December proved to be a great end to a wonderful 2019 and January an exciting start to the year ahead at Kingsmead College. Here are a few highlights from the past 2 months:
Our Grade 9s enjoyed a service excursion during Wellness Week building dog runs for Rainbow Nation at Piels Farm in Sedibeng.
As a continuation of our pledge to stand against Gender Based Violence and as a mark of the 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse, we have taken the Pinky Promise pledge against Gender Based Violence by painting a pinkie black.
Goju Karate Academy equipped our Grade 10 students with self defense skills.
Kingsmead Grade 11 students, Emily van der Want, Zahraa Minty and Rochelle Coetser were interviewed on Joanne Joseph’s show on 702, discussing Erin Morgenstern’s new book ‘The Starless Sea’.
A huge congratulations to all of our students from Kingsmead College who represented Central Gauteng Water Polo at the inter-provincial tournament.
Special award recipients at our final assemblies included a group of staff who have joined the ‘Learn to Swim’ Programme and another group who completed their Level 1 First Aid. Congratulations to everyone who was courageous and made the leap to try something new!
Our Grade 8 learners made 80 numeracy boards at Timbuktu in the Valley at Victoria Yards to assist local children with maths learning and number sequencing.
The President’s Award Adventurous Journey included paddling on the Touw River and exploring the magnificent sights of the Outeniqua trail.
Kingsmead College PTA donated a sign to the paediatric burns unit at Baragwanath Hospital in Gauteng.
Four Student Sponsorship Programme (SSP) students collectively reaped 14 distinctions for Kingsmead College in the recent 2019 IEB matric examinations.
The learners are Katlego Kgomari (four distinctions), Jenifer Iwuanyanwu (five distinctions), Tinyiko Chauke (two distinctions) and Tanya Swartz (three distinctions).
There was much excitement on the first day of the school year as we wished our Kingsmead community a fantastic 2020!
Smiles, excitement and skipping into 2020! Welcome to all our Bluebells, Buttercups, Butterflies and Grade 0 students and families, who started school on 16 January 2020. Wishing you a year of friendships, fun and discovery.
January the 16th had Karen Landi facilitating an Inclusion Workshop here at Kingsmead College. It was incredibly humbling and really informative. Claudine Storbeck – the Head of Deaf Studies at WITS, Vicky Lamb – Autism SA, and Naomi Schauer and her incredible team from CONNECKT gave so generously of their knowledge and experience. The workshop was very interactive and provided insight into the deaf, autistic, and people with disabilities. They thanked Jenny Venter and the Kingsmead Community for opening our hearts and minds and making them feel so welcome!
The South African Guide-dogs Association visited the Senior School during Wellness Week and brightened up the first week of school.
A big thank you to Goju Karate Academy for teaching us valuable self-defense skills during Wellness Week in January.
The first ever Inter-house Service event at Kingsmead: houses competed in Make-a-Pad, Build-a-Veggie-Crate and Pack-a-Meal rotations. Thank you to Dignity Dreams, Community Hours and Rise Against Hunger for facilitating the activities.
The Senior Primary students started the year with a little two-step and cha-cha as they were entertained by Ryan Hammond and his wife Angelique (both dancers from Dancing with the Stars SA). They also inspired the students with their stories of persistence, hard work and appreciation.
The Grade 5 Orientation Week ended on a high note with the “Ready, Steady, Cook! Challenge”. Our take on Masterchef, the girls used their imaginations, some research skills, a dash of creativity and plenty of experimentation to create a 3-course menu to serve to their parents on a Weber Braai. This certainly drew on several Habits of Mind as the girls were Creating, Imagining and Innovating, teachers were Gathering Data through all the Senses (who can resist the smell of a good braai) and we welcomed parents with Wonderment and Awe!
Congratulations to the following members of staff on their years of service. We would like to thank and celebrate their commitment and loyalty to Kingsmead College.
5 years: Apel Kunene, Verlin Govender, Annemarie Linsell, Jenny Hanan, Mickie Nyambose, Derek Hird and Bianca Rademacher
10 years: Denise Schefermann, Phumzile Masetlwa and Glenda Cressy
15 years: Shane Raphalalani
25 years: Albert Simata
The Grade 8s experienced different volunteering opportunities at their visits to ASHA crèches, Dlala Nje, Fight with Insight, Rietvlei Zoo Farm, SPCA and The Wilds.
Congratulations to Silver and Gold participants of The President’s Award for successfully completing the Adventurous Journey component of the programme. The trip included paddling on the Touw River and hiking the first three days of the Outeniqua trail.