Our Connection : Issue 9 2023

Dear Kingsmead Community,

The heart of storytelling

As I reflect on the most successful Book Fair, I want to thank each and every person who participated. It was incredible to see our inner and extended community come together as Word Warriors in the spirit of literature. The conversations and interactions were energizing and thought-provoking. Thank you to Alex Bouche and her marketing team (geniuses!) for their commitment, professionalism and creativity. Congratulations and thank you to our ground staff and maintenance team who worked miracles in transforming our campus in one day! And I cannot forget our driven, innovative and inspiring teaching staff who developed a world-class curriculum experience. The message in the Junior School was clear. We are driven by our values and these are seen in our lived, daily experiences.

Kingsmead is at the heart of storytelling. We share our stories knowing that who we are, matters. We listen to each other, understanding that we are all valued and deserve to be heard. At the heart of storytelling lives kindness. To share and hear one another we value the habit of mind, Listening with Empathy and Understanding. Let us be reminded as a community to share the message of kindness – lived in the heart of storytelling. Mrs Pretorius shared the most beautiful assembly message this week, where we experienced the ‘sound’ and impact of kindness and joy. Our Grade 7 leaders are also preparing their message of courage and kindness for the Grade 7 production this term. We have so much to look forward to as we engage meaningfully in our individual and collective storytelling.

Colossians 3: 12:14
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

With Love and Courage Always,
Kim Lowman
Head: Junior School

The importance of conversations with your daughters

How often do you get this reply when collecting her from school… ‘how was your day?’ or ‘how was school?’ Nothing, stuff, fine… We at Kingsmead do hope that she responds with today was a good day.

Some points to consider in eliciting more out of your daughter to stimulate and generate conversation could include:
1. Asking open ended questions, as closed ended questions will be met with a one or two-word answer and limit the conversation.
2. Ask for specific information, for example: Tell me 2 things that you learnt at school today? Name a lowlight vs. a highlight and why? These kinds of questions inspire thought and requires a child to provide a more complex response.

Additional Conversation starters include:
1. What happened that was interesting today?
2. Tell me 3 things that you noticed today.
3. Tell me something you did well today.
4. Tell me something you could do better with, maybe starting tomorrow?
5. If you had to pick one word to describe today, what would it be?
6. What was the most fun thing that happened today?
7. Did your day go as you had hoped it would?
8. If you had to give today a rating from 1 – 10, what would it be?

The most important aspect of encouraging conversations such as this, is to make your child feel like they are listening to and respected when they are speaking. That means putting down the device, muting the volume in the car and making eye contact, if you are not driving.

The Habit of Mind, Metacognition, is a behaviour for something most of us do every day without even noticing. It is about know your knowing, take your time. It is about being aware of your thoughts, strategies, feelings and actions.

Reflecting on our own thoughts is how we gain insight into our feelings, needs, and behaviors — and how we learn, manage, and adapt to new experiences, challenges, and emotional setbacks. It’s the running conversation we have in our heads, mentally sounding ourselves out and making plans. Training our students to use this behaviour proactively will assist them in overcoming obstacles, and offers a solution-focused approach.

Tarryn McLaren
Deputy Head: Senior School

Nurturing Intrinsic Motivation

Our first semester is drawing to a close, bringing along with it reports, feedback and acknowledgement of growth and achievements. In our pursuit of academic excellence and holistic development, it is important to nurture a Growth Mindset and intrinsic motivation in our students. We want our students to thrive not only in terms of achievements, but also in their love for learning and personal growth.

Renowned educator and author JoAnn Deak reminds us of the significance of fostering a healthy approach to acknowledgements and recognition. She emphasizes that true success lies not only in external accolades but also in intrinsic motivation and a Growth Mindset. As she beautifully puts it, “When our girls understand that the true reward is in the process, not just the outcome, they are more likely to embrace challenges and persist even when faced with setbacks.”

