NEWSLETTER 7 DECEMBER 2024

Farewell Grade 7 Class of 2023!

Leavers' Assembly - Guest Speaker, Antoinette Pearton

GRADE 7 TOUR - OUDSTHOORN

LEAVERS VS STAFF

GRADE 6 TOUR - PLETTENBERG BAY (Mrs. Knezovich)

The Grade 6s have just recently come back from a wonderful 2 night tour at Plett.  The tour was jammed packed with incredible activities and fun.  On the first day we visited Jakuni, Birds of Eden and Monkeyland.   On the 2nd day we did a beautiful 5.5km hike in the Robberg Nature Reserve.  Wow!  What a scenic hike that was.  After the hike the kids cooled down for 4 hours at Adventureland Slides having a whale of a time sliding down every possible slide they could a 100 times. On the final day the kids visited The Puzzle Park where they had to put their minds and bodies into gear in both The Maze and the Forest Game challenges.  The maze was incredibly fun and challenging and took the first group an hour to find all the necessary points!!   Our final stop was The Big Tree which was magnificent to see and learn how incredibly tall it is and that it is a 1000 years old!!

What a special tour filled with memories and friendships that will last a life-time!  Well done Grade 6s on a great year together and all the best for Grade 7 next year!

Chess & Grade 4 Camp (Mrs. Slabbert)

Chess Report 3rd Term 2023 – Mrs Slabbert

After a very busy and successful year of chess, 3rd Term was quite uneventful. We focused on Chess Championships and Interhouse Chess. Yellowtail and Red Roman tied for first place in the Interhouse this year. Gabriel Pearton was awarded the Chess Champion of 2023 with Conor Howell and Sean Watson the most promising senior players. Riley Wilson was awarded the most improved senior chess player. Francis Sacks won the Junior Chess player of the year with Damon Stancheva the most promising junior player and Tayla Watson the most improved junior player. Taurin Marais was awarded the best chess player in Gr 3. We are all looking forward to another good battle of kings next year.

Grade 4 Camp – Mrs Slabbert

Grade 4s ended their academic year with an awesome camp at River Club (old Waterberry Park). In teams they navigated Father Christmas on a journey across the skies to help him deliver his presents on time. They used buckets full of STEM equipment (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) to problem solve and build all sorts of creative, moving and flying objects while still having so much fun with their friends. You have to be extra creative in our village where the wind blows at top speed most days, but that never deterred a Grade 4 child before and it definitely did not deter them this year either. Father Christmas was very grateful for all the help from the Grade 4s. Lots of fun was had by all! Thank you Mrs Dillon for all the help on camp. We loved having you along with us.

FOUNDATION PHASE (Mrs. Kopke)

The highlights of the school year are usually held at the end of the year and 2023 has been no different. The foundation Phase held their friends camp at school. Grade 1,2 and 3 all camped together. They fished, did fabric painting, cooked their own supper, went on a night walk and slept in tents on the school fields. The exciting outdoor experience is something that the children will speak about and remember for a long time.

As a final excursion, the Grade 1’s and 2’s went to play on the supertube in Jeffrey’s Bay. This generated a lot of beforehand discussion about ‘will we or won’t we’ be brave enough to go down the supertube. Most of the children were carried away by the excitement and experienced the speed of the supertube without fear. They also went to the yearly create a craft at Pitout in Jeffrey’s where they were able to make some Christmas crafts.

Lastly were the final assemblies where all the children were rewarded for their efforts and hard work put in during the year. They are to be congratulated for their achievements. We are very proud of them.

ECD NEWS  (Teacher Eva)

Dear Families,

As we approach the end of another school year, it’s a moment of reflection and celebration. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to each child and family for being a part of our ECd community.

To all our amazing young learners, THANK YOU! Your curiosity, enthusiasm, and boundless energy have filled our days with joy. Together, we’ve embarked on a journey of exploration, discovery, and growth. The memories we’ve created, the laughter we’ve shared, and the knowledge we’ve gained will forever be treasured. Each of you holds a special place in our hearts, and we are so proud of your incredible achievements.

To our dedicated parents and guardians, THANK YOU for entrusting us with your precious ones. Your support, partnership, and trust have been the pillars of our success. We’ve witnessed the remarkable progress of your children, and it’s been a privilege to be a part of their educational journey.

As we approach the holiday season, we wish you all a joyful and restful time with loved ones. May the spirit of togetherness and celebration fill your homes. We eagerly look forward to reuniting in the new year for more adventures in learning and growth.

Warmest wishes, from all of us in the ECD

TEACHER EVA 2004 - 2023 (Mrs. Dominique Garlington)

In a school among the trees,
Where knowledge danced upon the breeze,

Lived a teacher, Eva dear,
Whose spirit shone so bright and clear.

Teacher Eva we adore,
Your love for nature we explore.

Busy bees buzzing all around,
Inspiring us with every sound.

Creativity, her guiding light,
She sparked imagination burning bright.

Through art and song, she taught us well,
Our minds and hearts will forever dwell.

ST FRANCIS COLLEGE MAESTROS HAVE THE MAGIC TOUCH! (Mrs. Beth Howell)

A talented group of St Francis College musicians scooped merits and distinctions at the Trinity College London music exams in Gqeberha last month.

Music teacher Natasha Brown was thrilled with the results, praising her 15 young stars for their hard work, skills and courage.

