of the school, Ms Yen became the treasurer of the Chinese Language Association for several years.

Ms Yen has been a wonderful member of the CGHS community. She is an outstanding Chinese teacher. Her passion and expertise of the language is second to none. Her care and concern for her students has always been paramount. She always raised the bar high and told her students that they were capable of great success and they in return achieved outstanding results.

Ms Yen has now decided to move with her husband to Auckland where they are currently running a very successful restaurant business. Many of the CGHS staff have already enjoyed eating at the restaurant which means Ms Yen can “run but not hide”. We wish Ms Yen and her husband every success and look forward to her visits from time to time when she travels back down to Christchurch.