Social, Emotional Learning
This week we welcome Moira Severin to the Kingsmead staff. Moira is employed as the School Psychologist for the Junior School. She will be working as part of a multi-disciplinary support team at our school. Moira is an experienced teacher and is both registered as an Educational Psychologist and a Social Worker. As we launch our new Social, Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum this year, we look forward to including her expertise and insight into the development of our curriculum. The goal of SEL is to promote and improve students’ attitudes and beliefs about themselves, their relationships with others and their education.
The most common aspect of SEL where we share concern as parents and teachers is in assisting girls with conflict management. I have included a valuable reading for the week from the New York Times. It is written by Lisa Damour. Lisa Damour is a psychologist in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and the author of “Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions Into Adulthood”.
I look forward to us working together in assisting our girls develop as self-aware, confident, resilient women.
Kim Lowman – (Head of Junior School)
Self-Care
As an educational psychologist who works in a school environment amongst some of the most passionate educators in our country, I am so often struck by the selflessness and passion with which they give of themselves daily in the classroom environment. Teaching is a calling, and it is one that I believe is inextricably linked to the heartstrings of adults who do not come to our campus merely to do a job every day, but to make a difference. In so doing, it is not uncommon that teachers are prone to burnout and fatigue. It is therefore paramount that self-care is on the agenda for our staff to ensure that we have healthy, happy and good role-models for our students and that the level of education that we are providing remains at an excellent standard through a lifestyle of balance.
As a result, we as an executive team have committed to intentionally prioritizing self-care as a primary area of focus for 2019 for both ourselves and for our staff. Additionally, this will translate into the curriculum that we actively teach our girls to care for their wellbeing and establish balance in their lives in Social Emotional Learning, Physical Education, the Junior Primary Integrated day, Intokozo lessons as well as in every other subject and facet of what we offer. However, in order to do this, as with everything else that we do, we require your support and partnership as a community to assist us. As we head in to the new term, please could you work with us in the following areas:
- Email Responses from Staff
Please be aware that our teachers are in the classroom and actively engaged with children all day. Please allow 48 hours for a response to your email. In some cases, this response may be that we need to investigate something further. If the matter is urgent, telephoning is preferable.
- Copying in Staff on Email
Please note that only the primary intended recipient of the email will respond to your email. If someone is copied (cc’d) in on your email, they will not respond to you directly.
- LEAD/Class Teachers
The LEAD/Class teacher is your first point of contact regarding your daughter. Please contact them first regarding concerns that you may have, unless these are subject specific, then please liaise with the relevant specialist and cc in the LEAD/Class teacher. Please ensure that any meetings that you would like to arrange are done so with this person first as well. While we will try our best to accommodate meetings as soon as possible, please understand that teaching schedules do sometimes make it difficult to meet immediately.
- Whatsapp/Messaging/Cellphone Calls
Some staff have shared their cellular phone numbers. Please only use these in case of an emergency and please do not message staff after hours. Our staff care deeply about each and every child in our care, but at the same time, we have little time with our own families and would appreciate it if you limit this type of communication and not send messages after 5pm unless they are of an urgent nature.
These steps will go a long way in helping our staff to prioritise the time we have with your daughters at school, being able to refuel and recharge ourselves for the following day and being healthy and well for the important tasks ahead this year.
We thank you for your partnership and recognition of our teachers in all that they do.
Marisa Di Terlizzi
SERVICE NEWS
Service Excursion to Park Care
Grade 6 and 7 girls are invited to join the Service excursion to Park Care on Wednesday 6 February. Girls will leave at 14h30 from Cecil Avenue and will return at 17h00. All Service excursions are accompanied by staff. For more information on Park Care, please visit http://parkcare.co.za/wp/. An online sign-up link has been emailed to all girls.
CHOC Valentine’s Day
Kingsmead College will celebrate love this Valentine’s Day by supporting CHOC International Childhood Cancer day on 15 February. CHOC chocolates, pins, bracelets and roses will be on sale at Music Reception. Please use the following link ORDER FORM to order a special CHOC gift that will be delivered to your daughter or a staff member at Kingsmead College on Valentine’s Day. This link will open on 6 February. No external deliveries will be made this year. Please note that supporting this initiative is completely voluntary.
14 February will be a civvies day. Please wear blue in support of CHOC and/or red/pink/white in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. A special Valentine’s Day surprise awaits every single Kingsmead girl as we celebrate love for each other and our community.
Jenny Venter – Director of Service
SPORTS NEWS
Sports Coffee morning
In our commitment to improving communication, I will be hosting a JS Sport Coffee morning twice a term. Our first coffee morning will take place on Wednesday 6 February 2019 at 07h30 in the Media Centre (Junior School). The purpose of this meeting is to create a platform where parents and the sports department can discuss their concerns and challenges as well as highlight the positive areas. I believe in feedback, both positive and constructive and welcome input from the parental body. The sports department can only be as strong as the support it receives from the parents.
