Dear Parents,

Nowadays there are so many suggestions on what it takes to raise a child in a healthy, balanced way. So much of the research is interesting, yet can be overwhelming and even at times, can feel contradictory…make sure you are giving your children opportunities to stretch, but also give them balance… you can imagine my relief when I found this great article which I felt just took us right back to the basics.

The article, written by Lauren Tamm is entitled “Boundaries, Routines and Early Bedtimes: 13 Habits that Raise Well-Adjusted Kids.” Through it, I believe Tamm has achieved her mission statement which is to help others discover ‘simple tools that minimise stress, create peace and build connection.’

In summary, these 13 habits are:

Boundaries: Tamm says remember that boundaries are brick walls, not doors that swing open, and that we need to be certain of what our real boundaries are, so that they provide children with a sense of safety and the ability to thrive.
Routines: these provide for a sense of control, which can be lacking in this busy lifestyle we all lead.
Early Bedtimes: Tamm reminds us that sleep is the building blocks for healthy brain development.
Empathy: Tamm quotes Dr Michele Borba, ““Empathy promotes kindness, prosocial behaviours, and moral courage, and it is an effective antidote to bullying, aggression, prejudice and racism. It’s why Forbes urges companies to adopt empathy and perspective-taking principles, the Harvard Business Review named it as one of the ‘essential ingredients for leadership success and excellent performance.’”. This really says it all.
Hugs: We need 12 hugs a day for growth. It releases oxytocin and enhances growth.
Playful parents: Tamm says, “Work is the play of the child and to connect with our kids, we must play with our kids.”
Outdoor time: Movement assists with everything from creativity to academic success to emotional stability, according to Meryl Davids Landau, author of Enlightened Parenting.
Chores: Tamm cites research that indicates that children who have a set of chores have a higher self-esteem, are more responsible and are better able to deal with frustration and delay gratification, all of which contribute to a higher degree of success at school.
More screen-time limits: Outdoor play is essential for the neural networks of the brain to develop normally during childhood. These stimuli are not found on tablets, says Dr Liraz Margalit.
Experiences, not things: Tamm reminds us that memories are made of times together, not material goods.
Slow moving days: Take a moment to pause and enjoy your children.
Books read to them: This is an incredibly important time which builds children’s ability to speak, interact, bond with parents and read, says Amy Joyce, a parenting writer.
Music: Music helps children to develop the necessary neurophysiological distinctions between certain sounds which aids in literacy.

For the full article which includes further links and suggestions, Please Click Here

Dr Marisa Di Terlizzi
Deputy Head: Head of Senior Primary

Grade 7 Leadership

Congratulations to our Grade 7s of 2020 for unpacking their true understanding of leadership at their latest Leadership Assembly held on Monday 3 February. The students shared their essential core values which included:

a sense of belonging – a sisterhood;
positive influence;
determination

these aim to assist them in building a sense of commitment and resilience during this year. They, too, created an inspiring mission statement that we look forward to witnessing them live out in thought, word and deed!

Sisters with courage, stand together in green!

Leadership Positions 2020:

Grade 7 Committees – Semester I

Class Committee

Green Committee

Hall and Spiritual Committee

Library Committee

Service Committee

Technology Committee

TDI Committee

Tuck Shop Committee

Grade 7 Committee List SEMESTER I 2020

Hall & Spiritual

Mentor: Karen Muller and *Gillian Wilkinson

Rethabile Ramaphakela, Dahlia Shakinovsky, Lucy Davis, Haala Hassim, Jessica Stevens.

Tuck shop

Mentor: Pearl Makhene and *Geraldine Church

Ilhaam Adam, Jessi Huang, Unathi Phala, Ansha Hussain & Keya Ravjee.

Technology

Mentor:Faye Hastings-Brown

Jessica Linfield,Victoria-Rose Dempers & Lathitha Ngqula.

