Dear Kingsmead Community
Term 2 is in full swing. There is much excitement surrounding our annual Book Week within the Junior School, as we prepare the Kingsmead Book Fair this coming Saturday, 25 May. Book week was launched in an assembly on Friday, 17 May by the most passionate team of teachers, where they enthusiastically shared in their love for all things books and most importantly reading.
The teachers have prepared an exciting Book Week programme for the students and staff to enjoy. Including Hooked on Books, and the Wiggly Woggly show, with the most enjoyable books and laughter shared. Exclusive Books store onsite, will no doubt arrive with an immense, wide range of riveting books for all ages, stages and interests.
Poetry readings will be held during the week, giving our students a chance to enjoy another aspect of reading. Every day during the course of the week, the bell will ring ‘unexpectedly’ and the whole Kingsmead community is welcome to delight in the moment to Drop Everything And Read (DEAR). The week also goes so fast, culminating in the character book dress up day on Thursday, closing the week with Flipped Classroom Friday, as the campus prepares to host the ever-successful Book Fair. A reminder to this point, to refer to the separate Flipped Friday communication, for Friday 24 May. No students at school. I would like to take this opportunity in advance, to congratulate and thank Alex Bouche and her many teams for planning, organising and hosting such a top-class event within our city.
Our Kingsmead value of Service is a key focus during the course of this week and the girls are encouraged to bring gently read books from home, to donate towards our annual Book Drive.
In keeping with our theme for 2024, Possibility – when have perspective, it gives us the power to unlock our potential, so too will a book and the act of reading.
#Thriving in Possibility
Tarryn McLaren
Junior School Head
Staffing update
Alex Bouche
We are very sad that Alex Bouche will be leaving us at the end of May. Alex has been a member of the Kingsmead Executive team for the past 6 years and she has been responsible for all the marketing and branding in the school, which I am sure you will agree, has been superbly executed. She has also run the school’s most successful signature event – the Kingsmead Book Fair, which speaks for itself in terms of its outstanding programme and organisation over the past years. We will certainly miss Alex and her incredibly professional approach to all that she does and as a loyal and wonderful colleague and friend, but are very happy that she will be with us as a parent in the Senior School for another year and a half.
Anna Evlambiou
Anna Evlambiou our long-standing Speech Therapist at Kingsmead, requires leave of absence for the remainder of the year to manage and regain her health. It is necessary at this time for Anna to focus on her health and family. we will be bringing in two well know Speech Therapists, one of which you may well remember Daniella Scalzullo.
Nicole Fernandes
It gives me great pleasure to announce that Tyrone, Nicole and Luca’s family will be growing during the later part of this year, as they expect their new baby. We wish Mrs Fernandes well during her pregnancy. She will be on maternity leave from November. Her various teaching roles will be managed and information shared closer to the time.
Points To Note
Due to safety and security reasons, we ask that any parent needing to drop off items for their daughter during the school day, arrive at our Junior School Reception as the first port of call. Please do not go straight to the classrooms. Thank you for your understanding.
We realise that more and more parents need to drop off their daughters at school for extra-curricular activities starting early in the morning, however, not all students being dropped off early are attending these offerings. Our official school hours are from 07h00. If your daughter is dropped off in the early morning, it is important to note that they are not supervised, as teachers are often involved with prep and planning at this time. Mornington only commences at 08h00. Further details regarding our school hours per grade can be found on the App.
A reminder that Club Engage provides aftercare facilities should you not be able to collect your daughter straight after school. This information can be found on the App too.
Resources for Parents – Connecting with your Daughter
We trust that you have enjoyed our bi-weekly parent slot… This week, I’d like to share a local author and resource for the development of girls by an Educational Psychologist from Kwa-Zulu Natal. On Saturday, 25 May, Naomi Holdt, is a guest author at our Book Fair, her session: How to deal with bullies and raise resilient children 11h00 – 12h00 in Mackenzie 1. I will be in conversation with Marion Scher (Big Bully) and Naomi Holdt (Bounce: How to Raise Resilient Kids and Teens) about the challenges they face at school and elsewhere.
In one of Naomi’s articles she speaks to bravery. That bravery requires resilience. Resilience is your capacity for stress-related growth. Being brave and taking good risks go hand-in-hand with challenge and failure. Resilience doesn’t guarantee that you will be successful in every situation, but your capacity for recovery will be greatly increased such that you shift into adaptive behaviour quicker when you encounter stress or a challenge. Resilient people tolerate change, stress and uncertainty more effectively than those with lower levels of resilience, utilize healthier coping strategies, are motivated to achieve in many areas of life, and more easily draw upon their resources and high-quality relationships with others.
