Our Connection: Issue 4 2022

Dear Kingsmead Community,

I had the wonderful opportunity of travelling down to Gqeberha with Lisa Palmer recently to attend the South African Heads of Independent Schools (SAHISA) Conference. We engaged with some excellent local and international experts, under the theme of ‘Flourishing’. Presentations and discussions included topics of Diversity, Transgender and Inclusion; Neuro-Science; Environmental Impact; and a strong focus on the wellbeing of heads, staff and students. A highlight was the address by Professor Madi from Wits on Covid-19 protocols and the future of this virus. I look forward to sharing some of my learning and perspectives with our community in the coming months. I am very grateful for being afforded the gift of connecting in person with colleagues and to have this opportunity to reflect on best practice.

The Junior School staff have invested many hours in comprehensive and accredited training on emotion coaching this year. We have seen a rise in trauma-induced behavioural concerns within our school since Covid. Due to increased peer social isolation and time spent in the company of adult conversation and media, our children are finding it more challenging to navigate social relationships. We are committed to creating a safe and happy environment for all our children and staff. As such we will be introducing our parent body to experts in the field of parenting and emotion coaching throughout the year. We are also experiencing increased levels of anxiety and social conflict at school. Raising girls to consider their choices carefully; to engage respectfully and meaningfully with each other and adults requires a community effort. With reference to my address at the start of the year, “we cannot do this alone”. Values, manners, social and emotional intelligence are taught within the context of the family environment and then reinforced at school. It is imperative that children are given strong boundaries within a loving home environment for them to feel safe and secure and to learn the value of appropriate choices.

I look forward to the ever-increasing sense of participation and competitive spirit at school. The winter sports season starts this week and promises to be a welcome relief from 2 years without much match participation. Our Senior Primary Choir also performs at the Singing Sista’s Choir Evening this week – a first for a long time.

Please take some time to read through some important notices regarding lightning, parents on campus and winter uniform requirements for the second term.

May we continue to seek the light and be the light for all.

With Love and Courage Always,

Kim Lowman
Head: Junior School

Lightening Procedure
Our summer thunderstorms continue to ‘strike’ within the afternoons, often around pick up time and sporting fixtures. As mentioned earlier this year, we have changed the lightning warning system used by the school. The new system measures strikes that are cloud to ground and hence reduces the lightning alarm going off unnecessarily. This however does mean that once the alarm is activated it should be taken seriously, immediately, as strikes are then within a 7km radius of the school. We request that parents refer to the App for the lightning policy and the procedures for drop-off and collection of students in the case of the alarm being activated. (Resources for Parents, Whole School Resources, Policies)

Students and staff cannot be asked to walk in any open areas, to music lessons or sporting activities during this time due to their own personal safety.

Parents on campus
A reminder that parents are still not permitted to walk around the gardens and school buildings without a previously arranged appointment. Drop off arrangements remain as communicated earlier in the year. We would like to avoid parents dropping off or picking up at the classes in the morning. If there is a specific need to do so, please alert the teacher so that security can be alerted. JP parents and guardians are to collect their daughters from extra-curricular activities. Grade 4-7 students to be fetched from collection points. There are some sport fixtures that allow for spectators – please refer to the weekly schedules and calendar entries for this information.

Term 2 winter uniform (Grade 1-7)
We are currently allowing students from Grade 1-7 to choose between the PE kit and tracksuit or the formal school uniform. Blazers are also currently optional. There is no longer a reason to continue with this practice. We would prefer that our children are dressed in full school uniform from the start of Term 2. They may arrive to school in PE kit on days when they have PE/intra-curricular activities during the school morning. Blazers for Grade 3-7 students will again become a compulsory school item from Term 2.

Hats
Please remind your daughter to pack a school hat. Our children spend so much time outdoors during the day. If students do not have a hat when outdoors, they are required to sit in the shade and undercover for the duration of break or outdoor classes.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

Arts & Music

Congratulations to our dancers!
Congratulations to all our Kingsmead dancers: Riley Vance, Ariana Akoodie, Jemima Keizan, Thandeka Nzimakwe, Neo Mkwanazi, Melokuhle Zungu, Scarlett Larsen, Caitlyn Jewel, Taylor Simpson, Lwandile Mashinini, Thoriso Motshegoa, Aimee Schloss, Nala Mkhize and Lana Motea from Jozidance who took part in the World Lyrical Dance Federation’s competition this weekend at the Roodepoort Theatre. They performed their hearts out and did Kingsmead proud! It was an excellent opportunity to experience the competitive side of the art form. A huge congratulations to the Lyrical Trio, ‘Halo’, for placing third; the Lyrical Group, ‘Wonder’ for placing first and Melokuhle Zungu who placed 4th and qualified to represent South Africa at the International Championships later this year to be held in Dublin, Ireland. We are so proud!