Green

Mentor: Cindy Dalling

Emma de Kock, Sarah van der Want, Erin Grubb, Kara Smith, Kim Sutherland, Karabo Matsoso, Ella Stuart, Emma Glyn-Jones, Mahdiyyah Wadee, Sarah Florence, Banothile Makhunga and Giorgia Wickins.

Class

Mentor: Elaine von Hoesslin

Daniela Murill, Naqiyya Timol, Gemma Bouche, Amaani Essack Annabelle Smith, Xiluva Ngahu, Mia Simcock, Holly Franks, Nabeeha Mahomed
Lamiya Wing Yip, Zahra Khan, Tasmiya Peer, Georgia Wall, Layya Choonara, Matsie Mageza, Victoria Staples, Siyanda Mhlongo, Nobuntu Mkwanazi.

Service

Mentors: Lauren Myburgh and Maryanne Clegg

Rachael Fifield, Claire Brickhill, Zara Fleming, Ameera Allie, Rania Motara, Helena van der Merwe, Lia Stravino, Francesca Druce, Amy Falcon, Chrismarie Chalmers and Morgan Kohler.

TDI

Mentors: Elizabeth Donalson and SheillahMuchauraya

Zia Dasoo, Khanyisa Papiyana, Carys Glyn-Jones, Thiya Naidoo, Bibi-Fathima Peer, Morgan Bunkell
Zahra Laher and Emma Simmonds.

Library

Mentors: Tania O’Maker and Ntombi Mtwethwa

Zoey Anderson, Juliana Hlazo, Rebecca Mills, Haaniya Sarang, Neha Dullabh, Maleeha Moosa, Anjé Prinsloo and Meagan Stewart.

Sports Captains 2020

BACK ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
Jessica Stevens (water polo); Khanyisa Papiyana (netball); Victoria Staples (hockey); Holly Franks (swimming).

Front row
Morgan Kohler (tennis); Matsie Mageza (diving); Rania Motara (equestrian); Carys Glyn-Jones (athletics).

Arts and Culture Captains 2020

BACK ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
Annabelle Smith (choir); Sarah Florence (orchestra); Lathitha Ngqula (marimbas); Jessica Linfield (orchestra)

Front row
Morgan Bunkell (choir); Sarah van der Want (Glee); Lia Stravino (marimbas).

Junior School Thinking Orientation

Please see below an invitation to the Thinking Orientation and Please Click here to RSVP

SERVICE

Rays of Hope

There was a wonderful response from our Kingsmead students in the Junior and Senior Schools to the first get-together this past Saturday with the children and carers from ‘Rays of Hope’. This organisation supports child-headed households. The students played with the children in the playground and aided them in completing a phonics activity. When the lightning alarm went off we all came under cover to do an art activity, the children drew and painted lovely self-portraits. Many of our students also made games and posters that the children could take back to use at the Homework Club. We ended a happy afternoon singing a few songs together. It is always amazing and humbling to see the joy and energy the children from ‘Rays of Hope’ bring to our school despite the difficulties they face.

Footloose Friday

Celebrate Valentine’s by donating your gently worn shoes on Friday 14 February for Footloose Friday. Please tie shoes together with the shoelaces or an elastic band. The collection will take place on the cricket pitch from 7h15 until 8h15. Beneficiaries include Sunshine Association, Fight with Insight, Rays of Hope, Isipho Primary School, Hotel Hope and Dlala Nje.

New partnership with Isipho Primary School

We are very excited to announce a new partnership with Isipho Primary School in Soweto. The partnership is aimed at assisting with Saturday mathematics classes and netball coaching, but we trust that it will grow beyond this initial scope. Students and staff will visit Isipho on Saturdays to assist with tutoring and coaching.

