Dear Kingsmead Community,
How lovely it is to have all our students back on the campus. What a joy it is to be able to greet you and to see you interacting with so many of your friends (from a good social distance).
September is heritage month, with the Government theme being: “Celebrating South Africa’s living human treasures.” We draw inspiration from the preamble to our Constitution:
We, the people of South Africa,
Recognise the injustices of our past;
Honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land;
Respect those who have worked to build and develop our country; and
Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity.
We therefore, through our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of the Republic so as to
- Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights;
- Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law;
- Improve the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and
- Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.
May God protect our people.
Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso.
God seën Suid-Afrika. God bless South Africa.
Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika. Hosi katekisa Afrika.
I hoped that you joined together on 24 September to celebrate the cultural wealth in our country and to acknowledge the cultural heritage that makes up our diverse population.
I found the following 6 different kinds of courage and was thinking of how many of our staff and students are using all of these at this time:
“Courage Always”
Physical Courage: To keep going with resiliency, balance and awareness
Social Courage: To be yourself unapologetically
Moral Courage: Doing the right thing even when it’s uncomfortable or unpopular
Emotional Courage: Feeling all your emotions (positive and negative) without guilt or attachment
Intellectual Courage: To learn, unlearn and relearn with an open mind
Spiritual Courage: Living with purpose and meaning through a heart-centred approach towards all life and oneself
(taken from Wishing Well Today)
I wish you all a happy and healthy term ahead.
Fond regards
Lisa Palmer
Executive Head: Kingsmead College
Long Service Awards
Arts News
KINGSMEAD GLEE IN VIRTUAL CHORAL CELEBRATION GIRLS CHOIRS FESTIVAL
The Choral Celebration Network Foundation showcases the value of choirs through concerts, festivals & events in South Africa, Africa & Internationally. During lockdown, they continued to create opportunities for choirs to hear and see each other and put together a number of choir festivals. Choir singing is part of our fibre and not being able to make music together has been tough for musicians all over the world. We miss the sense of community, the enriching experience of expressing ourselves through music and the excitement of performing. While we wait patiently for our chance to sing together again, please enjoy this wonderful festival of Girls Choirs from all over the country. Have a look at the CCNF Facebook page to see all the other Choir Festivals they have launched over the last few weeks and months, including Boys Choirs, Youth Choirs and the latest, University Choirs.
If you haven’t seen it yet, here is the Glee performing ‘For Good’ from the musical ‘Wicked’: CCNF Girls Choirs Festival. (Kingsmead is at 24:47 on the video)
WELCOME
We welcomed two new teachers to the Music Department during lockdown:
Justin Wardle – Piano and Abraham Mennen – Saxophone
We hope that they will both have a long and happy association with Kingsmead!
Music Individual Tuition:
- Applications are open for all instruments and voice. Look on the Arts & Music folder and click on Music Applications to apply for lessons.
- Piano, strings and drum kit lessons may take place at school. However, it is up to each music teacher to decide when they return to teach on campus. Please communicate with your daughter’s teacher directly about returning to lessons on campus.
- Before and after school, students must wait in the foyer on the blue chairs before their lessons, make sure to go through the screening process before their lesson and be signed in by their teacher.
- Parents must please collect students as soon after their lesson as possible.
- No lessons before 06h45 or after 18h00.
GROUP MUSIC & EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
- Music theory classes will remain online for now – please communicate with your daughter’s theory teacher to arrange a short individual lesson at a reduced price.
- Orchestras, Ensembles and Choirs are not allowed on campus yet.
- We are excited to have Marimba sessions for all grades in the afternoons. The schedule is available on the App. Sign-up links will be sent every Friday for the week ahead.
- Activities offered by external service providers are not yet offered on campus.
- Participants will go through screening at the beginning of each session and must wear a mask.
Marimba FUN last week! It is wonderful to hear the marimbas every afternoon!
DANCE
We are thrilled to announce that the JOZI Youth Dance Company has joined the Arts & Music department at Kingsmead. From next year they will run our Dance studio every afternoon and offer (RAD) Ballet, Modern and Traditional African Dance. We look forward to having this exceptional team of diverse dancers at Kingsmead!
