KINGSWOOD COLLEGE

Dear Parents

JUNIOR SCHOOL Newsletter

Mr Derek Braans Friday 3 June 2016

We enjoyed a very worthwhile staff development session earlier this week when a number of staff engaged in feedback about the recent IEB writing skills course which they attended. A few points which emerged from this are: all staff are English teachers (not only the subject English teacher); we should create opportunities daily for our students to practise writing and these don’t need to be long, detailed pieces, and we should continue to create links between subjects and ideas for writing. The second part of the session allowed staff the opportunity to share some classroom examples of when and how ‘Critical Thinking’ has been used effectively in their lessons. We certainly are an experienced and wise staff compliment and these opportunities continually remind us how much we can learn from each other. My thanks to our Head of Academics, Jenny Redpath, for co-ordinating this. Plans are well underway for our annual U13 Sports Tour to the Southern Cape which will take place from Sunday 31 July until Wednesday 3 August. Boys’ and girls’ hockey, as well as netball and rugby fixtures, are currently being finalised. Those Grade 7s who are not chosen for the sports tour will attend the Cultural Tour and will be away at the same time in the North Eastern Cape region. All will return early evening on 3 August in time for the Travel Day the next morning. Our Grade 6 Environmental Quiz team consisting of Zanel Lombard, Taryn Brown, Carla Bristow, Luke Kelly, Xande Potgieter and Adam Young recently took part in the Sasol-Forever Resorts Enviro Quiz and achieved over 80% to qualify for the semi-final round. They will now be required to do a few enviro projects, as well as presentations, in their efforts to reach the finals as last year’s team did. This is a talented group and we will be following their progress with interest. A reminder to parents that some areas and grades in the school are already very close to full for next year. If you know of anyone still planning to submit an application please see that this is done as soon as possible. Junior boys’ boarding and senior girls’ boarding are already very close to capacity. For further information please contact Andy Long on [email protected]. Banner photograph : The Grade 1s enjoying hot chocolate and biscuits while on their outing to Kwandwe this week.

Burton Street, GRAHAMSTOWN, 6139 Phone: 046 - 603 6602 Email: [email protected] www.kingswoodcollege.com

I am pleased to announce we have appointed Mr Jonathan Mallett as the Director of Rugby. Johnny joins us from St David’s Marist, Inanda. He is currently Head of Rugby at St David’s as well as Director of Rugby at Wanderers Club in Johannesburg. Johnny is an accredited International Rugby Board Level 2 Coach and has coached at various schools in South Africa, as well as having stints at Wanganui Collegiate School in New Zealand and Epsom College in the UK. In his playing days he represented Eastern Province U21, Border U21, as well as having played in New Zealand, Italy, France and the UK. Johnny has had an extensive coaching and playing career and will no doubt add to the expertise at Kingswood College. We look forward to welcoming Johnny in January 2017 when he will take up his post. DEREK BRAANS

The newly-appointed Director of Rugby - Johnny Mallett

Boarding News Intermediate: We have all been soaking up the lovely warm weather this week. Activities continue in full swing and the girls are well-settled into their routines. Many will travel to Port Elizabeth for a hockey festival tomorrow whilst those remaining will enjoy a trip to town and then time on their devices in the morning. The girls will be divided into teams in the afternoon – some will be ‘humans’ and others ‘zombies’. Throughout the rest of the weekend, night time included, they will try to capture others to become part of their team. The team with the most members at the end of the weekend will receive a treat to be envied! Let’s hope there will be more humans than zombies by the end! So many girls moved up the treat ladder last week and there was praise all round from those on duty the previous weekend for the girls’ unity and co-operation in all the activities. What a pleasure it is to work with responsible, caring young ladies. However, the Stars that really stood out were Carlotta Cugildi, for her animated approach to activities, Emke Klopper for her ready co-operation and Raquel Knott and Amber van der Riet for their pleasant demeanour and willingness to always be of assistance. A reminder that during the upcoming half term the boarding houses will be closed. Please would parents email their daughter’s travel arrangements to the school as soon as possible. Boys’ Village: The Van Vuuren Village boys are looking forward to a relaxing weekend, free of sport commitments and travelling. Many of them have used this opportunity to go out with friends but for those remaining, a variety of activities await. Tomorrow morning the Grade 6 and 7 boys are involved in a Community Action programme at the Gowie Valley Conservancy where they will be removing animal snares. They are very excited about helping to save wild animals and it aims to be a meaningful experience for them. The younger boys will be going to town where they will enjoy treats from the local ice-cream shop. After lunch there will be a choice between playing games on their devices and watching sport on TV. After brunch and prep on Sunday the Student Assistants will take the boys to play 5 A-side soccer, before they settle down for a bit of quiet time between 13h00-14h00. This will be followed by a self-defence demonstration and an opportunity to learn the basic skills of empty-hands defence. It will involve plenty of controlled hand-to-hand combat, followed by a discussion on when the correct time would be to use these skills. Our Stars of the Week are Austine Kobalyenda, Inga Mazwai, Kwanda Ningiza and Tinashe Musa. Mrs Ann Duggan will be the matron on duty this weekend.

