from the headmaster - st peter’s schools · 2017. 1. 19. · she is mother to an 11 month old...

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Weekly Newsletter of St Peter’s Girls SP School

FROM THE HEADMASTER Happy New Year and my best wishes to you all for 2017! Let’s hope, from a global perspective, that it’s a little less controversial than 2016. On behalf of our St Peter’s family I’d like to welcome all our new Grade 0 families, Melissa Laroque and Antigoni Christos into Grade 1 and Mikayla Moodley in Grade 2. I’d also like to welcome: Bailey Sanders, Mahaylia David and Thadina Mokoena who join us in Grade 3, Kananelo Maqueyana and Alyssa Schumacher who join us in Grade 5, Siennna in Grade 6 and Allison Maher who comes into Grade 7. A warm welcome too, to our new teachers:

Mrs Julia Aitken as our new Grade 3 class teacher.

Miss Lauren Keeve who joins us to teach Afrikaans in the Junior Prep

Mrs Wilna Coetzee who joins us officially to teach Afrikaans in the Senior Prep

Miss Alyssa Stockers who will be teaching Social Sciences in the Middle School

Mrs Lara Rishworth who is our new Girls School Music secretary

I am hugely excited about 2017, not only because it’s my second year at St Peter’s and I am able to recognise a few faces, but also because of our significant intention to accelerate the provision of a relevant 21st Century education for your daughters. There are a number of sound educational and logical reasons for this shift in our educational paradigm. Over the course of this year, I hope to share a number of articles and video clips that will, hopefully, lead to a greater understanding of our educational objectives and may go some way to support your parenting strategies. I’d like to start with a hard hitting video clip referring to the millennial child (It is well worth watching): https://www.facebook.com/VineSurvivor/videos/1232136226872420/?pnref=story Another motivation for this change is this extract from a letter of concern, addressed to this year’s Matrics, from Prof Jansen: Dear Grade 12 pupil Now, we need to talk. Passing Grade 12 in South Africa is actually quite easy, and it means very little. The standards are low and the marks are adjusted upwards for most subjects. Those of you with six or more distinctions are particularly vulnerable to self-deception because ‘smart’ means much more than conquering the rules of the examination game. Remember, the exams are rigged to make the weakest pupils pass, not to make the brightest pupils excel The only subject that directly tests logical thinking and intellectual acumen is Mathematics. The real test of how much and how well you know comes when you enter university. Here the rules are different. It will not help you in a good university to memorise and repeat facts. What will be tested is your ability to think critically, independently and thoughtfully. The smart scholars among you will, for the first time, experience difficulty in one or more university subjects. That is good, for you need to learn how to struggle and deal with failure.

Edition: 1 19 January 2017

https://www.facebook.com/VineSurvivor/videos/1232136226872420/?pnref=story

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THROUGH THE KEYHOLE GIRLS PREP SCHOOL 19 January 2017


To be educated, in this broader sense, means that you dare not conceive of your university education in the same way you thought of school - which is to pass your subjects and get a degree. That is not education. Read as many good books outside of your discipline so that your knowledge of science, society and humanity prepares you for a much richer encounter with the larger world you will enter one day. Learn how to make a persuasive argument by using your mind, not by overpowering your opponent using your muscles. Keep open the possibility at all times that, no matter how clear and obvious something is to you, you might be wrong. In other words, pursue education. I wish these were the kinds of values all of you were taught in your homes and in your schools. Too many South African pupils bring their intolerance and intemperance to university campuses today. Your national senior certificate results released this week will not, unfortunately, provide any evidence of your education — only that you were successful in passing a low-demand examination. To make your degree count, therefore, you will have to do much more than show up for classes. Prof Jansen In conclusion, I’d like to remind parents to make every effort to attend our Parent Information Evenings next week. Please also feel free to make an appointment to meet with me, if you have any questions that were not answered at the Parent Meetings or even just to come to chat. Now that I know most of the girls in the Senior Prep, the next step is to get to know many more parents. I look forward to an awesome year ahead! Darrel Webb (Headmaster)

SPORT DEPARTMENT Welcome back to the new school year. We are looking forward to another successful sporting year at St Peter’s! Please remember to check the School Communicator ‘Resources’ tab for any information regarding sport. The term’s fixtures and extramural timetable have been added for your information. Going forward, weekly team lists will be published here too, so that you are able to get the information as soon as possible. A reminder that there are swimming trials this week for Grades 5-7: Grade 6: Thursday 13:30 – 14:30 Grade 7: Thursday 14:30 – 15:30 Grade 5: Friday 13:30 – 14:30 Grade 3 and 4 trials will take place during their sports lessons. Please feel free to contact me with any comments, queries or questions.

