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Newsletter Number Three 21 June 2018
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Headmaster Highlights
By the time you receive this newsletter, you will be approaching a well deserved midterm break for both you and your children. Grade 5 to 7 midyear examinations would have been written and a week’s break is just what the doctor has ordered, literally in most cases!
It has been a hectic eight weeks since the beginning of May. Once again, the aim of this newsletter is to capture some of the highlights achieved in the first half of the term. |
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Heads and Heads of Sport Cluster Meeting 4 May 2018
I am delighted to announce that last month a landmark meeting was held at St George’s Prep School in Port Elizabeth with the heads and heads of sport from most of the ISASA primary schools in the Eastern Cape. It was decided to work closer together as regards academics and sport. This means academically, we can compare our standard of academics with the more established ISASA schools. The first meeting which is due to be held shortly will be with all the phase heads which in our case will be Mrs Caroline Anderson in the foundation phase and Mrs Kerry Bause in the senior primary. After that it will be the turn of the subject heads. This type of collaboration is long overdue.
As regards sport, I will attend a meeting to be held at Kingswood Prep on Wednesday 20 June. The purpose of the meeting is to coordinate sports festivals for the rest of the year and for 2019. This is an exciting initiative which will mean more sporting opportunities for our pupils. I am also elated to announce that SFC is now a permanent member of the Independent Schools Swimming Gala due to my insistence which was aided by our pupils’ performances at the gala in February.
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Academics, Examinations and Homework Policy
I trust that all of you have received my article in response to the hype of a few schools adopting a ‘no homework policy’. I am also aware that some schools only write examinations in Grade 7. As I am typing out this newsletter, I am invigilating the Grade 6 English literature examination. The amount of insecure, irrelevant questions I have had to field this morning is astounding. Remember this is the second year our Grade 6 pupils have written examinations and they are still insecure. After the midterm break, I am eager to go over their examinations with them so they can learn from their mistakes. I have absolutely no doubt our pupils will have a massive advantage in Grade 8 compared to schools who only introduce this academic concept in Grade 7. A reminder to parents, do not get too concerned about the marks but rather encourage your children to learn from their mistakes and relish the experience.
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The Value- Compassion for June and July
Over the past two months, I have introduced our values to the school. Last month, we examined ‘integrity’ and the next two months, it is the turn of ‘compassion’. Two weeks ago, I introduced the ‘compassion box’ which has been placed in the library. In this box, pupils may put in letters that they would like me to read. This box has a lock and I am the only one who has a key. Letters could be related to any problems at school or home and each letter must have a name. I will then ask the pupil how he/she would like me to handle the situation. Already, I have seen the benefits and these issues have now been dealt with efficiently.
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Knock on Wood Arts Festival 30 July to 3 August
Once again, we will support the bi-annual arts festival hosted by the Woodridge schools. We have entered thirteen pupils in the singing section and five will be playing the piano.
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Stulting Arts Festival
All 54 senior primary pupils entered art pieces for the festival and the results were superb. Two pupils, Samara Howell (Grade 7) and Chloe Bateman (Grade 5) were awarded diplomas at the gala evening. We also had four pupils scoring A++, seven A+ and a further ten achieved an A.
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Hermitage House (Home) 11th and 12th May
Out of the eight mini hockey matches we played, SFC won three and Hermitage House five. The senior hockey matches were played the following day and we fielded four combined boys and girls teams and played their U13A and U13B teams. Hermitage House U13B won 1-0 in the first game and drew the second 1-1. However, our more experienced teams beat the Hermitage House U13A team 4-0 and 2-1 respectively.
After losing all the netball matches last year, SFC won the Under 8, Under 9 and Under 11 matches and the U13A team put up a gallant effort losing 3-8.
In the rugby U13 and U11 seven a side matches, we lost to Hermitage House by four tries to one and lost the U9 match by eight tries to nil.
