Dear Kingsmead Community,
You can feel the festive vibes on the Junior School campus, and the countdown to the December holidays has begun.
One of the most significant and special things about school is the opportunity to celebrate through certain rites of passage at the end of each year and prepare for a new beginning at the start of each new year.
As we grapple with and plan for 2025, we remain committed to growing our community. It is a privilege to spend time together.
During these final weeks of 2024 at Kingsmead, we will welcome our new families at the various orientation events and assign them to classes and buddies. It will undoubtedly be heart-warming to see how welcoming our students and community will be when they meet their new ‘sisters’.
We also prepare to say farewell to our Grade 7 class of 2024. I am incredibly proud of this group of children who have left their legacy for the younger girls to follow. At the close of term, we celebrate with a final assembly and a special dinner planned by our Grade 6 parent body. We are so grateful for this.
Our Grade 3 girls will also have the opportunity to receive closure on their Foundation Phase schooling as they prepare to enter the next phase of their learning in the Senior Primary.
All of these events add significant value to the Kingsmead experience. As your daughters achieve certain milestones, so do they develop their identity and purpose within our community.
Please refer to the live calendar for all the important events coming up as we prepare to conclude our year, to name a few:
– Junior Primary Parent Connects
– Senior Primary Student-Led Conferences
– Music Concerts
– Mornington and Grade 0 Showcases
– Junior Primary Celebration Assembly
– Grade 4-6 Celebration Assembly
– Grade 7 Celebration Assembly
– Grade 7 Leavers Dinner
– Carol Service
I look forward to meeting with you and celebrating all we have achieved together in 2024 during these pockets of joy.
Thank you,
#Yours in Joy and Possibility
Mrs. Tarryn McLaren
Junior School Head
Because I had a Teacher
Where would we be without them? Teachers are often considered the heart of a school because they are central to the learning process and play a critical role in driving positive change in education. To name a few roles, teachers are mentors, guides, and facilitators who inspire students to explore knowledge, develop critical thinking skills, and become active participants in their learning. With this being said, I am pleased to announce the new staff joining our Kingsmead community in 2025.
Junior Primary
Desiree Spolander joins us from Trinityhouse Randpark Ridge, bringing a deep commitment to educational excellence and social upliftment. Passionate and driven, she values each student’s individuality and is dedicated to making a meaningful impact on their lives. Known for her collaborative spirit, Desiree thrives in team environments and adapts to various leadership styles, all while taking ownership of her responsibilities. Outside the classroom, she enjoys playing tennis, creating music and art, and exploring new cultures and places. We are thrilled to welcome Desiree into our Grade 1 team and look forward to the positive influence she’ll bring to our Kingsmead school community. Welcome, Desiree!
Charlene Araujo is a passionate and adaptable educator committed to inspiring lifelong learning in young students. Known for her creativity in the classroom, Charlene aims to create an engaging and nurturing environment where children feel encouraged and empowered to explore their potential. She values integrity and believes in fostering meaningful connections with her students and their families and colleagues. Through her teaching, she strives to instil confidence, patience, and persistence in her learners, helping them grow into their best selves. Charlene joins us from St Declan’s Boys School. Charlene is excited to expand her experience with various curricula and looks forward to making a positive impact in Grade 2 at Kingsmead in the upcoming year. Welcome, Charlene!
We are excited to welcome Awinè Koekemoer, who joins us as a Teaching Assistant in Grade 0. Her strong dedication to her work brings excellent communication and people skills, particularly in connecting with young students. Awinè has spent the past four years at Selpark Primary, where she honed her expertise in creative lesson planning and presentation. Known for her hardworking and motivated nature, she thrives independently and as a team member. Awine’s passion for teaching and commitment to fostering student growth make her an excellent addition to our school community. Welcome, Awinè!
We welcome Jamie-Lee Barnes as our new Grade 3 teacher. Passionate about inclusive, dynamic learning, Jamie-Lee creates environments where students thrive academically and socially. Jamie-Lee brings innovative teaching skills and values collaboration, building strong relationships with parents, staff, and students. She uses digital tools to enhance learning with experience in the NumberSense and Read Write Inc. programs, as she did her grade three teaching practicals with us earlier this year. She supports literacy and numeracy development through creative strategies like Thinking Maps. Beyond academics, Jamie-Lee focuses on students’ emotional growth, fostering empathy and resilience. Her commitment to a supportive, vibrant school community aligns beautifully with Kingsmead’s vision. Welcome, Jamie-Lee!
