Gui Vezzaro

It is with great sadness that I have to inform you that our much loved maths teacher and Head of Nansen House, Gui Vezzaro, passed away on the evening of Tuesday 30th November. As you know he has been in a precarious position between life and death since his heart attack in August. While there were signs of improvement in some aspects of his status, he was always very open to the damage an infection can cause. This danger arose in the last few days and he succumbed eventually to pneumonia.

The school is in a state of mourning as we remember our lively, vibrant friend, colleague and teacher. It will be very difficult for some of our staff and students, who were particularly close to Gui, to deal with this untimely loss. Some of your children will be deeply affected, and may well need the counselling help that we are setting up. Please do not hesitate to contact us, whether it is to set up some support, or just to let us know that your child is upset and that we should watch out for them. While allowing for those most affected, we will carry on school life as normally as possible.

The way in which the community has supported Gui over the last three months shows our love for him and the esteem in which he is held. The shock of his departure will be felt well beyond the confines of the school, and we all need to pull together and support each other, as well as Gui’s family and closest friends.

Gui joined Island School as a Maths Teacher in 1995. In 2004, while continuing to teach Maths, he joined the Guidance Staff, first in Fleming House, and then as Head of Nansen House. When Island School adopted the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, Gui used his experience to greatly add to our teaching of Theory of Knowledge. He has been much sought after by the IB Organisation as a workshop leader in TOK, around the world, to help teach less experienced teachers. Alongside his curriculum teaching has been Gui’s enthusiasm and tireless support for the wider aspects of school life. Whether it was Inter House Sports, School Volleyball, Maths Competitions of the Award for Young People, Gui was always ready to give his time for his students.

Those who were taught by Gui remember a committed and talented teacher, always prepared to spend that bit of extra time to explain the complex ideas. Those in his house have always commented on his care for those in need and his easy communication with children and parents. As a colleague, Gui will be greatly missed as a supportive friend who brought his sense of fun to the staffroom.

A Celebration of Gui's Life

On Thursday 9th December at 2.00pm Island School will hold a memorial celebration of the life of Guillermo Vezzaro. This will take place in the school hall. There will be music and readings from students and his colleagues in the staff, and we hope to capture some of the memories that Gui has left us. We look forward to many people joining us for this event and the doors of the hall and the hall balcony will be open from 1.00pm. There will be refreshments after the event provided by the Island School community with the support of many sponsors.

We hope to video this event and make it available as a live stream on the internet for those who would like to watch but are unable to attend. Please watch the Island School website for the link to be posted.

Fund raising for Gui

Many of you have donated to a fund that was initially set up for Gui’s long term care here and in Argentina, and I would like to express my gratitude to all of those who have contributed so generously. The purpose of this fund going forward has been the subject of much discussion among those at school who were closest to Gui. While the conclusion is not yet completely firm, we have decided that there are two aims that Gui would have appreciated and supported.

In the first place we know that Gui supported his extended family in Argentina, sending money back to support the further education of family members. We feel it is entirely appropriate that that commitment is honoured by this fund. In the second place we would like to set up a trust in Gui’s name that will be designed to support, in some way, families in the ESF community who are struggling with the financial commitment to education due to a bereavement. Gui was a man of tremendous humility and social conscience and believed in the power and value of education. We know he would support this aim.

If anyone has contributed to the fund by cheque, under the original aim, and feels uncomfortable with the new targets, we would like to give you the opportunity to withdraw your donation. If you would like to do this, please contact Betty Tsu at Island School.

Yours sincerely

Chris Binge
Principal