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Greenwood Bay College (Home)
On Friday 1 June, our Under 11 soccer boys drew with GBC 0-0 while our Under13 boys lost 1-2 in a pulsating match. The Under 11 netball girls lost 0-11 while our Under 13 girls lost 6-20.
The next day, was the turn of hockey and our 1st team girls beat GBC by 2 goals to 1. The 1st team boys won their match 3-2.
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Tennis
Our tennis players have been busy over the past few weeks. We beat Victory Christian School (six boys/ three girls) by 55 games to 29. Nine singles matches were played and three doubles and we only lost three of these matches. However, our top ten boys found the going very tough against the Sea Vista boys and lost by 78 games to 27. Ten singles matches were played and five doubles. Only Brennan Landman and Sabelo Nkomo won their singles and Brennan and Keano Dukai their doubles. Nevertheless, thirteen pupils (ten boys/ three girls) were used and the exposure gained should prove to be invaluable.
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First Team Girls Hockey and Boys Soccer vs Theodor Herzl
For the third year in a row, on Tuesday 5 June, both teams travelled to Port Elizabeth to play matches against Theodor Herzl at their school in Walmer, Port Elizabeth. Our first team girls’ hockey team drew 2-2 in a riveting match that neither side deserved to lose. I was very impressed with our girls’ resilience in coping with a much larger field than they are used to. Our first team boys’ soccer team were superb in their 6-1 victory.
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Surfing
On Friday 8 June, our SFC surfers held their first inter school surfing fixture against Victory Christian School at Kitchen Windows, Jeffrey’s Bay. We only had ten surfers against VCS’s twenty six in ten different age groups. Yet despite this handicap, we won six of the ten events: Murray-John Boonzaier (boys under 8), Hinatea Chretien (girls under 8), Rory Dace (boys under 10), Kéa Chretien (boys under 12), Hannah Praetorius (girls under 14) and Joel Dace (boys under 14). The junior flags event was won by Griffin Sacks and Ella Boonzaier came second in the senior event.
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Rugby and Netball vs Victory Christian School
On Wednesday 6 June, the boys after their brave efforts against Hermitage House, harassed me for another rugby fixture and we played two seven a side fixtures against Victory Christian School, a traditionally rugby playing school playing in the Kouga rugby league. The U11 and Open teams never gave up despite losing both games 5-42 and 10-43 respectively. The experience will prove to be invaluable for those boys wishing to pursue the sport at senior school. The U11 and U13 netball girls too, benefited from playing a school that focuses on netball and plays regular matches in the Kouga netball league and all three teams lost heavily.
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Keep warm this winter in a SFC beanie!
Available now from the school office priced at R60.
These hats are not to be worn during class time.
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Stomach Virus Policy
This is another policy we are developing but for now, suffice to say that if your child vomits the night before, please wait 24 hours before sending him/her to school.
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Events after Midterm
Peter Wait presented a highly successful golf event with the fathers last week. He will start his golf lessons on Thursdays after sport at 15h00. If you would like you child to participate, contact Peter at 073 249 5771 or peterpj@telkomsa.net
Deandre Dreyer who has launched the Seals Tennis Academy will be holding private ball skills lessons for Grade 00 pupils on Tuesday afternoons at the school from 13h00 to 13h45. His fee is R100 per month.
Jannie van Niekerk has begun private athletics coaching on Tuesday afternoons after sport and we have secured his services during our sport sessions for the next five Thursdays after midterm. He is also a certified sport conditioning coach, nutritionist and speed coach. If you are interested please contact Jannie directly at 072 642 4087 or via email at Jannie33975@gmail.com
The 20 by 20 knitting squares are back! This project will be launched after midterm and a prize will be awarded to the class that knits the most squares per pupils. Maybe during the midterm break, you may want to make an early start.
I have been approached by a group of mothers who would like to start a ‘mothers who care’ prayer group. Dads who are free are also most welcome to join. It will be held in our staff room every Monday from 8 o’clock during term time and the first one will be held on Monday 2 July.