Liz Ashmore (Director of Sport) [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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ST PETER’S SCHOOL COMMUNICATOR

If you already have the Communicator, this is a reminder to RE-PERSONALISE the CHANNELS that pertain to your children for 2017 (Grades and Sport Age groups will have changed). If you do not have the School Communicator - this is what you must do: HOW TO GET IT: N.B. BEFORE YOU CAN DO ANY DOWNLOADING OF THE APP – THE GOOGLE FORM MUST BE COMPLETED Here is a link below to the Google Form. These details are needed in order to set up the once-off verification step. Access to Communicator St Peter’s will only be available to those using an email address which is listed on our parent database (filling in the Google Form is how the address becomes listed) Only then, will each listed user be given a password. LINK: http://goo.gl/forms/kvMdLCEq0G Please allow 24 hours once this step has been completed before downloading the Communicator App. FOR DESKTOP Google Form should be completed first. The link to use for the download is: www.school-communicator.com/download.php Please follow the prompts to download including requesting or making a password (save the password in case you want to load Communicator onto other devices) and then once you are in, please PERSONALISE the CHANNELS pertaining to your children. Please ensure that you tick GIRLS SENIOR/JUNIOR PREP GENERAL as one of your channels. FOR MOBILE DEVICES Google Form should be completed first. Please go into your PlayStore/AppStore and download Communicator St Peter’s. Please follow the prompts to download including requesting or making a password (save the password in case you want to load Communicator onto other devices) and then once you are in, please PERSONALISE the CHANNELS pertaining to your children. Please ensure that you tick GIRLS SENIOR/JUNIOR PREP GENERAL as one of your channels. Please feel free to contact me if you need personal assistance. Please fill in and submit the Google Form (using the link above) first though. That is the first step! [email protected] Jean Macleod (Marketer)

http://goo.gl/forms/kvMdLCEq0Ghttp://www.school-communicator.com/download.phpmailto:[email protected]

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MUSIC DEPARTMENT We welcome Lara-Jayne Rishworth to the music team. She is the Music Department's new secretary. She is

originally from Port Elizabeth, but relocated to Johannesburg after her husband accepted a new position here.

She is mother to an 11 month old baby boy. She is also a musician and she enjoys playing the flute and

saxophone.

Please feel free to contact her at: [email protected], if you have any music related enquiries. Registration for individual music lessons is now online. Please follow the link below to enrol your daughter. The

link is also available on the Communicator.

https://goo.gl/forms/xJdsPcgcIF1kSHsf1

The ABRSM morning theory program commences next week. Grade 4-7 girls, who are already committed, are

welcome to sign up in the Music Department. Please refer to the weekly occurrences timetable for lesson

times.

Marguerite Schmitt (Head of Music)

TERM DATES FOR 2017 Term 1 Start: Wednesday, 18 January Close: Wednesday, 12 April Half Term: Thursday, 23 February return to school Tuesday, 28 February Public Holidays: Monday, 20 March (Bishop’s Holiday) Tuesday, 21 March (Human Rights Day) Term 2 Start: Wednesday, 3 May Close: Friday, 4 August Half Term: Friday, 23 June return to school Monday, 3 July Public Holidays: Friday, 16 June (Youth Day) Term 3 Start: Tuesday, 5 September Close: Thursday, 7 December Half Term: Thursday, 19 October return to school Tuesday, 24 October Public Holidays: Sunday, 24 September (Heritage Day)

Monday, 25 September (Public Holiday) Term 1, 2018 Start: Wednesday, 17 January

mailto:[email protected]://goo.gl/forms/xJdsPcgcIF1kSHsf1

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HOT DOG DAY AND CARTRIDGE COLLECTION FRIDAY, 27 JANUARY The cost of Hot Dog Day is R25. Additionally, please bring a can of pet food to ‘pay’ for the privilege of wearing

civvies on this day.

Please remember to bring in your cartridges. There will be a collection point (big green and white cardboard

boxes) throughout the day for empty ink cartridges in the Chapel carpark. There are permanent collection

points at both the Girls Senior and Junior Prep, and Boys Junior reception areas.

Thank you for your continuing support this year.

Monica Sloane

(St Peter’s Community Partnership and Foundation)

FORTHCOMING WEEK

The JP held their Nativity Play

Saturday 21/01/2017 14:00:00 15:00:00 Servers Training Chapel

Monday 23/01/2017 18:30:00 19:30:00 Gr 5,6 Parents Information Evening and Class Social Royce Hall

Tuesday 24/01/2014 07:30:00 08:30:00 Grade 7 Class Reps Meeting Girls Boardroom

Tuesday 24/01/2014 09:30:00 10:00:00 Uplands College Presentation to Grade 5, 6 & 7 Royce Hall

Wednesday 25/01/2017 REMINDER: CHAPEL COLLECTION FOR TOMORROW

Wednesday 25/01/2017 18:30:00 19:30:00 Gr 7 Parents Information Evening and Class Social Royce Hall

Thursday 26/01/2017 13:30:00 16:30:00 Tennis Matches Home/Away

Friday 27/01/2017 10:00:00 10:30:00 HOT DOG AND CIVVIES DAY Keys Pavilion

Friday 27/01/2017 13:30:00 16:30:00 Swimming Galas Home/Away

Saturday 28/01/2017 08:00:00 13:00:00 Gr 5 Tennis Festival Venue: TBC



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First day back in 2017

The fields, looking beautifully green

Stationery for 2017

Welcome to 2017

So happy to be reunited with our friends Mr Webb joins the class for a while

Hanging out with friends!

from the headmaster - st peter’s schools · 2017. 1. 19. · she is mother to an 11 month old...

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