Dear Parents

Thank you to the PTA and our parent body for the organization of the Movie Night on Friday. The rain stayed away and our families had a wonderful time together.

This week we welcome three interns from Pridwin Preparatory School. We have collaborated with Pridwin in an ‘intern swop’ initiative this week. This is a worthwhile opportunity to share experiences with the next generation of great teachers!

We are excited to announce the birth of a new Kingsmead baby! Tania and Robert O’ Maker welcomed their healthy baby boy, Nathan Myles to the world on Monday 26^th March. We wish them much love and happiness.

We wish all our families a blessed Easter break this weekend. A reminder of the early closing times on Thursday morning. If you are travelling, please do so safely. We look forward to welcoming you all back again next Tuesday.

A reminder that due to the change of the reporting cycle, we will not be having a final certificate assembly for academics and music this term. We will celebrate the sport achievements due to the seasonal nature of our sporting codes offered this term, during the final assembly on the 11 April.

Keep well

Regards

Kim Lowman – Head: Junior School

Teacher-Parent Conversations

1. Junior Primary Parent Feedback for Grades 000 – 3 Classrooms

On Tuesday, 3 April from 14:00 – 18:00 and Wednesday, 4 April from 14:00 – 16:00, you are invited to meet your daughter’s teacher for a progress discussion about her social, emotional, physical and academic progress.

Please book online for a time suitable to meet your daughter’s class teacher in her classroom. Bookings will open on 26 March 2018.

Daughter-Teacher-Parent Conversations

2. Senior Primary Parent Feedback Grades 4 – 7

On Tuesday, 3 April from 15:00 – 18:00 and Wednesday, 4 April from 15:00 – 19:00, we invite you to meet your daughter’s teachers for a progress discussion regarding her social, emotional, physical and academic progress. We suggest that Surnames A – L attend on Tuesday, 3 April and M – Z on Wednesday, 4 April.  We encourage your daughter to participate in this constructive, supportive and growth-focused conversation.

Grade 4 meetings

Meet register teachers in their classrooms.

Please book online for a suitable time to meet. Bookings open on 26 March 2018.

Grades 5 – 7 Joel Hall

Meet your daughter’s teachers in the Joel Hall.

These meetings will not be booked as previously stated.

We look forward to our continued engagement with you as we strive to support and extend your daughter in her learning journey. Should you need further clarity, please email me, or another of the deputies, to assist you.

Ingrid Beekhuizen – Head of Academics

 

WEEK AHEAD:

Tuesday 27 Mar

• 18:00 JS Orchestra festival (Kingsmead performing)

 Wednesday 28 Mar  

• Easter egg collection
• 18:00 JS Orchestra festival

Thursday 29 Mar

• 07:45 Grade 7 Easter service
• 09h45 JP Easter picnic
• 11:00 Grade 000 – 3 early closure
• 11:30 Grade 4 – 7 early closure
• Aftercare will run till 13h00

 Friday 30 Mar

• Good Friday

Monday 2 Apr

• Family Day

Tuesday 3 Apr

• 14:00 – 18:00 Grade 000 – 3 Parent interviews
• 15:00 – 18:00 Grade 4 – 7 Parent interviews

 Wednesday 4 Apr     

• 14:00 – 16:00 Grade 000 – 3 Parent interviews
• 15:00 – 19:00 Grade 4 – 7 Parent interviews

Thursday 5 Apr

• Cycle test – English
• JS Sports festival – St Stithians
• 18:00 – 20:00 Kingsmead Music Festival – Rosebank Union Church

Friday 6 Apr

• 07h45 JP Assembly
• JS Sports festival – St Stithians
• 10h45 SP Hymns / Chapel

Saturday 7 Apr

• JS Sports festival – St Stithians
• JS Music Eisteddfod

The JP in action

Along with our focus on play and experiential learning, the Junior Primary teachers and girls have been investigating and implementing STEAM educational initiatives. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths education combines rigorous academic disciplines with the technical challenges of mastering skills in these learning areas. Involvement in these activities help to strengthen and develop critical thinking, creativity and flexible problem-solving skills.

