Newsletter 25 January 2019

Newsletter 25 January
 
Dear Parents, Staff and Friends

As the school moves comfortably into its operational mode, I am happy to be able to share more of the proud achievements, events and news from the school.

Enrolments

I mentioned in the last newsletter that our enrolments have increased dramatically. We will know out final figures by the end of next week but currently we are looking at about 460 which is significantly up from the 388 at the end of last year. This does mean that we are experiencing congestion in some areas. However, we are coping well with the increased numbers.

Please Note

Please use the correct areas for the drop off and collection of learners and if possible alert transport drivers to this request. It will improve efficiency and ensure the safety of the learners. Your co-operation here would be greatly appreciated.

Important dates

Staff v Gr 12 Volley ball Friday 25/01/2019

Grade 12 Parents meeting 28 January17h30

Grade 8 Concert Tuesday 29 January

Grade 8 Bonding day Friday 1 February

Grade 10, 11, 12 Cake Sale Friday 1 February

Inter House Sports Day 8 February

V – Ball Friday 15 February

Grade 12 Parents meeting

The Grade 12 parents are requested to attend the information evening on Monday 28th January at 17h30 .

IEB Meeting (Independent Examination Board)

I attended the annual IEB meeting for the region on Tuesday. I am happy to share with you that the IEB remains a rigorous, robust and accurate assessment body. We are fortunate to have access to such an organisation that ensures such a high quality of assessment. I will be sharing detail and developments which relate to the 2019 matric exams with the relevant staff.

Grade 8 orientation – prefects

A very successful Grade 8 orientation afternoon was held last Friday. The Prefects and the Grade 8’s along with Mrs Teich and other staff spent a fun filled afternoon getting to know the new learners whist the new learners were introduced to some of the history and traditions of the school

Shoe Ceremony Monday 28

This has become a long standing tradition at the school and is an integral part of the orientation program and will take place on Monday 28th. Shoes have profound significance and symbolism in our lives. The shoe ceremony and drawing attention to the role and symbolism of shoes in our lives helps to focus our new learners on the understanding of their inner being and the role that material goods play in shaping our character.

Purpose of the shoe ceremony

Shoes 

A baby enters life barefoot. You don’t need shoes until you are able to walk

Shoes serve a purpose

• Shoes serve as protection-against cold, thorns and rough terrain
• Shoes serve as a fashion statement
• Shoes give you extra height
• Shoes give you a feeling of safety (you cannot go to certain places without safety shoes)

Shoes have lifespan

• When you grow, you sometimes have to change from one size of shoe into a next
• You can never go back to a smaller size
• You have to look after your shoes-when they are clean , it gives you a neat appearance – tell others about your character-
• Genuine leather lasts longer, and can adapt to the foot-imitation can not
• Sometimes you can revamp your shoes by adding another sole again

Shoes are made to adapt for a specific purpose

• There are specific shoes that go with a specific purpose. Be prepared to wear boots when you climb a mountain, but going to a ball, fancy high heels will do the job. If you cannot adapt to a situation, you will be in trouble. Always make sure that you are wearing the correct shoe for the job-make sure that you choose the correct place to be.
• One person can have a lot of different functions-use the shoes that serve that purpose

Shoes should fit the wearer

• A shoe sometimes gives pain-until you have worn it long enough to make it your own. Some shoes will always hurt you, and that is telling you that it is the wrong shoe! -always make sure you are at the correct place to suit you
• Unlike clothes, people do not borrow shoes from someone else
• Trying to fit into shoes that are too small, can be painful, and trying to wear shoes before you are big enough for them, will cause them to fall off, and you may hurt yourself in doing so.
• If you wear skates, you can do skating-but off the rink, it will damage everything around you

Shoes get damaged

• The further you go in a pair of shoes, the more they feel like you, but along the way, they also get scarred and worn
• Getting a new pair, will mean new pain, but it is always necessary to get out of your comfort zone, and to start a new journey
• May the children who attend this school, grow into the shoes they need for life, and may they be protected and adapted to do the task that they are supposed to

Shoes give boundaries

• Sometimes shoes can restrict your movement-you can even hurt yourself when you fall from high heels
• If you keep on wearing the wrong shoes, your feet will get deformed, and it will restrict your motion forever. It will also cause unnecessary pain
• You will always feel the boundaries of your shoes-but it is also at the same time protecting you
• Choose your shoes wisely, and make sure that you can live up to the expectancy of the pair of shoes
• Never judge someone, unless you have walked with him, “in his shoes’ you might just understand why he is acting the way he does. You can only understand someone ,if you can honestly say that you have been in his shoes
• Walk dance and rejoice in your youth, and make sure that you choose your shoes wisely.

Grade 8 concert Tuesday 29 January

The Grade 8 concert will take place on Tuesday 29 January during assembly. We look forward to being entertained by our new learners.

Ongoing improvements to buildings –

• 

We are continuing to renovate develop our campus. Aircons have been ordered for the admin area and two very large bulk water storage tanks have been installed water tanks to assist us when the municipal water supply runs out. We will also be plumbing the water supply at the foundation phase to give us a bulk storage capacity.  Ongoing painting and general repairs to the classrooms is also in progress.

Sponsorship for netball Under 10 uniforms – Thanks to Apex Fitness

On behalf of the school and especially our younger under 10 netball team I would like to extend a huge thanks to  Apex Fitness and particularly Mr Hussein and Mr Nadat  for their very generous sponsorship of our the under 10 netball uniforms. You kindness and support is greatly appreciated

Inter House Athletics Trials

On Friday we were able to run a number of athletics heats to select athletes to take part in the inter house meeting on 8 February. It is something we haven’t done before but the staff and learners worked really hard to get through the program successfully and in time.

Exchange program and overseas tour March 2020 India

We are earnestly exploring the possibility of a student exchange program with a school in India. Along with this initiative is the suggestion of a school tour to India in March 2020 which would be of a cultural and educational nature.

Food for thought

It was Aristotle who said, “95% of everything that you do is the result of your habits.”

Good habits are hard to form and easy to live with. On the other hand, bad habits are easy to form and awful to live with.Let’s bring this to life with a little story about a who man asked a wise old scholar to wean his son away from his bad habits.

The scholar took the youth for a stroll through a garden. Stopping suddenly he asked the boy to pull out a tiny plant growing there. 

The boy held the plant between his thumb and forefinger and pulled it out easily. The old man then asked him to pull out a slightly bigger plant. The boy pulled hard and the plant came out, roots and all. “Now pull out that one,” said the old man pointing to a bush. The boy had to use all his strength to pull it out.

“Now take this one out,” said the old man, indicating a small tree. The boy grasped the trunk and tried to pull it out. But it would not budge. “It’s impossible,” said the boy, panting with the effort.

“So it is with bad habits,” said the wise old scholar. “When they are young it is easy to pull them out but when they take hold they cannot be uprooted.” The session with the old man changed the boy’s life. 

The story reminds me that we should all be aware of and understand the habits that we have, which ones we are creating and which ones we need to get rid off. 

We should also make sure that we are not making new bad habits. What’s the best way to get rid of bad habits?  Replace them with useful ones (you still need to do something to fill the time you used doing the bad habit!)

Remember, 
Watch your thoughts. They become words. 
Watch your words. They become deeds.
Watch your deeds. They become habits.
Watch your habits. They become your character. 
Watch your character for it becomes your destiny. 

Food for thought

“Condemn none, if you can stretch out a helping hand, do so. If you cannot, fold your hands, bless your brothers, and let them go their own way.”

Swami Vivakananda

 Enjoy the weekend

Brian