Service Excursions
Grade 7s are invited to join the Senior School Service Excursions in the afternoons from 14h30 until 17h00. Transport is provided and Grade 7s can sign up with the online link emailed to them. Upcoming excursions:

Wednesday 5 February – Sunshine Association
Thursday 13 February – Park Care
Friday 6 March – The Bunny Hop Haven
Saturday 14 March (8h00-13h00) – Isipho Primary School

Jenny Venter
Director of Service

ARTS & MUSIC

GROUP MUSIC MAKING

It is when playing together that music starts making sense. It is essential that all our young musicians participate in group music making. The choirs, orchestra, ensembles, wind band and marimba groups offer ample opportunity to make music together. All string and wind players should join either the orchestra and/or string/flute/wind ensembles.

PERSISTENCE & CONSISTENCY

Learning an instrument develops a range of habits; skills and values that have a lifelong positive impact on people’s lives. One of these habits is persistence. The secret to success in music studies, is consistency: to play as often as possible and attend lessons regularly. Playing a musical instrument requires understanding of what to do, but even more so, muscle memory and recall. Consistent practise is essential. What does practise mean:

Regular revision of the music being learned and music learned before, using the correct technique and posture, actions and fingers
Accurately repeating the music as often as possible
Frequently playing through technical exercises and sight reading (short musical extracts to practise reading of music notation)

Please develop a practice routine at home to support your daughter’s musical journey.

COME AND MEET US!

We invite all our music parents to attend a lesson or rehearsal in the week of 10-14 February and join us for a cup of coffee and a treat on Tuesday morning 11 February *7h15-8h15. The music teachers would love to meet the parents and guardians of the students they teach! We hope to see you there.

Please RSVP: RSVP Meet your daughter’s Music Teacher Coffee Meet & Greet’

*Please note that the event was originally scheduled as a cocktail party in the evening but a morning coffee seemed to suit more of our parents.

Elsabé Fourie Mia Loock
Director of Arts & Music Head of Junior School Music
efourie@kingsmead.co.za mloock@kingsmead.co.za

SPORTS
From the Sports Desk

Parent coffee mornings

A huge thank you to all our parents who attended our summer sport coffee mornings. Below is a summary of information discussed for the benefit of the parents who were unable to attend.

The Sports Department took this opportunity to re-cast its vision and ethos that forms the foundation of our physical education curriculum and extra-curricular programme.

According to the Long-Term Human Development (LTHD) philosophy our programmes for our Junior Primary (JP) focus on developing the fundamental skills with the main emphasis on basic movement, exposure to multiple activities, structured and unstructured play. At this level, competition is discouraged, and the main emphasis is on FUN.

Our Senior Primary (SP) are exposed to fundamental sport skills. At this level they begin to learn how to train. Competition is introduced, however, the ratio of hours of training remains higher than that of competition.

The structure of the physical education lessons was explained to show the variety offered to the students. The department has included a core training session in all lessons and all grades. Research has shown that young female adolescents have poor upper body and core strength. This puts the female athletes at a disadvantage.

Swimming and tennis, we identified as the “priority” summer sport for EC Cycle 1A. In the event there is a clash of activities, students must attend these sessions. Diving has been introduced as it is one of the few disciplines that requires early specialisation and hence the decision to include it in all three terms.

Swimming was discussed at length. Swim Waves; the new service provider is currently in negotiations with the Head of Operations at Kingsmead College. Once the contract has been finalised the company will become more visible on pool deck after the school’s EC programme. For the parents wanting to sign their daughters up for private or ‘Learn to Swim’ lessons please refer to the school app under ‘Sport’ for contact details.

It must be noted that the presence of Swim Waves at Kingsmead does not replace the schools’ swimming programme. For the swimmers who are passionate about swimming and would like to extend themselves, this will provide them with an opportunity to do so.

Non-team swimming will be implemented in EC Cycle 1B which will commence 2^nd week of March. Unfortunately, due to poor attendance in the previous term; as well as the tight roster on our pool space, we have decided to focus on team swimming practices for our 3 teams for this cycle. We would like the parents to know that the students who are on the cusp of making it into the C teams have been included in the C team squad and therefore are receiving training that will ensure that if they improve their times, they too will be included in competitive galas.

