Kingsmead Newsletter December 2021

Dear Kingsmead Community,

This is my last newsletter of the year and I cannot believe how quickly the year has passed. Certainly, much of the middle part of the year was a blur in which I cannot separate the days. This has been an exceptionally tough year personally and I thank the community for your support, particularly when I lost my dear Dad in July.

We would have loved to have ended the year with our Inter-House Arts and our Final Assemblies, but unfortunately had to close early and quickly because of a number of positive cases in the Senior School. Thank you for your understanding in this regard.

Please be on alert for any communication from the school in the new year regarding any sudden changes that might happen before we return to school. We are all hoping to meet onsite with our new Grade 8s on Tuesday 11 January 2022 and the rest of the school on Wednesday 12 January 2022.

At our final Council meeting on 15 November, we said farewell to Nhlanganiso Mkwanazi, who has been our Chair of Council for the past 3 years. Before that he was the Chair of our Financial Committee. I quote the following from the farewell speech on the night:

“Guard that thing which is committed to your charge. Keep it safe, untarnished, happy, free and loyal.”

Doris Vera Thompson said these words in 1944 and they are as relevant today as they were then. I received an email from the previous Chair of Council, Phillip Myburgh on 18 September 2012, stating that Nhlanganiso Mkwanazi could possibly be a successor to our then Chair of Fin Com and that Nhlanganiso, as a new parent at the Junior School, may be reluctant to immediately be immersed in school affairs, but that he (Phillip) knows you well and that he thinks very highly of you. Fortunately for us, you became the Chair of the FinCom and then the Chair of the Council. You have certainly guarded that good thing which has been committed to your charge.

Thank you, Nhlangi for being a sounding-board over the years; for carefully considering matters and thinking deeply about them.  For your vested interest in the school, which is evident and for reading all about the Founder – which has delighted Gillian Wilkinson to no end.

Thank you for steering this ship over the past 2 years, in particular. For the endless calls on a Sunday night or over the weekend, when a decision needed to be made about the closing or the opening of school.

 Thank you that you have shown incredible support of Kim Lowman and myself over the years – trusting in us to lead the school and not getting involved in any operational matters, but keeping a firm eye on our strategic planning. And pushing us to achieve the stretch needed for the strategy.

We have taken the decision to name the new theatre, which became a reality under your leadership – The Mkwanazi Theatre – may it forever hold the legacy of the work that you have done at Kingsmead.”

We were also able to say thank you to Advocate Lara Grenfell (SC) who has served for 4 years on the Council and to Paul Schonborn who has given 9 years of service to the Council.

Simon Fifield will be the in-coming Chair of the Council. Simon has been the Chair of Fin Com and has been the most incredible pillar of support during the past two years, in particular. We are looking forward to working closely with Simon in this role.

Staffing updates:

Suzanne Cambitzis who is currently the Head of the English Department has resigned and will be leaving us at the end of Term I.

We also thank Alexia Osato for helping us in the English Department this year.

Jacqui Aires, who has been teaching English will be leaving us at the end of Term I.

Jane Elsworth has been appointed as my new Executive Assistant as Evani Naidoo will be moving into the Central Admissions Officer role from January. Should you need to get hold of Jane in the new year, her email address is jelsworth@kingsmead.co.za.

Noluthando Mdhluli will be taking over the campus Head of TDI portfolio from Sharekha Banwa who will be concentrating on her role as Deputy Head: Academics in the Senior School.

Catey Moholo has been appointed in the Senior School as a Sesotho teacher.

Danielle Wepener has been made the House Parent of Baker House and Bianca Barnett will be taking over the role as Co-ordinator of the House Parents.

Thato Makae has moved from the Music Reception into the Learning Centre where she will still be coordinating the co-curricular comments for Service, Sport and the Arts, but she will also be working with Sharekha Banwa and Shamila Chiman on our Engage Admin system and on information and entries from the Independent Examinations Board.

The Marketing and Admissions Department will be moving into the old Music Reception early in the new year and we will let parents and staff know where they will need to fetch and deliver items to the school.

I wish all our new staff and those in new roles, every success in the year ahead. We will also have an opportunity to say a proper farewell to those leaving us at the end of the first term and we will announce the new teachers in a letter before the start of the year.

I wish you a wonderful, restful holiday break and I look forward to seeing you onsite at the start of the new year.

Fondest regards

Lisa Palmer
Executive Head: Kingsmead College

Arts News

Well done to all our musicians who participated in the Kingsmead Music Eisteddfod, wrote Music Theory or played graded Practical Examinations this term. We received the most wonderful, positive and congratulatory feedback from the examiners and adjudicators about the outstanding teaching at Kingsmead. Thank you to our supportive parents, committed students and exceptional music staff!

Congratulations to Nazrana Jhavary who has had a very busy term on the music front and achieved outstanding results. She participated in an Online Music Talent Showcase in October and achieved 88%, 91%, 94% for her respective performances. She also completed both the Grade 7 and 8 ABRSM Flute Examinations this year and achieved 87% for Grade 7 and 85% for Grade 8. We are proud of you, Nazrana!

MUSIC CONCERTS

Well done to all our musicians who performed in our music concerts this term. It has been an absolute joy to see how our students have grown and developed in their playing and singing.

Thank you to our parents for your ongoing support of the Arts & Music at Kingsmead. We wish you a blessed and restful break, wonderful festive season and look forward to see you in 2022!

Elsabé Fourie
Director of Arts & Music

Academic News

FRENCH

Prize giving ceremony – It’s time to reignite the stars – Il est grand temps de rallumer les étoiles

We had a fun afternoon at Alliance Française in Pretoria to celebrate the exciting work that French students from all over Gauteng had created for this competition.

Ella Hunt was the winner of the poetry section and was invited by the French Ambassador to meet him at the Embassy for a chat, to share some croissants and to read her beautiful poem.

Ntandoyenkosi Ngwenya, Carys du Toit, Relebohile Goeieman, Zenande Guzana  received a special mention for their catchy song and humorous video.

We are immensely proud of our students.

Joelle Harding
Senior School French Teacher

OutVenture

The Grade 9s successfully completed the requirements for an Adventurous Journey for The President’s Award during OutVenture this term. This expedition consisted of adventurous activities like hiking and paddling in the beautiful Magoebaskloof area of the Limpopo province. Students were required to navigate, plan menus, cook meals, carry gear and set up camp. The expedition also involved community service work at Haernertsburg Primary School.

Thank you to Townsend Adventure Lifestyles for facilitating the camp and to the Kingsmead staff who accompanied the students and bravely faced all the challenges (and the weather) with the Grade 9s: Ms Saartjie Venter, Ms Renee Viviers, Ms Bianca Meyer, Ms Apel Kunene, Ms Tracey Minnie and Mrs Jenny Venter.

Jenny Venter
The President’s Award Leader

Service News

CLOTHES TO GOOD

1.2 tons of clothing were donated to Clothes to Good and more than 600 toys were made in the Clothes to Play programme, supporting ECD centres in Diepsloot. Clothes to Good is a textile recycling and disability empowerment organisation. Thank you for supporting this great initiative and creating change through recycling.

SENIOR SCHOOL VOLUNTEERING

In spite of limited volunteering opportunities this year, the senior school students logged an incredible 6 860 hours of volunteering in 2021! Thank you for your continued support to our community partners and the positive impact you are making in your communities.

CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

Jenny Venter
Director of Service

School Magazines

A reminder that the 2019 and 2020 school magazines have been published in a digital format and can be found online:
2019
2020