Taylorian 2020

11 to HMS Excellent, where they have a damage repair simulation unit, and even parachuted from over 3000ft on a static line parachute at Netheravon! Her love of the outdoors inevitably saw her involved in many outdoor activities including kayaking club and the Woodland School for the Prep School boys, and she went on the school ski trip to Les Deux Alpes in France this year.  Lizzie’s talent as a baker is yet another skill that will be missed by her respective departments. Lizzie would often bring in her latest creations to share, much to the delight of her colleagues.  We wish Lizzie every success in her studies at Imperial College, where she has been accepted to study a Masters in Environmental Technology. We hope to see her around the school as she has offered her continued assistance to CCF and the Drama Department in the future. Thank you, Lizzie. Mrs E J Lemoine Steve Starost In September 2018, Steve Starost began his time at Merchant Taylors’. I was to work alongside Steve in the Maths Department, be his Head of House, and oversee him for Football. It was either going to be an incredibly long and arduous time or one I would come to remember and enjoy. Luckily, it was the latter. Steve joined as a Maths teacher and quickly settled into the role and his position within the department. He is well respected by the boys, who thoroughly appreciate his honesty, good humour, and ethic towards his work. I have seen the great relationships that he forges with students, and it is clear that Mr Starost has had a direct impact on their progress. He is also well respected within the department. He is never afraid to speak his mind and offer suggestions, as well as being supportive and always willing to help colleagues. Within the department he will be sorely missed and remembered fondly. As a tutor is where you will see Steve at his most natural and calm. He is a master of creating a collaborative and competitive community, and his tutor group will always be a favourite of mine to visit. He has an amazing way of knitting together students of different ages and personalities into one cohesive group. The support, guidance, and inane drivel that he imparted upon the boys in his group will be remembered. These will be big boots to step into for whoever takes his group – he will be remembered affectionately by all the boys. Beyond the confines of the school building, Steve is an incredibly gifted sportsman (his words not mine) with an enviable array of skills. His football ability and cricket expertise are those that were shared most with students. He has taken the 1st XI football over his time at the school and seen everything from the dizzying heights of a first-round cup exit to the brutal lows of nearly every other game. He quipped that the football standard at Taylors’ ‘was a little lower than expected’, but he never let his standards drop. The boys are exceptionally fortunate to have had such a knowledgeable and enthusiastic coach to push them and guide them. I’m certain that his very long explanations of drills and his even longer team talks will live long in the memory. Whilst not compulsory during the spring and autumn terms, he found time to help coach the boys in cricket. Initially, I could not understand what would bring him to do this, but now, knowing Steve, it is clear: he really loves cricket! He continued his cricket coaching into the summer term, where he would spend evenings and weekends with his cricket team, imparting his knowledge. In sporting terminology, he is a ‘badger’! He loves thinking about and talking about technique and skills, and he always tries his hardest to aid the boys’ progress as well as making sessions fun and enjoyable. Someone asked me whether I’d miss Steve. The short answer is, ‘yes!’ He is an exceptionally kind and giving chap with a heart of gold. He is self-confident in his abilities and critical of his weaknesses, and at the core of his personality he wants to help people improve. He will be remembered as a very talkative member of the SCR, and will be most missed by the Trundlers (the staff football team) and the Trumpers (the staff cricket team). We wish him all the best in his new role as Head of Department as he ventures to the Middle East to follow his dreams of seeing the world, making new memories, and pushing himself to be the best he can be. Mr M A Fothergill Dominic Halliday Dominic Halliday joined the Economics Department in 2016 from QE Barnet. Taking his first role as Head of Department, he brought with him a lot of energy and has helped the department go from strength to strength. With all that he has started or improved since joining, it seems weird that he was here with us for only three and a half years.