Our Connection: Issue 5 2019

Parent-Daughter-Teacher Connects

Dear Parents,

We look forward to connecting with you and your daughters as we walk alongside each other to support your daughter’s learning journey.

The gr 4 – 7 meetings take place on Tuesday 26 February from 15:00 – 19:00.

• Gr 4 parents are invited to meet their teacher in their homeroom. Please book a 10 minute appointment online via the Engage portal.
• Gr 5 – 7 parents meet subject teachers in the Joel Hall – no booking required. Each session should last about 10 minutes. If a longer meeting is required, please book an alternative meeting.

The purpose of the next round of Senior Primary (gr 4 – 7) Parent-Daughter-Teacher meetings is…

• For parents and students to gain insight to the subject or gr 4 class teacher’s expectations
• For teachers to gain understanding regarding your daughter’s learning path from a parent and student’s perspective
• For all stakeholders to celebrate your daughter’s strengths and consider areas that require strengthening
• To discuss the learning characteristics and strategies that might be developed to support your daughter’s progress
• For your daughter to be invited to be part of these discussions, to support her developing capacity to take responsibility for her learning.

The Junior Primary Parent-Teacher meetings take place on 4 March from 14:00 – 18:00. These sessions will be booked online closer to the time. These meetings will be for parents, guardians and teachers only.

Ingrid Beekhuizen – Head of Academics Junior School

SERVICE NEWS

‘Buddy Reading’

Our first ‘Buddy Reading’ get together for the year was a wonderful success despite the soggy weather.  This is the first time we partnered with the High School and so had a wonderful turnout of Kingsmead girls from both the Junior and Senior School.  The children from ‘Rays of Hope’, an organization that supports vulnerable children, many from child headed households, always enjoy being in the haven of Kingsmead.  They first baked biscuits together with our girls and engaged in a variety of rhyming games and activities.  The rain stayed away long enough for the children to get out into the playground where they had a wonderful time playing on the swings and jungle gyms, riding bikes and of course splashing in the puddles.

Kids Literature Quiz 2019

On Wednesday, 13 February, two teams, comprising of Grade 6 and 7 learners, participated in the annual Kids Literature Quiz held at St Johns. Well done to Anastasia Clark (Grade 7), Victoria-Rose Dempers (Grade 6), Bibi-Fathima Peer (Grade 6), Amy Boltt (Grade 7), Giorgia Wickins (Grade 6), Humaira Abram (Grade 6), Dihana Punjabi (Grade 7) and Mahdiyyah Wadee (Grade 6) for representing the Junior School.

This was a positively fun-filled afternoon of celebrating the joy of reading as well as celebrating our learners’ ever-growing knowledge of literature. Our teams collaboratively answered 100 questions arranged in ten fun categories.
Congratulations to St Johns, the overall 1st and 2nd place winners. We wish them the best of luck at the national final this coming Saturday.

Without a doubt, by the end of this event, everyone in the arena was highly motivated to broaden one’s literary awareness. So much so, that everyone is keen to take up Quiz Host’s, Wayne Mills, reading challenge of reading 52 books over the next year. Happy reading all!

Mrs O’Maker & the Kids Lit Team

SPORTS NEWS

Inter house Swimming

Please note that the swimming lists for the Inter house gala will be published on Wednesday morning. This gives us time to amend the lists as we continue to receive apologies from parents for the day. Please also note that whilst all girls will have an opportunity to participate, only the team swimmers will be swimming individual races. A rain date will be communicated if necessary.

• Time             08h00 – 10h00
• Grade            4 – 7
• Venue           Kingsmead water polo pool
• Dress code   Green skort; house shirt; takkies and socks; swimming costume (plain black or current swimming costume); green or yellow school swimming cap and goggles. Plenty of sunscreen.

The PTA will be selling refreshments on the day.

Special Achievements

Congratulations to Olivia and Hannah Cooke who recently took part and successfully completed the Buffelspoort Dam and Midmar open water swim in two consecutive weekends. We commend them for their courageous effort and determination.

WEEK AHEAD