The girls who are yet to make this cut, are receiving swimming training in their physical education classes and are encouraged to try out other sport whilst they await the non-team swimming sessions in Cycle 1B. Exposing our students to multiple activities is very important in alignment with our (LTHD).

Research has shown the following:

Swimming greats such as Michael Phelps began swimming at the age of 7.
- He held world records at the age of 15.
- His success is also attributed to the fact that he has size 14 feet and has hyperextended joints which allow him to bend his ankles 15% more than his fellow competitors.
- Rick Madge (coach of the Mighty Tritons in the USA), explains in his article, “How hard should we push our young swimmers”, that such genetically gifted swimmers like Phelps will make it to the top but they only make up 0.001% of the competitive swimmers.
“Studies also indicate that an early start can be beneficial to all swimmers. It is the early specialization and early intense training that causes a tremendous fallout of swimmers who tire of the demands of the sport or have stopped improving relative to their peers. And now we are talking about the 99.999% of competitive swimmers who do not become elite” https://coachrickswimming.com The table below summarises the above information concisely.

https://coachrickswimming.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/top-100

The assumption that intense training from a young age will ensure success is problematic. Our role as a school is to provide our swimmers with some balance so as to ensure that their experience is a positive one that will guarantee that they will continue to swim and hopefully peak in their early 20’s or most importantly that they remain active in their adulthood.

Sport Captains for 2020

All grade 7 students, regardless of team, were given the opportunity to apply to become captains of their sport of choice. In their motivation, the students answered several questions on leadership and what their contribution would be to warrant a successful season as a leader. Names were collated for the respective sport ballots and all the Grade 6 and 7 students were invited to vote. Congratulations to our sport leaders for 2020.

EQUESTRIAN NEWS

South African National Equestrian Schools Association (SANESA):

Qualifier 1 – 1st & 2nd of February
The Kingsmead Junior School Equestrian team had a very successful weekend at Eaton Farm, Kyalami. We had 11 girls competing across a range of disciplines: Amy Falcon, Faye Pienaar, Francesca Logan, Helena van der Merwe, Humayrah Ebrahim, Jade Anderson, Katherine Papadopoulos, Nuhaa Patel, Rania Motara, Sarah Florence and Taylor Prinsloo.

Congratulations to the following girls for being placed in the top of their classes:

Francesca Logan:
3rd in Level 3 Prix Caprilli Test A
3rd in Level 3 Performance Riding
3rd in Level 3 Working Hunter

Helena van der Merwe
2nd in Level 3 Handy Hunter

Humayrah Ebrahim
3rd in Level 1 Dressage Test B

Jade Anderson:
1st in Level 7 Handy Hunter
2nd in Level 6 Show Jumping Round 1
2nd in Level 5 Performance Riding

Katherine Papadopoulos:
2nd in Level 1 Prix Caprilli Test A
2nd in Level 1 Handy Hunter

Rania Motara:
1st in Level 3 In Hand Utility
2nd in Level 3 Dressage Test A
2nd in Level 3 Performance Riding
2nd in Level 3 Working Riding
3rd in Level 1 Performance Riding

Sarah Florence:
2nd in Level 2 Prix Caprilli Test B

Taylor Prinsloo:
1st in Level 2 Show Jumping Round 1
2nd in Level 2 Show Jumping Round 2
3rd in Level 2 Equitation

Special Achievements
Congratulations to Emma Simmonds, who has been selected to represent the Central Gauteng Action Netball (U13) team.

We also would like to congratulate our very own Ms Leeming who has been selected to represent the Woman’s Gauteng Softball A Team as their catcher.

Important Dates to Diarise

Grade 3-7 Valentine’s night gala 13 February St Stithian’s College 5:30pm -7:00pm

Grade 4-7 Inter-house swimming gala 27 February Kingsmead College 8:00am – 10:00am

Sheillah Muchauraya
Junior School Head of Sport