The term ahead:
The Arts & Music dates planner is available on the App in the Arts & Music folder. Please note that the dates are subject to change and details of all the events will be shared closer to the time. The term calendar include a Music Eisteddfod, internal practical and theory examinations and music concerts. Due to popular demand, we will have a few more ‘Concerts in the Lounge’ over the next month. Keep an eye on the App and on the Kingsmead Arts & Music YouTube channel!
VISUAL ART
The Grade 11s recently set up their site-specific artworks around the Senior School. Have a stroll around the school – on walls, in ponds and various other places, you will see these interesting works. Take the time to read the rationale for each work as they will give you insight into the work and the message of the artist.
Should you have any questions or queries about Arts & Music at Kingsmead please do not hesitate to contact me. The Arts & Music department wishes you a wonderful and successful term ahead!
Elsabé Fourie
Director of Arts & Music
Sport News
SQUASH
The u15A and u16A teams finished second in their league this past season. Congratulations to the following players:
U15A
Leah Falcon, Megan Taylor, Ella Schonborn, Kate Ramsbotham, Sabrina Peverelle, Dayannah Joosub.
U16A
Rachel Shannon, Natalie Solomon, Alice Behr, Nazrana Jhavary, Philippa Rohrs, Tasmiyya Bham.
Congratulations to Katey Wijtenberg (u18), Rachel Shannon and Natalie Solomon (u16) for being selected into the provincial squash teams, unfortunately they have been unable to compete due to Covid.
DIVING
Congratulations to Sarah Benning on being selected for the South African Schools Junior Diving Team that is scheduled to compete in Ukraine later this year.
Virtual Run on 3 October
Various schools have decided to take on this fun challenge, lots of prizes will be awarded – the most kilometres run by a school, the student/staff who runs the most km. It would be wonderful to have as many participants as possible. Details have been distributed.
Reminder: There are fitness, strength and conditioning sessions in the afternoons, so please sign-up and meet us at the gym.
Robert Pullen
Director of Sport
Academic News
LIFE SCIENCES
The Grade 11 students have started studying their Grade 12 work with the interesting topic of DNA structure, function and the application of it in areas like forensics and epigenetics. To enrich their understanding and to see what DNA actually looks like, the students did a practical where they extracted DNA from a banana. The process involves mashing the bananas, adding a selection of substances like dishwashing liquid and meat tenderizer, and then carefully pouring cold ethanol into the solution to allow the DNA to precipitate. The students thoroughly enjoyed seeing the DNA develop and seeing a specimen of a molecule that is so tiny and hidden away in our cells.
Angela Norman-Smith
HOD Science
GROWTH CURRICULUM
Existence
In the Element of Existence Module, the Grade 9 group are studying the Respiratory System in the Life Sciences section. The students got the opportunity to watch a demo dissection of a cow’s lung as a way to better understand the structure of our lungs. This dissection was conducted to enrich and extend the students understanding about the functioning of each structure within a lung, and how the parts work together to allow breathing to occur. The students got to see the cartilage present in the trachea and how the bronchi split into each lung. The dissection was an great learning experience and the explanation provided the Grade 9s with wonderful insight into the lungs and Respiratory System.
Keitumetse Makhanya
Grade 9 Student
Good to Grow
The Grade 8 ‘Good to Grow’ Growth Curriculum module creates space to wonder about the current and future challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship. Together we explore themes of social entrepreneurship, corporate responsibility, sustainable fashion, advertising and the importance of our business actions through the lens of Economic and Management Sciences, Computer Literacy and Service.
The social enterprise, Clothes to Good, forms a key focus and case study in the ‘Good to Grow’ module. Clothes to Good focuses on three main revenue generating and social impact operations, namely: (1) Recycling used and new clothes through Clothes to Good programmes at schools and businesses. (2) Upcycling clothes, shoes and retail apparel into Early Childhood Development toys for low resourced crèches. (3) Providing life skills and supported employment services to students with disabilities.