Senior Primary
We are thrilled to welcome Daniel Burger to our teaching team in January 2025! Daniel is a dedicated educator passionate about mentoring and empowering young minds. He joins us as the Grade 6 LEAD and English/History teacher. With a commitment to inspiring students to think independently and develop a love for reading, preparing them for an ever-changing world, Daniel brings valuable curriculum development expertise with a strong sports coaching background.
We look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on our students and team alike.
Mieke Kunz joins us from Cape Town to join our incredible Music Department. She is a passionate and very experienced musician and teacher. She has experience teaching music across both junior and senior school grades. Mieke is a skilled orchestral conductor, choir conductor and chamber music musician. She, too, leads various musical ensembles. She specializes in French horn, and her orchestral conducting is supported by national-level experience in South Africa.
We look forward to seeing the positive impact she will have on our students and team alike during her years at Kingsmead, fulfilling the Grade 4 – 7 Music lessons.
We will confirm the Grade Coordinators for 2025 by the end of this year. The full 2025 Junior School staffing complement will be shared at the respective parents’ information evenings in the new year.
With deep sadness, I announce the departure of two of our office staff. Our receptionist, Ms. Itumeleng Sehaswana, and my Executive Assistant, Ms. Khanya Sithole, have decided to develop and grow in other areas outside of Kingsmead. While we are sad to see them leave, we are eternally grateful for all they have done for our beautiful school. They will be missed dearly.
Parent Insert
Food for thought. An interesting book and podcast to engage with as a parent. In Never Enough, award-winning reporter Jennifer Breheny Wallace investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture and discovers what we must do to fight back.
Today’s students face unprecedented pressure to succeed in the ever-more competitive social world and secure the best possible future. They jam-pack their schedules with extra lessons, fill every waking hour, and sabotage relationships with friends to “get ahead.” These additional schedules stretch Family incomes and schedules to the breaking point. Yet this drive to optimise performance has only resulted in skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression, and even self-harm in some of America’s highest-achieving schools. Parents, educators, and community leaders face the same quandary: how can we teach our kids to strive towards excellence without crushing them?
Academics
Students in Grades 4 to 7 are using Matific, an online mathematics programme, to support their mastery of key concepts. They also participate in the annual Matific Olympiad.
Congratulations to Nina Fourie and Phoenix Shi, two phenomenal Grade 7 mathematicians. They both finished in the top achiever group nationally in this competition. To celebrate this accomplishment, each received a R200 Takealot voucher from Matific. We are very proud of you!
Arts & Music
🥳 Congratulations
Our music students have worked tirelessly in preparation for their practical examinations, achieving outstanding results. Congratulations to the following dedicated students for their efforts and commitment: Arizona Lotter, Mpho Chakane, Katie Lawlor, Nondumiso Mabuza, Anvita Nunna, Michaela Stephano, Rafeea Dakri, Zothile Ndiweni, Mieke Pretorius, Saliha Moosa, Zalisidinga Pepeta, Kate Redshaw, Kamogelo Mogane, Isabel Munro, and Nina Fourie.
🎻Upcoming Music Concerts:
The Music department offers a range of music concerts during the year for all students who take individual music lessons. These concerts cannot include every music student in our school but provide performance opportunities for those students who have a piece ready to perform at the time of the concert.
If your daughter does not have a piece that is performance ready at the time of the concert, she has not missed her chance. We also have class concerts, assembly performances and many more concerts during the year. Your daughter’s instrumental/voice teacher will let you know if your daughter is ready to perform in these concerts.
Should your daughter take lessons privately, outside of Kingsmead, and would like to participate in any of these concerts, please contact Mia Loock via email: mloock@kingsmead.co.za
Students must wear their summer school uniform for these concerts and be at the Joel Hall at least 15 minutes before the start of the concert, or earlier, as requested by the teacher. We expect participants to stay until the end of the concert.