Our focus is on curiosity, exploration, experimentation, wonder and fun. Our girls are naturally curious about the world around them and love to learn through play.  The activities developed for the girls are developmentally appropriate across the Junior Primary grades. It is important to get the balance right between making the activity challenging but keeping it within the girls’ capabilities in order to encourage and motivate them in their learning.

Learning by doing is an essential part of teaching our girls. Hands-on-activities make STEAM experiences more fun, easier to engage with the content and facilitates the development of necessary skills for younger students.

Skills such as collaboration, estimating, calculating, measuring, hypothesising and communicating are developed when engaging in these activities.  The girls are encouraged to take ownership of their projects and to question and offer creative solutions to solving problems.

Observing the girls during these activities gives the teachers an invaluable opportunity to observe how they work together on projects and how they persist and apply the various Habits of Mind. STEAM activities allow the girls to build on what they know, and provides opportunities for empowering our girls to see that they can bring their ideas to life, and create new things and experience new learning opportunities

Irene Illsley  – Deputy Head: Head of JP

Environmental Awareness

Birding Club

Justin Needham Going to war on plastic

According to the official GreenPeace website, “Right now, an estimated 12.7 million tonnes of plastic – everything from plastic bottles and bags to microbeads – end up in our oceans each year. That’s a truck load of rubbish a minute. Travelling on ocean currents this plastic is now turning up in every corner of our planet – from Cornish beaches, to uninhabited Pacific islands. It is even being found trapped in Arctic ice. Our oceans are slowly turning into a plastic soup and the effects on ocean life are chilling. Big pieces of plastic are choking and entangling turtles and seabirds and tiny pieces are clogging the stomachs of creatures who mistake it for food, from tiny zooplankton to whales. Plastic is now entering every level of the ocean food chain and even ending up in the seafood on our plates.” Justin Needham is the owner and founder of Imagined Earth. Justin is a passionate environmentalist, conservationist and recycling fanatic.  Imagined Earth has placed the first reverse vending machines in key locations around Gauteng.  Justin is putting his money where his mouth is.  Hear how you can make a difference to the fauna and flora of our planet.   Not only by changing your consumption habits of single-use plastic containers, but earning reward points by conveniently recycling our plastic and tin items.   We CAN make a tangible difference to the amount of plastic that ends up in our river systems and seas.  Invite friends and family to hear this talk. Date:     THURSDAY  22 MARCH  2018  *NOTE DATE CHANGE* Venue:   Library Hall, Kingsmead College, Tottenham Road, Rosebank Time:     18:30 for 19:00

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Exciting Book Fair Update

Our very own Mahdiyyah (Gr 5) and Taskeen  Wadee (Gr 7) will be launching their books on bird life and rhino conservation respectively, at the Kingsmead Book Fair, Children’s section.

Mahdiyyah’s book is titled:

The Song of the Sunbird

(10h00-10h30, Venue Author Studio, KBF)

This is a tender story of a lost and injured sunbird affected by deforestation, who finds her way into a kind, resourceful little girl’s arms.

Mahdiyyah Wadee, Mark D. Anderson (CEO of BirdLife Conservation South Africa) and Hugh Nethendeen (Photographer of Richard’s BirdLife Manual) will discuss endangered birds and their conservation.

Taskeen’s book is titled:

The Horn of Africa

(13h00-13h30, Venue: Author Studio, KBF).

An inspiring book about a hopeful, little rhino who finds himself separated from his mother.

Tackling South Africa’s greatest conservation challenge of rhino poaching, Taskeen Wadee along with Rhino Conservation expert John Bassi (Pilot and CEO of Bass Air), raise awareness and share insight into the battle to save these gentle giants, while looking at rhinos from an aerial view.

ARTS AND MUSIC NEWS

Upcoming Events: 

Tuesday 27 March	18:00	JS Orchestra Festival	Joel hall
Wednesday 28 March	18:00	JS Orchestra Festival	Joel hall
Thursday 5 April	18:00	Kingsmead Music Festival	Rosebank Union Church

Kingsmead Junior Schools’ Music Festival

This year, Kingsmead will host the 8^th annual Music Festival on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 March in the Joel Hall. The 8 participating schools over the two evenings, will perform a variety of styles of music and it is always a delightful event, much enjoyed by parents and pupils.