Prep Department Stars of the Week Stars for the past week were: Grade 1KC - Kwakho Ngqola / Matthew Pyle Grade 1VH - Kiya Dullabh Grade 2S - Emily Poultney Grade 2M- Rogan Goliath / Rickus Oosthuizen Grade 3K - Rahil Dullabh / Luqhame Pangwa Grade 3V - Mihir Harjeven / Lana-Mae Tweddle Well done to all of you!

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Pre-Primary News One of the highlights of the term is always attending a Chapel service! The children thoroughly enjoyed the Winnie the Pooh Chapel service this morning and could relate very well to it. With the lovely weather, we have been doing quite a few gross motor activities in the playground. To end off their theme last week the Senior class made some bread and butter! Some of them could not believe how the cream just became butter and it was a real eye opener.

Grade 1 Kwandwe Outing On Tuesday the Grade 1 children were afforded the opportunity to go to Kwandwe on a beautiful Autumn day. On route they saw the picturesque Eastern Cape open spaces with the beautiful aloes. Once there, they were treated to Kwandwe’s incredible hospitality and are all still bubbling with stories about what they saw and experienced on their drives. They were approximately 6 meters from 2 male lion as they lazed in the sun and then strolled off down the road, about 10 metres from an enormous elephant that flapped its ears and warned them that they were encroaching on its space, close enough to watch a herd of black wildebeest running in circles, swishing their tales and then running off in single file, able to see a hippo warming up in the sun next to a perfectly still dam, a rhino and its calf, a giraffe and her newborn calf, to mention but a few. Thank you to Emma’s mom for making the arrangements and to each and every staff member at the reserve for their generous smiles and patience as the children clambered on and off the landrovers, squealed with delight as they went down the rollercoaster roads, chatted noisily while enjoying the hot chocolate and biscuits, and running around the grounds. The game ranger’s knowledge and willingness to stop and answer every question was remarkable. Thank you for the wonderful day!

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Grade 4 Winnie the Pooh Chapel Play This morning the Grade 4 classes did a Chapel play celebrating Winnie the Pooh’s 90th birthday by telling the children the real story behind the creation of A A Milne’s most famous bear. A Canadian vet by the name of Harry Colebourn from the city of Winnipeg was recruited to fight in World War 1 in Europe. He and his fellow soldiers travelled by train to a town named White River where Harry met a hunter with a brown bear cub. As the hunter had shot its mother, Harry took pity on the cub which he bought for $20. The bear was named Winnie and travelled by train and boat with the soldiers to Europe, where the soldiers waited on the Salisbury Plains in England to be called up to the front lines. During this time Harry took Winnie to the London zoo on regular visits as she enjoyed the animals, as well as the many people who visited the zoo. When Harry’s regiment was finally called up Winnie was taken in by the zoo until Harry’s return from war. It was here that Winnie was visited by A A Milne, Ernest Shephard and, of course, Christopher Robin, who renamed his Edward Bear, Winnie the Pooh, in honour of his new friend at the zoo. A A Milne, Christopher Robin and E Shephard visited Winnie regularly and so the Winnie the Pooh stories began. Christopher Robin’s other toys became Pooh’s play mates where they had many adventures in the Hundred Acre wood and have become beloved stories of children around the world. Harry Colebourn returned from war and upon seeing how happy and settled Winnie was at the zoo, left her there and returned to Canada to continue his work as a vet. Winnie died on May 12, 1934 when she was 20 years old and she was so loved that the London newspaper ran her obituary. There are 2 statues at the London zoo today of Winnie and Harry Colebourn, the man whose compassion and kindness for an orphaned bear cub, has left us all with an amazing legacy in the beloved tales of Winnie the Pooh. So please parents, we encourage you to read these wonderful stories with your children so that they too can share in the magical world of Winnie the Pooh.