Elsabé Fourie
Director of Arts & Music
efourie@kingsmead.co.za
Mia Loock
Head of Junior School Music
mloock@kingsmead.co.za
Sports
Diving
Kingsmead divers represented the school with dedication and resilience on Saturday at Inter Schools, facing rainy conditions that nearly postponed the event. Despite the challenging weather, the divers delivered outstanding performances. Kingsmead’s A team secured 4th place, narrowly missing 3rd by just four points, while the B team achieved a solid 5th place overall.
Notable accomplishments included Ishvara Skosana, who claimed 1st place in the Grade 4A division, and Stella Eager and Luthando Kobus, who earned 2nd and 3rd place in the Grade 5B division, respectively. We are incredibly proud of our divers’ achievements and commitment!
Water Polo
In an exciting water polo fixture against St. Mary’s, both of our teams showcased their skills and teamwork. The mixed team, consisting of Grade 4s and 6s, secured a strong victory with a score of 10-4. Meanwhile, the Grade 6 and 7 team also triumphed, winning 9-5. Congratulations to all players for their outstanding performances!
Soccer
During our weekly fixtures, our teams showcased impressive skill and sportsmanship in their matches against neighbouring schools, achieving outstanding results across all grades.
Grade 3’s Triumph
Our Grade 3 team took on St. Peter’s and Brescia in an exciting series of matches. The girls displayed remarkable teamwork and skill, dominating the fixture and winning most of their games. Their sportsmanship was exceptional, and their courage and determination shone brightly on the field, making it a memorable experience for everyone involved.
Grade 4-7’s Victory
The Grade 4-7 teams faced strong opponents from St. Teresa’s and Roedean. Despite the challenging competition, our girls put on a fantastic performance, winning the majority of their matches. Their sportsmanship and team spirit were evident throughout the games, and their courage never wavered. They gave the other schools tough matches, showing grit and giving their opponents a real run for their money.
Congratulations to all the girls for their hard work and achievements! Their dedication and sportsmanship were an inspiration, and we look forward to seeing them continue to grow and excel on the sports field.
Outside Sport
Cycling
Congratulations to Stella and Mia Eagar for their fantastic performance in the 10km 94.7 MTB! Special kudos to Stella for securing 2nd place in her age division—what an amazing achievement!
Hockey
A few of our Grade 6 girls have showcased their skills in the ongoing Johannesburg Hockey 5 tournament. We wish them all the best for the remainder of the season.
Upcoming Events
13 November: Grade 4 – 7 Water Polo Fixture vs Roedean @ Roedean
14 November: Grade 3 Soccer Fixture vs St Teresa’s/St Andrew’s @ Kingsmead
16 November: Grade 4 – 7 Soccer Fixture vs St Stithians/APPS
Grade 4 – 7 – St Stithians
Please note that there will be no bus for this fixture. Players are to meet at St Stithians by 07:30
21 November: Grade 3 Soccer Fixture vs APPS @ Kingsmead
22 – 23 November: Grade 6/7 Water Polo Tour – Durban
22 November: Grade 4 – 7 Soccer Fixture vs St Peter’s/Brescia
Grade 4 & 5 – Kingsmead, Grade 6 & 7 – St Peter’s
All Grade 6 & 7 players are to travel on the bus to St Peter’s
Here are a few reminders for parents & guardians:
1. Please send any sports achievements (school & non-school) to Mrs Hanekom.
2. A reminder to please download the Kingsmead app as this will be the direct method of communication to parents on sports fixture days.
3. All team lists will be published on the app by no later than Tuesday for a Thursday fixture and the Wednesday before the Friday/Saturday fixture. Please make sure to inform the coaches in advance if your daughter is unable to attend a fixture.
Yours in sport
Shavaun Hanekom
Head of Junior School Sport
Family Time – Time to THUNK in Term 3
A Thunk is a simple question about everyday things designed to stop you in your tracks and to help you to look at the world in a completely different way. Thunks help individuals to develop philosophical thinking, confidence in their own opinions and the ability to listen to others, through open-ended questions where there are no right or wrong answers.
This week’s THUNK: Which is more important, being right or being nice? Give a reason for your answer.