The August group of five vocalists and one pianist, who played for examiner Ruth Lyon at the Nelson Mandela University Music Conservatoire, achieved four merits and a distinction, with the October group of five pianists and four vocalists receiving six merits and two distinctions from examiner Malcolm Ball at Herbert Hurd Primary School.

The college kids who took part were:

Indiah van der Zwan
Florence Fleming
Amy Masterson - Distinction
Emily Colebank
Zoe Harding
Tayla Watson - Distinction
Olivia Liebenberg
Hayley Holmes
Addison Shaw
Annabell Oosthuysen
Murray-John Boonzaier - Distinction
Conor Howell
Madison Klinkert

Formal music training is not for the faint-hearted – a pass is 60% and to achieve a distinction, candidates must obtain 87%.

The theory and practical components include aural, scales, pieces and a sound understanding of musical theory, explained Mrs Brown.

“I am extremely proud of all the hard work that these students put in. They practised for hours on end – and it clearly shows in their results.“The examiners were great with the students and really put them at ease.”

Trinity representative Dawn Spence said that this year’s examination session had gone very well and that the examiners were “very impressed by the high standard of performance by candidates in our area.”

A total of 270 candidates took this year’s examination at several venues around Gqeberha.
Article by Mrs. Beth Howell

News from the Butterfly Garden (Cathy Kilroe-Smith)  

Another year in the Butterfly Garden draws to a close. Besides the usual watering, weeding and worm maintenance, we have really dug in and learned so many new things. From how to prepare nutrient-rich, wormy soil to identifying plants by their smell and taste, we have been busy and been able to enjoy the fruits of our labour, literally!

Over the last few weeks, we have had the privilege of having two world class chefs in the garden teaching the kids some of their culinary tricks. Jen and Mark Colebank have delighted us with delectable treats and dishes, all prepared in the garden using ingredients from our crops. We have had sugar cookies with lavender sugar, delicate rosemary cookies, kale chips, beurre noisette pasta, green salad with a homemade vinaigrette and Chinese scallion pancakes. All mouth-wateringly good!

When the garden was in full bloom, we surprised some of the staff with edible bouquets to show our gratitude for them. Making flower crowns was also a highlight and gave us a definite mood boost before exams.

Thank you to all the parents and friends of the garden who have helped us continue to cultivate a love and understanding of the beauty and wonder of nature in our kids. One flower at a time, we are planting seeds for the next generation of garden lovers.

PTA NEWS (Cally Gibbs)  

The end of the school year definitely did come fast this year, (as it seems to most years), and our PTA members are excited to begin our own summer break.

It was a busy final term, and year, for us. We are proud to have hosted the first St Francis College Mountain Bike Race, alongside amazing partners and sponsors, in November, at school- which was a huge success- bringing a whole new group of people and members of the cycling fraternity to our unique landscape and widening our scope in the community. A huge thanks to Dane Shaw, who took this event from vision to completion and allowed our school to be the lucky (and very grateful) beneficiaries. Thank you Dane!

We ended the year, and kicked off the festive season, with Christmas Market and Barn Dance.  A wonderful evening of shopping, eating, drinking and merriment.  This was made extra special by the ECD and junior phase Christmas singing which was absolutely adorable! Hearing those little voices fill our market and school field with Christmas joy really does bring the festive season into full view for us. 

Thank you to the PTA members, parent volunteers and market vendors who joined in to help make this event possible.

During the year the PTA has managed to raise funds towards projects and developments around the school- including:

The Character Counts Programme - celebrating positive character traits in our children.

Senior Phase
4 Benches with shade
Senior Elevate programme (teaching study skills and exam prep) 

ECD
New jungle gyms (paid in part by PTA, part by the School) 
The Mud kitchen, 
Kiddies outdoor workbenches 
Shade for the sandpit and veggie garden

Foundation Phase
New jungle gyms 
New tables and chairs 
Outdoor work benches

Other
Liquid Lines swimming sessions 
Money put aside towards senior phase ablution upgrade

Our PTA fundraising events of 2023 we:
Valentines Raffle
St Francis College Golf Day
St Francis College Mountain Bike Race
Christmas In The Barn

I want to make a final heartfelt personal thank you to the amazingly passionate and hardworking members of my PTA. You have spent the last 2 years creating events and fundraisers out of nothing. Always positive, always happy, always laughing and joking- no matter the situation- I have been truly impressed by you. You are definitely Rainbow Soldiers! Thank you for everything. 

TERM 1 CALENDAR DATES 2024

Monday 15 January                  Grade 1 & ECD Information visit in respective classes
Tuesday 16 January                 School Commences
Thursday 18 January                PTA AGM followed by Grade 2 to 7
                                                  Information visit in respective classes
Friday 26 January                     Family Braai 5pm
Thursday 22 February              Half Term (After Beach Fun Day)
Tuesday 27 February                Return to school from half term
Thursday 21 March                   Public Holiday - School Closed
Friday29 March                         Public Holiday - School Closed
Monday 1 April                          Public Holiday - School Closed
Friday 5 April                             End of Term

Monday 6 May                           School Commences
Monday 17 June                        Public Holiday - School Closed
Friday 21 June                          Start of half term after school day
Monday 1 July                          Return from half term
Thursday 8 August                     End of term after school day

Tuesday 3 September               School Commences
Tuesday 24 September             School Closed - Public Holiday
Thursday 10 October                 Start of half term after school day
Tuesday 15 October                   Return from half term
Friday 6 December                     End of term