Click this link for additional reading on how to raise ‘The Brave’ – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/finding-brave-naomi-holdt/
Arts & Music
🥳 Congratulations!
Aliyah Dada and her partner Omar Gani, won 1st prize for their duologue in the SACEE Shakespeare Festival competition held at The National Children’s Theatre. Well done, Aliyah!
On Saturday, 18 May, Jozi Youth Dance Company presented ‘Cinderella’ at the Roodepoort Theatre. Fallon Grundlingh had the opportunity to perform alongside guests artists from Joburg Ballet . We are proud of her excellent achievements in dance!
Our young musicians recently participated at the Trinity Eisteddfod where they showcased their hard work over the last few months. A heartfelt thank you to our music teachers for their care and dedication in preparing their students for these performances and to our parents for their support of our young musicians in their musical endeavours. The following students participated and achieved wonderful results:
Viola-Grace Asherson, Kamogelo Mogane, Catriona Burgoyne, Mpho Chakane, Aarya Patel, Rafeea Dakri, Sophia Roos, Sankhya Ramiah, Kganya Rakumakoe, Nondumiso Mabuza, Lwandile Mashinini, Keodirelang Maqubela, Naledi Seabela, Zothile Ndiweni, Zamajobe Sithole and Bella Lizamore
🎶 Masicule Sonke Choir Festival
On Wednesday, 22 May, the Grade 4-7 Choir and Glee Group will participate in the annual Masicule Sonke Choir Festival at Rosebank Union Church. We are excited to share the stage with schools from across Gauteng and celebrate the joy of choral singing. There are no tickets, and everyone is encouraged to come and support our musicians.
📆 Save the date
If you have any more questions about Arts & Music at Kingsmead, get in touch, we would love to chat.
Elsabé Fourie
Director of Arts & Music
efourie@kingsmead.co.za
Mia Loock
Head of Junior School Music
mloock@kingsmead.co.za
Sports
Term 2A Extra-Curricular Schedule
Please be advised that the Term 2A extra-curricular schedule has had a few minor adjustments in preparation for the upcoming hockey season. We have incorporated an additional weekly hockey session during the pre-season. It is crucial for the hockey players to participate in this session to ensure that our teams are adequately prepared. Participants are required to have shin pads and a gum guard for these sessions, as safety remains our top priority. While we do have spare hockey sticks available for students who do not have their own yet, it is recommended that students have their own stick for fixtures. Once the netball season concludes, hockey sessions will be shifted to the current netball sessions for Term 2B.
Water Polo
Congratulations to the following students for being selected for their respective Gauteng Water Polo winter training squads:
U12
Vera Collocott
Keodirelang Maqubela
Grace Burman
Georgie Kennedy
U13
Georgie Dalling
Lucy Berry
Jemma Cederwall
Madison Botha
Kennedy Wagner-Read
U14
Emma Renshaw
Milan Williams
Netball
Inter House Netball
The inter house netball competition was the highlight of the last day of Term 1, as the various houses showcased their skills and team spirit on the court. The players gave it their all, battling fiercely for every possession and goal scored.
The atmosphere was electric, with each house cheering passionately for their teammates. The friendly rivalry between the houses fuelled the intensity of the matches, as the students displayed remarkable teamwork and determination.
Despite the competitive nature of the event, the overall spirit remained high, with players congratulating each other after every game and demonstrating good sportsmanship. The camaraderie and unity within each house was palpable, as the students supported one another through the ups and downs of the tournament.
The various houses demonstrated the true essence of teamwork and school pride, leaving a lasting impression on all who witnessed the thrilling matches.
Results:
1st place Knights
2nd place Thanes
3rd place Barons
Spirit Trophy: Thanes
Grade 3 Netball
Congratulations to the Grade 3 netball players on their matches which took place against St Peter’s. It was their first netball match, and they made us super proud! The young athletes showcased their skills and teamwork, delivering an impressive performance that left everyone cheering. Their dedication and hard work have clearly paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder of their achievements. Well done, Grade 3 netball players!
Grade 4 – 7 Netball vs St Teresa’s
Well done to all players who participated in the fixture against St Teresa’s. It was great to see our players back on the courts after the holiday break, as they put in a superb performance against St Teresa’s. The teams demonstrated great skill, teamwork, and determination throughout the fixture. We are incredibly proud of the players’ efforts and look forward to seeing them continue to develop their abilities on the court.
Grade 4 & 5 Holy Rosary Netball Festival
This past Saturday, our Grade 4 and 5 netball players took part in the highly anticipated Holy Rosary Netball Festival. The Kingsmead teams started the day on a high note and continued to make us proud with their exceptional performance throughout the event.
