Dear Kingsmead Community,
Welcome back to school! Although it is not the start we had quite hoped for, we are ready and excited to inspire young minds. We live in very uncertain times and despite every effort to be prepared for all uncertainties, we are stepping gently and courageously into 2021. I am incredibly proud of the phenomenal online lessons prepared by our teachers for our students.
I warmly welcome all our new families this term. I wish you a wonderful, happy stay at Kingsmead. We cannot wait to welcome you in person!
We believe in creating a sense of belonging for each child and adult.
We believe in seeing each child and adult as an individual who can contribute meaningfully.
We believe that embracing diversity increases our empathy and enhances our perspectives.
We believe in a growth mindset where we all have the gift to learn and develop.
We believe in contributing significantly not only at school but to our wider community and country.
May we gather together in unity and make this year remembered for the growth and gift found in each person and the possibility to make beautiful things happen despite the uncertainty and disruption surrounding us.
Please also join me in welcoming our new staff:
Khuselwa Somlota – Grade 2
Liezel Hebbert – SP Afrikaans Specialist
Mia Downing – SP Afrikaans and Earth Science Specialist
Khensani Mabona – SP English and History Specialist
Celiwe Magubane – SP isiZulu Specialist
Shenagh O’Flaherty – SP Art Specialist
We had the opportunity to welcome our new staff formally onsite. As is tradition, our new staff sound their welcome by beating the DunDun and placing a stone within the gabians in the Isivivane garden.
Isivivane
Three sanctuaries of Stone, Tower, Becoming
Individually our stones are Known, cherished, celebrated
Our differences make us strong, our hopes make us one
Our heart beat. Dun Dun
The drum. Dun Dun
Lifting we Rise
Girls of Grit we rise
Woman of courage we rise
Franc ha leal
May you all stay safe and well.
Courage Always,
Kim Lowman
Head: Junior School
Bounce Forward – Resilience and Hope during Uncertainty 
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” (Marie Curie)
There is an immediate necessity to preserve our wellbeing and build resilience at this point in our history, where it is genuinely needed.
At Kingsmead we want to support your daughter’s educational journey and aim to get her ‘school fit’ for a new academic year. More importantly, as we navigate our way through this extraordinary moment in our history, our goal this year within the Senior Primary is to teach yur daughter the tools that would best equip her in becoming far more resilient. This will have a positive impact on how she responds to uncertainty and change and ultimately enables her to bounce forward in the best way possible. To support this goal, your daughter will be guided through a well-planned orientation programme during her first week of Term 1 online.
In line with our orientation slogan ‘GRIT 2021 Champion’, we ultimately want to raise our students’ awareness that GRIT is a trait that can be developed, skills that can be learnt when they are exposed to the right kind of experience, training and practice. GRIT is not merely goal setting or problem solving. Nor is it just being willing to go the extra mile. GRIT is the ability to see the long-term goal, set the goal, define the steps, work towards each step and approach the obstacles and setbacks with solution-focused thinking. This, too, connects to the Habit of Mind of Persisting.
Raising and developing resilience starts with personal resilience. This involves supporting your daughter in helping her to build her self-awareness by recognising what might be getting in her way of success and helping your daughter notice what is going well and celebrating her strengths and victories. To launch this orientation programme, we are privileged to host our guest speaker Kerry Walsh.
Kerry Walsh was diagnosed with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) at the tender age of 1 years old, and has recently graduated with her Honours Degree in Communications. With Kerry’s passion for creating awareness of inclusive and accessible environments, she too has become an SMA ambassador for the Rare Diseases Association. Kerry’s journey and her slogan ‘Championing Change’ was where we drew our inspiration as a team to launch this year’s 2021 Orientation theme ‘GRIT 2021 Champion’.
We look forward to getting to know your daughters’ ambitions for their future selves and to make sure that we teach them what is relevant during these current times. We must remember that resilience and hope go hand-in-hand; they fortify each other, and together we will help your daughter move forward into a prosperous future.
Tarryn McLaren
Deputy: Senior Primary
ARTS & MUSIC
Welcome back to all our parents and students! Despite the different start to this year, the Arts & Music department looks forward to a year of finding joy in making music and connecting with our community throught the Arts.
The Arts & Music department aims to provide a space where every Kingsmead student feels welcome and included; where they can have fun and be themselves. Students who are involved in music, develop a variety of skills and habits, including critical and creative thinking, confidence, resilience, fine and gross motor skills, listening with intent, self-discipline, collaboration and focus. It enhances their health and wellbeing and increases strength and stamina.
“I would teach children music, physics, and philosophy; but most importantly music, for the patterns in music and all the arts are the keys to learning.” ~ Plato
A wide range of instruments are taught by specialist music teachers. Our dedicated, passionate music staff are not only focused on teaching music, but interested in the overall well-being of every one of their students.
We also make it possible for all our musicians to participate in group music making. It is when playing in an orchestra, band or singing in a choir, that music really comes alive! Students can get involved in one of our Choirs, Orchestra, Marimba band or String group. Have a look in the Arts & Music folder for more information and the Music application form. Music lessons are charged at R237/half hour in 2021.
Music groups will start meeting online from Monday, 25 January while Music Theory classes will resume once we are back on campus and can safely combine students from different grades in a class
Watch this video to find out more about Music at Kingsmead.
If you are an existing student of the Music department, please click here to update your details
Visit the Kingsmead Arts & Music YouTube Channel to see what we got up to last year!
Please contact us should you have any questions regarding Arts & Music at Kingsmead.
Have a wonderful, fulfilling and successful term ahead.
Elsabé Fourie Mia Loock
Director of Arts & Media Head of Junior School Music
efourie@kingsmead.co.za mloock@kingsmead.co.za
EQUESTRIAN
Our Kingsmead riders participated in the South African Youth Show jumping Championships held during the December holidays.
South African Youth Show jumping Championships:
The South African Equestrian Association was fortunate enough to receive the go ahead to host the annual South African Youth Championships, which was held in December. The 3 age categories at this event, Pony Rider, Children, and Juniors, saw some of SA’s top young riders competing for these 3 National titles. Jade Anderson and Francesca Logan from Kingsmead Primary competed in the Pony Rider Category (0-16yrs, up to 1.20m), with the main championship class being the 2020 SA Pony Rider 1,20m Championship.
We would like to congratulate the following Kingsmead riders who participated in this event:
- Jade Anderson, who was crowned the 2020 SA Pony Rider 1.20m Champion, riding Lipizza Bannut Ooh La La.
- Francesca Logan, who placed 3rd in the 1.00m SA Pony Rider Championship, riding Equifox Lucy Linden.