I would like to remind all parents about my ‘open door’ policy. Every Thursday from 8 o’clock to 9 o’clock, my door is open, no appointment necessary. If you want to meet as a group of parents, no problem at all. Of course, you can make appointments to see me during the week with Lucy whenever I am available.
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News from the Nursery School
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The second term has been a great term so far with lots of happy children, staff and with that we hope happy Mums and Dads too!
Our Butterfly class has grown as we welcomed, Ella Bosman. In the Bumble Bee class we also welcomed Olivia Shooter.
We are looking forward to our outing on Thursday 21st June up at the Links. Our theme is shapes and colours. We will leave the Nursery School at 10h15am so please be prompt to pick up your child.
Winter is upon us and so too are all the snotty noses and flue bugs. Please keep your child at home if they are not well, we want to try and stop these bugs from doing their rounds.
A reminder that the Nursery School pick up times are either 12h30 or 13h00. If you need to pick your child up earlier, please let your teacher know at drop off in the mornings. Our school programme continues up until 12h45 in the classrooms and the interruptions can upset the other children at school, which we want to avoid.
We have new and exciting happenings in our playground this term and we will be surprising the children on their return from the half term break.
A reminder that we break up for half term on Friday 22nd June. Pick up is normal time on this day and we return to school on the Monday 2nd July.
Have a wonderful break with your babies and enjoy the special bonding time.
"They are little for such a short period of time."
Hugs and keep warm
Teacher Jane xx
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Important Dates 2018
For more details on the following events please take a look at our online events calendar
https://www.stfranciscollege.co.za/events/category/school-events/
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News from the Parents' Association
It has been a quiet term from a school fundraising point of view with the focus being on the fundraising across Grades 4 - 7 for their camps / tours at the end of the year.
We will launch a raffle after half term that will run until the end of term 2 and preparations for Oktoberfest & the school Golf Day are well underway - if you would like to get involved in either of these events by way of sponsorship or event assistance, please contact me on 082 292 5909.
Please diarise the dates for these events:
Oktoberfest 13 October
College Golf Day 30 November
Have a lovely half term break!
Heather
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Superspar Monthly Draw - April, May and June Winners!
Congratulations to the following winners who each won the R1000 SUPERSPAR vouchers:
Caroline Anderson for winning the April draw
Simon Cunneen for winning the May Draw
Saskia Bateman for winning the June Draw
Forms can be obtained from Lucy and a debit order of R50 a month as part of fund raising could win you a R1 000 shopping voucher from the St Francis Bay Village Square Superspar.
If you would like to enter into the monthly draw for just R50 per month please inform the office on info@stfranciscollege.co.za
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Appeal for old takkies and sports shoes
If you have any old takkies and other sport shoes that your children have outgrown and are still in a reasonable condition please drop at the office or contact Joha Moolman 082 418 4179
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BIRTHDAYS IN JUNE
01 June Olivia Shooter
02 June Aleksandr Ofsowitz
02 June Heath Shaw
02 June Hinatea Chretien
03 June Ethan Darke
06 June Joel Dace
06 June Lyla Leshem
08 June Samara Howell
19 June Damon Stantcheva
20 June Grace Spencer
20 June Slayde Shooter
22 June Brin Jarvis
24 June Amy van der Westhuizen
25 June Issabella Mirfin
27 June Bernadette Pepler
28 June Sibulele Poti
29 June Treza Schoeman
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BIRTHDAYS IN JULY
03 July Ella Landman
05 July Thinus Keller
08 July Max Tovell
17 July Robson Fumba
19 July Hlonipha Skelm
22 July Isabella Chandler
25 July Daisy Leith
28 July Chloe Cownie
28 July Katy Killian
28 July Lara Killian
28 July Mrs. Joyce Skelm (Assistant)
30 July Lincoln Davids
31 July Emily Cownie
31 July Mrs. Oscarina Maqungu
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