A special mention goes to our Grade 5A team, who delivered outstanding results and represented Kingsmead exceptionally well. We commend all of our young netballers for their courage & perseverance throughout the day. Congratulations to all the participants – you have made the school community very proud!
Coaching Staff
Our coaches have been diligently upskilling themselves in netball by attending various training courses. We are pleased to congratulate the following coaches on successfully passing their D13 Netball Umpires Theory test:
Mr. Mangena
Ms. Tshabalala (Coach Phindi)
Ms. Rapoo
Mrs. Koekemoer (Coach Annie)
Mrs. Phakathi
Equestrian
Congratulations to Lucy Berry on her recent achievements at the SANESA qualifier. She placed second in Show jumping, third in Accumulation, and fourth in Equitation. This is an impressive set of results, showcasing Lucy’s skill and hard work in these equestrian disciplines. Well done to Lucy on these fantastic accomplishments!
Diving
Congratulations to Maya Rono, Olona Mbele, and Mikayla Rono for their outstanding performance at the Bergen Open International Diving Competition in Norway. Our students showcased tremendous skill and dedication, gaining invaluable experience in the process. Maya secured an impressive 12th place in the 1m category out of 32 participants while achieving a commendable 16th position in the 3m category out of 28 divers. Additionally, Maya and her partner demonstrated great synchronicity, earning them a commendable 11th place in the synchro event. Mikayla’s exceptional talent earned her 11th place in the 1m category, while Olona’s outstanding performance secured her an impressive 5th place in the same event. We are incredibly proud of these accomplished young divers!
Outside Sport
Gymnastics
Sophia Roos, Sophie Duggan and Zanengcebo Dlamini competed in the District Level 1 gymnastics competition. Their exceptional performance earned them a gold medal, and Sophie was awarded silver. Not only did Sophia, Sophie and Zanengcebo finish at the top of the rankings, but they have also been selected to represent the junior team of Central Gauteng and will now advance to the provincial competition. We wish them the best of luck as they prepare for this upcoming event.
We also extend our congratulations to Amari Africa. She competed in club championships in April and achieved a gold award and tied for second overall out of 41 competitors! Well done Amari!!
Upcoming Events
23 May: Grade 3 Netball Matches vs St Mary’s @ Kingsmead
Please note that all players are to meet the coaches at the netball courts straight after school. – All players are expected to stay and support until the end of the last match.
24 May: Grade 4 – 7 Netball Matches vs St Mary’s/St Stithians (All grades @ St Stithians)
A reminder that this is a flipped classroom day due to the Book Fair setup. All players who will be making use of the bus must please meet at Kingsmead by 12h45 and students meeting at St Stithians are to please meet no later than 13h30. Players may be collected at the end of the fixture (there will be a bus returning to Kingsmead after the fixture) – All players are expected to stay and support until the end of the last match.
30 May: Grade 3 Netball Festival @ Kingsmead 16h00
Please note that all players are to meet the coaches at the netball courts by 15h00 – All players are expected to stay and support until the end of the last match.
31 May: Grade 4 – 7 Netball Matches vs Holy Rosary (Gr 4 & 5 @ HRS, Gr 6 & 7 @KM)
All students are required to travel on the bus to the venue. There will be a bus returning to Kingsmead after the fixture. Students may also be collected at the end of the fixture from the venue. All players are expected to stay and support until the end of the last match.
A few reminders for parents & guardians:
1. Please send any sports achievements (school & non-school) to Mrs Hanekom.
2. A reminder to please download the Kingsmead app as this will be the direct method of communication to parents on sports fixture days.
3. All team lists will be published on the app by no later than Tuesday for a Thursday fixture and the Wednesday before the Friday/Saturday fixture. Please ensure that you let the coaches know if your daughter is not able to attend a fixture.
Yours in sport
Shavaun Hanekom
Head of Junior School Sport
TDI
The excitement of Kingsmead Book Fair has arrived. It is a great time to remember the power of a person’s voice. In this community we work hard to foster an environment where all voices are heard. We encourage each individual to find their voice whether it is in the spoken or written form, and have the courage to share it with those around them.
Our library has a variety of books by local authors, in different languages, to encourage diversity.
The Kingsmead Young Writers competition also encourages the sharing of stories and the expression of voices. It is when we hear each other and make an effort to listen with empathy that we make a difference in our community.
Onke Mazibuko
Director: Transformation, Diversity and Inclusion
Conversation Starter
We hope that you enjoyed the last conversation starter…as we know, one of the signs of a healthy family is open and meaningful conversation/communication. But often finding the time or the points to speak to, don’t always come easily. We thought we would share some prompts to facilitate this process, which are ideal to share around the table, on a trip – anytime, anywhere