MAJOR PRODUCTION 2022!

The Kingsmead College Senior School Drama department is delighted to present a modernised version of William Shakespeare’s classic ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Four young lovers run away to the forest only to have fairies manipulate and play tricks on them. Love swaps from friend to friend as the audience is taken on a typical Rom-Com journey complete with love obstacles, mistaken identities and plot twists.  “The course of true love never did run smooth.”

10 & 11 March @18:30
12 March @15:00
Lange Hall – R100/ticket
Family friendly!

Refreshments will be available to be purchased on The Garth before the show.

We would love to see you there!

Singing Sistas Choir Festival

The Grade 4-7 Choir will be performing at the Singing Sistas Choir event on Wednesday, 9 March at St Mary’s School Waverley. We are so excited to perform for an audience again and wish the Choir all the best!

Upcoming events to diarise:

Should your daughter take lessons outside of school and would like to participate in any of the concerts, please contact Mia Loock.

Sports

Food for thought…

One of our main focuses, in the Sports Department this year, is developing a Growth Mindset within our students. In order for this to happen, we need to continue to challenge and encourage each individual to step out of their ‘comfort zones’.

Many of our students stepped out of their comfort zones over the last few weeks with exciting sport events which were held.

Sports News

Hockey
Three of our Junior School hockey players joined the Senior School at the Best of the West tournament which was held in Krugersdorp. Kingsmead won 3 matches and drew 1 match.

Well done to the following players:
Robyn Herold
Neo Mkwanazi
Ella de Goede

Tennis

Our tennis players played against St Katharine’s on Thursday 4 March and the results were amazing. Congratulations to all players.

A team:
Singles: won 9/8
Doubles: won 18/16

B team:
Singles: lost 7/11
Doubles: lost 14/18

Inter-Schools Tennis
On Friday 5 March our tennis players went to different venues to play the final inter-schools matches for the term. Our players showed great sportsmanship and played their hearts out. Congratulations to all players on a successful tennis season.

Swimming

Inter-Schools Galas
Our A, B and C team participated at various venues on Saturday 5 March and all three teams went out and showed true Kingsmead courage. It was an excellent opportunity to experience the competitive side of the sport. Thank you to all staff that were involved in making this a successful swimming season.

The results were as follows:
C team gala at Kingsmead College
1 St Mary’s, Waverley
2 St Teresa’s
3 Kingsmead
4 Holy Rosary
5 St Mary’s 2
6 St Andrew’s

B team gala at St Mary’s, Waverley
1 St Mary’s
2 St Peter’s
3 St Stithians
4 Kingsmead
5 Brescia House
6 St Andrew’s

A team gala at St Andrew’s

1 St Mary’s
2 Brescia
3 St Peter’s
4 St Stithian’s
5 St Andrew’s
6 Kingsmead

Congratulations to all swimmers!

Service

Buddy Reading

On Saturday, 5^th March, the Kingsmead Junior and Senior School students had a fun-filled afternoon of sharing, playing and creating joy with the wonderful children from Rays of Hope. Rays of Hope is a Non-Profit Company (NPC) which manages many social outreach programmes in Alexandra Township. The students interacted by having fun on the Kingsmead playground, reading books to the children and making creations out of playdough. A highlight of the afternoon was sprinkling cinnamon and sugar on pancakes and then gobbling them up. The afternoon was one of excitement and community. We thank our teachers and volunteers who assisted us in making the afternoon a memorable one for the children.

Paige Finch

Footloose Friday

Thank you to the Kingsmead community who generously donated 1700 pairs of shoes on Footloose Friday. A special thanks to the PTA volunteers who assisted with sorting and packing the boxes according to the need of our partner organisations. The beneficiaries for Footloose Friday are Hotel Hope, Dlala Nje, Fight with Insight, Kids Haven, Isipho Primary, Sunshine Association, Lefika la Phodiso, Rays of Hope and Guild Cottage.

Jenny Venter
Director of Service