Emmanuel Tennis Academy
Invites you to a complimentary squad training session:
- When: Monday 16h00 – 17h30
- Saturday 07h30 – 10h00
- Who: Grade 4-12
- Where: Kingsmead
- Please contact head coach Emmanuel on 079 427 7438 or at etacademy@gmail.com to book your spot.
EQUESTRIAN NEWS
South African National Equestrian Schools Association (SANESA):
Qualifier 1 – 2nd & 3rd of February
The Kingsmead Junior School Equestrian team had a very successful weekend at Eaton Farm, Kyalami. We had 13 girls competing across a range of disciplines: Amy Falcon, Faye Pienaar, Francesca Logan, Helena van der Merwe, Humayrah Ebrahim, Jade Anderson, Katherine Papadopoulos, Makhutsi Moloi, Nuhaa Patel, Rania Motara, Sarah Florence, Taylor Prinsloo and Zuhayra Ebrahim.
The girls achieved 26 top placings across the events. Congratulations to the following:
Faye Pienaar: 2nd in Level 0 Show Jumping Round 1 riding Biggles.
Francesca Logan: 2nd in Level 1 Equitation, 4th in Level 1 Working Hunter and 7th in Level 3 Show Jumping riding Gypsy.
Helena van der Merwe: 3rd in Level 1 Prix Caprilli Test A riding Ricky.
Jade Anderson: 1st in Level 1 Performance Riding with Joshua Toy Town. 2nd in Level 2 Dressage Test B, 1st in Level 3 Handy Hunter, 5th in Level 4 Show Jumping Round 2 and 6th in Level 4 Show Jumping Round 1 with Surprise.
Makhutsi Moloi: 2nd in Level 1 Performance Riding, 1st in Level 1 Show Jumping Round 1, 10th in Level 1 Show Jumping Round 2 and 6th in Level 1 Working Riding with Copper Creek. 3rd in Level 1 Working Riding and 7th in Level 1 Show Jumping with Foreign Reserve.
Rania Motara: 1st In Level 1 Working Riding, 3rd in Level 1 Performance Riding, 3rd in Level 2 Dressage Test A and 4th in Level 2 Dressage Test B riding Mickey Blue.
Sarah Florence: 3rd in Level 1 Prix Caprilli Test B, 2nd in Level 3 Show Jumping Round 1 and 7th in Level 2 Show Jumping Round 2 riding Totem.
Taylor Prinsloo: 5th in Level 1 Prix Caprilli Test B and 7th in Level 1 Equitation riding Swazi-Iizkhar Komati.
Zuhayra Ebrahim: 3rd in Level 1 Dressage riding Kinsale.
From left to right: Amy Falcon riding Nancy, Helena van der Merwe riding Ricky, Katherine Papadopoulos riding Denis and Taylor Prinsloo riding Komati.
Action Netball
Congratulations for Khanyisa Papiyana, Emma Simmonds and Morgan Easter who were selected for the U12 Central Gauteng Action Netball.
WEEK AHEAD
| Date | Sport | Teams | Venue | Time | Transport |
| 5 Feb | U12 Hockey District Trials | Relevant girls have been notified | St Andrews | 18h00 -20h00 | N/A |
| 6 Feb | JS Coffee morning | Parents | JS Media Centre | 07h30 -08h15 | |
| 7 Feb | Tennis | A+B vs St Katherines
C+D vs St Teresa’s |
Jhb country Club, Auckland
Kingsmead |
14h30 – 16h30
|
13h15 |
| 8 Feb | Swimming | Team A
Team B Team C |
Brescia
Home St Stithians |
14h30 – 17h30
14h30 – 17h30 14h30 – 17h30 |
13h15
N/A 13h15 |
| 9 Feb | Netball | Saints Festival Squad Netball Trials | Kingsmead | 12h00 – 18h00 | N/A |
| WaterPolo | U13 Festival | Roedean | 08h00 – 11h00 | N/A | |
| 12 Feb | Hockey District trials | Relevant players to be notified | St Andrews | 18h00 – 20h00 | N/A |
| 13 Feb | Swimming | Team A | St Stithians | ||
| 14 Feb | Tennis | A+B vs Roedean
C+D vs Holy Rosary |
Roedean
Kingsmead |
14h30 – 16h30
14h30 – 16h30 |
13h15
N/A |
| 15 Feb | Swimming | Team A
Team B Team C |
Home
St Peter’s St Theresa’s |
14h30 – 17h30
14h30 – 17h30 14h30 – 17h30 |
13h15
N/A 13h15 |
| 16 Feb | Hockey District Trials | Relevant players to be notified | St Andrews | 08h00 – 12h00 | N/A |
| Water Polo | U13 Tournament | St Mary’s | 08h00 – 17h00 | N/A |