Dear Parents

Defining Excellence

How is excellence defined at home? Have you overheard girls speaking about excellence? Most of the time, we refer to results, outcomes and comparisons between girls’ achievements as indicators of excellence. You may have caught yourself asking your daughter what the results of the ‘rest of the class’ were to determine the value of your own daughters’ results. It is important that we are mindful of our narrative, the story we build as we create expectations for our students. If we glorify results, awards and outcomes without emphasizing the process, we set our girls up for disappointment and an increased drive for perfection. The determination, commitment, focus and work ethic are parts of the process which are very necessary for success. This defines excellence. Excellence is found in the individual progress made by each person with respect to their unique offering to a greater community.

Focusing on the reward or the outcome also leads to the development of labels. There is a strong link to how we label people with how we view excellence. By labelling people as one thing, we often negate other characteristics central to their ability to make progress. Labelling a child as sporty or an academic; an only child; naughty or good, we limit the understanding of the child’s identity and possibility to stretch capacity into new areas of exploration and growth.

“As humans we naturally label things and people in order to make sense of the world. But deeply understanding our own identity helps us to see beyond these labels to what makes each person unique. If I am able to see that I am more than a gender, race or nationality, I am more able to recognise this in you”

Wray, D.  Hellenberg, R. Jansen, J. 2018 A school where I belong. 1^st Edition. Bookstorm. Johannesburg. P.66

It is in the uniqueness of each individual that we should begin to celebrate excellence. Let us celebrate excellence not in the glorification of outcomes but in the nurturing of individual progress.

To all our families celebrating Diwali this week:

May the joyous celebration of this beautiful festival
Fill your heart with
Never ending joy and happiness!
Happy Diwali

Kim Lowman – (Head: Junior School)

WEEK AHEAD:

Tuesday 6 November:

• 07:30 Grade 5 2019 Coffee morning
• 17:30 Grade 6 and 7 Music Concert – Joel Hall

Thursday 8 November:

• JS Inter schools Diving competition

Friday 9 November:

• 07:30 Grade 4 2019 Coffee morning
• JS Cross-country  meeting

JUNIOR SCHOOL EC SCHEDULE

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SPORTS NEWS:

NEWS FROM THE SPORTS DESK

Congratulations to our budding team of athletes who were placed 3^rd out of 9 schools at the Prestige Interschools athletics meeting held at St Stithians on Friday 2^nd of November 2018. Our result was a perfect example of how one can punch way above their weight but most importantly the value of having “big match temperate (BMT)” when it counts. At the end of the season when all athletes are at their peak and all teams have been strategically selected, it boils down to the athletes who have the ability to perform when the stakes are high. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic (Federer eventually lost the match in a nail biting tie breaker) were another perfect example of the importance of having BMT and least we forget our poor Springbok team loss by 1 point against England.

Special mention must be made to all our Athletics coaches headed by Mrs. Koekemoer and assisted by Mrs. Cartwright. Their passion and commitment to all they do is exemplary. Here’s to many more successful seasons.

Athletics

On Friday 2^nd November, we competed in the Inter-Primary Athletics Meeting at St Stithians. Our athletes were determined, motivated and so positive! They showed great sportsmanship. Thank you to the Prestige team who ran their hearts out! Before the start of the relays, Kingsmead was in the 4^th position, only 4 points behind St Stithians. The athletes ran the relays like stars and we ended in the 3^rd position, with St Mary’s first and St Peter’s second. Well done, athletes! I am so proud of you!

As coach, I would like to take the opportunity to thank each athlete that competed for Kingsmead this season. You all did Kingsmead proud! We had an outstanding season and I look forward to 2019!

The following athletes were placed in the first 3 positions:

Grade 3: 60m:

• B-race:             Laurinda Vitungayala             3^rd
• D-race:                       Joy Cilliers                      3^rd
• Grade 4: Long Jump: Kaitlyn Brown             3^rd

80m:

• A-race: Jade Anderson                                    3^rd
• B-race: Kaitlyn Brown                                      3^rd
• C-race: Priyanka Geness                                  3^rd
• D-race:  Emma Cruickshanks                        2^nd

150m:

• A-race:  Jade Anderson                       3^rd
• B-race: Kaitlyn Brown                        2^nd

Grade 5:

• Long Jump: Lucy Davis                      1^st

80m:

• A-race: Morgan Easter                        2^nd
• B-race: Francesca Druce                     3^rd
• C-race: Carys Glyn-Jones                    1^st

150m:

• B-race: Francesca Druce                     2^nd

Grade 6:

• Hurdles: A-race: Tessa Gutierrez-Garcia        2^nd
• 100m: A-race:  Tessa Gutierrez-Garcia           1^st
• B-race:  Neo Shibambo                                       2^nd
• 200m: A-race:  Tessa Gutierrez-Garcia           2^nd
• Grade 7: Long Jump: Natalie Morris               3^rd
• Hurdles: B-race: Natalie Morris                       2^nd
• 100m: A-race: Natalie Morris                           2^nd
• 200m: A-race: Natalie Morris                          3^rd
• B-race: Paula Prinsloo                                       3^rd

Relays:

• Grade 4 & 5:      1^st
• Grade 6:             3^rd

SPORT ENDS ON THE 23^RD NOVEMBER 2018

Grade 6 and 7 Examinations

Please note that there will be no sport for the Grade 6 and 7 girls during the examination week. The sport department will be available to take the girls for swimming during their study sessions during the following times. Specific class times will be communicated to the students in the week:

Grade 7           Wednesday 14 November 10:45 – 12:30

Grade 6           Tuesday      13 November 10:45 – 12:30

Please encourage the girls to bring their costumes so they can help reduce their stress and increase the circulation of all the hormones the assist in raising their alertness and concentration when studying.

Grade 1-3 APPS Gala

The team list for the upcoming gala is available on the school app. It is imperative that swimmers attend 2 swimming sessions this week in order for the coaches to best prepare them for next week. Logistics will be communicated via the school alert system and through the class moms on Friday.

Sheillah Denenga – Head of Junior School Sport