The Grade 4s with all the Winnie the Pooh characters during their Chapel play this morning.

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Music School News Results of the UNISA practical exams played earlier this month: Clarinet Grade 1: Lauren Maddocks (merit), Ophola Bulani, Kamil Hango, Sihle Ngumbela, Clarinet Grade 3: Emma Makungu Well done! The next external practical exam session, Trinity College (London), takes place at the Music School on Monday afternoon (6 June). We wish our candidates the best of luck. Stars, for diligent practising, went to the following this week: Paula Caiger (x2), Lesang Ralebala (x2), Tricia Vassiliou (x2), Lauren Maddocks (x2), Keena Losaba, Emma Makungu, Courtney Meikle, Tawanda Nhlapo, Luke Kelly, Lara Sheard, Pippie van der Westhuizen, Tinashe Musa, Rickus Oosthuizen, Shayne Price and Malkia Manyara. Paula is currently winning the race with eleven stars! There will be a special K-Day Music Concert on Tuesday 14 June at 19h30 in our Chapel. Musicians from DSG/SAC will join our musicians for a programme of solo and ensemble music. Kingswood’s Senior Clarinet Ensemble and Saxophone Ensemble will perform as well as some of our Senior School pupils. Programme details to follow forthwith.

Sport We enjoyed another very busy sporting weekend, this time in Port Elizabeth against Clarendon. There were, again, some very close games with us losing a few hockey matches by the odd goal and at least three rugby matches by one kick. Results are as follows: Rugby vs Clarendon Park U13A won 39-12 U13B lost 10-12 U13C lost 7-10 U11A lost 5-42 U11B lost 5-7 U9A lost 5-14

Boys’ Hockey vs Clarendon Park U13A lost 1-4 U13B lost 2-3 U13C lost 1-3 U11A drew 1-1

Girls’ Hockey vs Clarendon Park U13A lost 1-2 U13B lost 0-3 U13C lost 0-6 U11A lost 0-1 U11B lost 0-1 U9A lost 0-4 U9B lost 0-4

This weekend our U9A and U13A and B girls’ hockey teams will be participating in the St George’s hockey festival in Port Elizabeth while our rugby teams enjoy a well-deserved rest. The fixtures are as follows:

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Team

Time

Fixture

Field

U9A

09h00

vs Sunridge

Crusaders A1

U9A

11h30

vs Summerwood

Crusaders A1

U9A

12h00

vs Harvest

Crusaders A1

U13A

09h00

vs Priory

Pirates A

U13A

09h40

vs Erica

Pirates A

U13A

12h00

vs St George’s

Pirates A

U13B

09h00

vs Priory

Pirates B

U13B

09h40

vs Sunridge

Pirates B

U13B

11h40

vs Harvest

Pirates B

HORSE RIDING Kimberly Handley attended a SANESA (Schools League ) show in East London this past week-end, representing Kingswood Junior. She came 1st in The Working Hunter Class and won both her jumping events. A brilliant achievement, well done Kimberly!

SQUASH Congratulations to Morgan Baxter (U11B) and Luke Kelly (U13A) who have been selected to the EP Squash team to play in the SA Schools’ Interprovincial Tournament in George from 25-28 June.

Birthdays for the week ahead are: Lazola Matebese (6th), Paula Caiger (9th), Mrs Wilmot (10th) and Greg Bennett (10th). We wish you all a happy day!

Thought for the week “Promise me you’ll always remember: you’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” - Christopher Robin

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