Kingsmead will perform on Tuesday 27 March and our programme will include the Junior School Orchestra and Marimba Ensembles. Our girls must wear their summer school uniform and look smart. They must arrive at school by 17h15 and unpack their instruments in the designated room. Refreshments will be served to parents, staff and pupils from 17h00. The concert starts at 18h00 and should be finished by 19h30. There will be no tickets as entry is free of charge. Please note that our girls are expected to stay until the end of the event.

Kingsmead Music Festival 5 April

On the 5^th of April, the Music Department will showcase the Choirs and Orchestras from Grade 2-12 at the Rosebank Union Church. This will be a wonderful evening for parents to spend time together over a cup of soup or a glass of sherry and thereafter be entertained by a varied programme presented by our young musicians. Tickets to go on sale this week.

Elsabé Fourie – Director of Arts & Music

SPORTS NEWS

Karate News:

One of our Grade 7 girls, Soultana Tzitzivacos, competed in a Karate Competition on the 23^rd March. Soultana performed extremely well and won two gold medals. This made her the overall winner in her category and she will now represent Gauteng in May at the South African Championships. Well done, Soultana! We are so proud of you!

Netball:      

Week Behind:

Friday, 23^rd March:

First Netball Matches of the season were all cancelled due to rain.

Week Ahead:

St Stithians Prep Sport Festival:

Dates:                        5^th, 6^th and 7^th April

Transport:              OWN TRANSPORT

The following girls will participate in the St Stithians Prep Sport Festival:

(All participants will receive letters with the necessary information.)

NETBALL:

Grade 5A:

1. Morgan Easter
2. Jessica Stevens
3. Zintle Papiyana
4. Chrismarie Chalmers
5. Emma de Kock
6. Emma Simmonds
7. Francesca Druce
8. Lucy Davis

Grade 6A:

1. Amelia Brown
2. Courtney Cloete
3. Isabella Botha
4. Neo Shibambo
5. Gabriella Dodd
6. Irne O’Neil
7. Emma Keast
8. Jessica Black

Grade 7A:

1. Tasmiyya Bham
2. Keratile Maboka
3. Fatima Peer
4. Paula Prinsloo
5. Natalie Solomon
6. Scarlett Muirhead
7. Anne-Marie Sutherland
8. Gabriela Potgieter

TENNIS:

1. Kristin Brown
2. Alexa Kohler
3. Isabella Sardi
4. Megan Rogan

Next Netball Matches:

6^th April:

NO netball matches due to St Stithians festival

4^th May:

Grade 3 to Grade 7 A to D teams:

Venues:  Grade 3, 6 & 7 AT APPS; Grade 4 & 5 AT KINGSMEAD

Transport:  Grade 3: Bus will leave from Cecil Road Gate AT 12h20. (During their PE Lesson. Matches will start AT 13h15 or as soon as we arrive at APPS.) Parents are welcome to fetch the Grade 3 players AT APPS (14h00), after their matches are finished or the girls can return to Kingsmead after the Grade 6 & 7 matches and then they will only be back at school at approximately 17h00.

Grade 6 & 7:  Bus will leave from Cecil Road Gate AT 13h30 and will return to Kingsmead at approximately 17h00, depending on the traffic.

Hockey News:

Three of our U13 Hockey players played in the final round of trials on Sunday, 25^th March.  Congratulations to Natalie Morris and Anne-Marie Sutherland who were selected for the Southern Gauteng team. Well done, girls!

Equestrian:

Important Dates:

Johannesburg District 2018 Core League QUALIFIER DATES:

• Q3: 19^th and 20^th May
• Q4: 16^th and 17^th June

Gauteng Finals:

• Primary Schools: 28^th and 29^th July

Nationals:

• Primary Schools: During October, dates to be confirmed.

For any information regarding Equestrian contact Ms Feroza Motara. Email: feroza@tangerineds.co.za

Tennis:                   

Extra private tennis lessons are offered at school:

• Coach:           Jade Pondicas
• Email:           jade.pondicas@gmail.com
• Cell:               071 674 2108

GENERAL:

Please Note:

• NO Extra Mural Sport on Thursday, 29^th
• NO Grade 0 Hockey and Grade 4 HOCKEY on 5^th

OUTREACH

 

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