We had the privilege to invite the Founder and Managing Director of Clothes to Good, Mr Jesse Naidoo, as a guest speaker on Friday 18 September. The Grade 8 students had a chance to interact with Mr Naidoo on our digital platform, Teams.
He shared his story about starting Clothes to Good, the experiences, growth and contributions of this social enterprise. He also spoke about the daily challenges a social enterprise may face.
The Grade 8 students are looking forward to making toys of recycled clothing. During Goodwill Week, we will have sessions facilitated by the Grade 8s for the Junior School:
Monday – Thursday (5-8 October) from 14h30-16h00 every day.
Later this term in the ‘Good to Grow’ module, the Grade 8s will pretend that they own one of the microbusinesses buying clothes from Clothes To Good in order to resell again for profit. They will apply the Business Model Canvas to develop a business plan for their business. They will also develop a digital advertisement and budget for their business.
Liezel van Lith
Afrikaans, Business Studies and EMS
Service News
This year our Goodwill celebrations are extended to an entire week.
DONATE YOUR PREVIOUSLY LOVED CLOTHES AND BOOKS
Springclean your cupboards and shelves and support our Clothes To Good and Book Collection.
Be a fashion recycler and receive a 15% H&M discount voucher when you donate a bag of clothes. The Clothes To Good collection programme is an initiative that works to prevent unwanted clothes and textiles from going to landfills. Clothes To Good use recycled clothes to create value for as many people as possible by creating inclusive jobs and micro-businesses.
Donation bags and permission slips are available from Music Reception.
COURAGE VIRTUAL ARTS EXHIBITION
Participate in the Courage Virtual Arts Exhibition by painting and donating a canvas in support of Courage Child Portection.
Please find information attached or visit the following link http://www.showofcourage.com/ for details on how to enter, where the virtual exhibition will be, some inspiration from previous years and how to purchase the artwork.
Anyone (staff and students) are invited to participate or to support this initiative by purchasing an artwork. For every artwork sold, one Courage Child Protection kit will be donated.
GOODWILL BLOOD DRIVE
SUPPORT OUR PARTNER ORGANISATIONS
Although we won’t have the opportunity to spend the day with our partner organisations, you can donate towards Rays of Hope, Bunny Hop Haven, Guild Cottage and Fight with Insight and celebrate Goodwill Week with them even while we are apart.
RISE AGAINST HUNGER PACKING EVENT
Bring the entire family and join us in packing 10 000 meals per hours for Rise Against Hunger.
SERVICE ACTIVITIES DURING GOODWILL WEEK
Grade 6-12 students are invited to participate in the various service activities on campus during Goodwill Week. Grade 000-5 can participate in Flower Crown Making and Clothes to Play (making toys from recycled clothing) at home. Please request a Flower Crown@Home or Clothes to Play@Home kit by emailing service@kingsmead.co.za.
WALK FOR GOOD
Walk for Good in your own neighbourhood with your family on Saturday 10 October. Please keep an eye out for communication from the PTA on how to register and donate. Junior School students can start preparing their outfits as they will be walking in support of their partner organisations. Preschool and Senior School students will walk in flower crowns in celebration of Garden Day.
CELEBRATE GARDEN DAY
Celebrate Garden Day by wearing a flower crown to school on Thursday (Senior School).
Jenny Venter
Director of Service
Thank you message from the Alfonso family.
Mikayla Alfonso and her dad, Gary, would like to thank the Kingsmead PTA, as well as co-ordinators Justine and Kate, for their incredible support of Mikayla’s terminally ill mom Teresa during the past few months. The PTA arranged for special meals and healthy liquid supplements from FitChef when the brain cancer Teresa was battling rendered her too weak. Teresa passed away on 19 September 2020, but the support of the Kingsmead PTA will be remembered for a long time.
Mr Alfonso
Kingsmead College Parent
Yana du Plessis
We are thrilled to announce that matric student, Yana du Plessis has been awarded her Springbok Scout! Very well earned. Yana is the third Scout at Craighall Park Scouts to have earned her award in the last year!
