Farewelling  Annette Hobby

At the end of Term One, staff members farewelled Science Technician Annette Hobby after 33 years of service to Shirley BHS. A Science Technicians Association of New Zealand member and keen supporter of NZ Educational Institute initiatives for the improvement of working conditions for support staff, Annette was, as HOD Science Mr Robbie Richards pointed out, “a highly-valued member of the department whose calming influence had helped on many occasions.

As a Reiki practitioner, she has been ever-ready to provide massages for staff. Her expertise as the ‘Camp Mother’ was vital and she would provide up to six meals a day for students on research trips to the marine laboratory at Kaikoura or the Porters Pass Ski Lodge, an aspect which hungry boys always appreciated. Her eclectic dress sense suited every occasion from arriving in green on St.Patrick’s Day to a flower, punk rocker or whatever else the staff chose to recreate for the benefit of the boys on dress-up days.”

Also thanking Annette, Mr Craig Croft referred to her as the Science Department’s ‘Radar O’Reilly’ [the supply corporal from the television series M.A.S.H.]. To conclude the farewell, Mr David Newton presented her with a gold-painted microscope.

The official staff briefing minute secretary, Annette Hobby’s reports were always prefaced with some arcane wisdom which helped to set the tone of the day.

A keen sailer, she was also the first female commodore of the Canterbury Trailer Yacht Club, as well as a keen tramper who had taken on the challenge of the Milford and Heaphy Tracks.

In recalling moments in her long career, Annette spoke of the pre-computer, reprographic days of handouts made with the smelly, hand-operated Banda or electric Gestetner machines.

There was the time the BNZ borrowed the school’s teaching skeleton for a Health Insurance promotion. This was placed in the front passenger seat with a seat belt and caused quite a stir.

During the 2011 earthquake, she took valuable photos for the record while the rumbles were occurred and worked long hours when the school moved to Papanui HS to leave the Science Department clean and ready for Papanui students and staff arriving for their shift.

“The Science Technician’s job has developed over the years,” Annette Hobby observes, “with the big changes to curricula and assessment and, in later years, Health & Safety requirements. I will miss my boys and girls [staff], and the students, but I shall continue to teach Reiki at Shirley evening school classes. However, it’s time to hand over to your new Science Technician, Teresa Jones, and a new era of education.”

Introducing  Teresa Jones

I am originally from the West Coast, but I am also an “old girl” of SBHS.

All my working life has been as a science technician, originally in industry, but for the last 15 years at Mairehau High School.

In my spare time I sing in one choir and I am musical director for another.