At Kingsmead Junior School, we celebrate the journey of each student, recognising their progress and effort along the way. We believe that every step forward is worth acknowledging and celebrating. While awards can provide a sense of achievement, they are just one aspect of the recognition we strive to offer. We encourage our students to embrace challenges, find joy in their personal development, to take pride in their accomplishments, and to see obstacles as opportunities for learning and resilience.

As parents, you play a vital role in supporting this mindset. Encourage your daughters to set goals, take risks, and develop a love for learning. Foster a Growth Mindset by praising their effort, perseverance, and resilience rather than solely focusing on a specific outcome. Celebrate their progress, both big and small, thus enforcing that their worth extends far beyond titles and external recognition.

The following approaches are steps towards achieving this positive mindset and outlook:

• Encourage self-reflection: Foster self-awareness and reflection by helping children understand their strengths, areas for improvement, and the value of continuous learning.
• Celebrate all forms of progress: Recognise and celebrate any form of growth, improvement or progress. Assist children to recognise this growth by highlighting their individual growth and development throughout their academic journey.
• Value well-roundedness: Emphasise the importance of a well-rounded education that goes beyond academic achievements. Encourage involvement in extracurricular activities, community service, and developing life skills beyond the classroom.
• Teach healthy competition: Help children to understand that healthy competition is about personal growth, collaboration, and striving to be their best selves rather than focusing on comparison to others.
• Create a supportive environment: Foster a supportive and inclusive environment where children feel safe to take risks, ask questions, and express themselves.
• Model a Growth Mindset: As adults, demonstrate a positive attitude towards challenges by embracing mistakes as opportunities for learning, reflecting upon what learning occurred within the mistake, and emphasising the importance of effort and perseverance.
• Balance recognition: Provide a balanced approach to recognition by acknowledging both individual achievements and collaborative efforts. Promote a culture of collective success and celebrate teamwork.

Let us work together to cultivate an environment where our students embrace challenges, take responsible risks, cultivate a love for learning, and grow into confident, resilient young women with a steadfast understanding of their identity. Together, we can empower them to see that the true rewards of their efforts lie in the process of becoming their best selves.

I leave you with the wisdom shared by our found, DV Thompson, in 1981: “Let each girl be so firm in her own faith that she will stand up with her feet upon a rock and open her arms to the world with love.”

Sjaneen Pretorius
Deputy Head of Academics and Innovation

Arts & Music

The infographic below written by esteemed Australian Music Educator Vaughan Fleischfresser, underscores the transformative power of being involved in music. Through self-expression and connection, playing an instrument enables young people to build friendships and confidence, while instilling discipline and engagement. The cycle of improvement and participation in ensembles cultivates a sense of purpose and belonging, making music a sanctuary—a safe space of expression, creativity, and personal growth.

📆 Save the Date!
We are so excited to host our annual Junior School Choir Festival at Kingsmead College on 13 and 14 June 2023. The Grade 4-7 Choir will be participating on Tuesday 13 June. Many of our neighbouring schools will be joining us for two nights of wonderful choral music. Please come and support our choir members and celebrate choir singing in our schools!

Sport

Netball
25 May 2023
Our Grade 3s took part in their final fixture for the netball season on 25 May 2023. We had two visiting schools join us for the afternoon, with plenty of spectators and loved ones there to support our dedicated players. Our players gave their best and showed admirable focus and perseverance throughout the afternoon. We would like to commend our Grade 3 teams for their first season of netball – you are all champions!

26 May 2023
On Friday, 26 May 2023, our final netball fixture for the season took place. Our Grade 6 & 7 teams went to APPS, with our Grade 4 & 5 teams spending the afternoon on the Kingsmead netball courts. Our results were unbelievable! The players put into play all that they learnt throughout the season, culminating in a hugely successful afternoon of netball for our teams. We are incredibly proud of our dedicated players who have shown admirable work ethic during the 2023 netball season. Well done to all our players – you have made Kingsmead proud!

Grade 4:
KMC 4D vs Apps 4E: 20-5
KMC 4D vs Apps 4D: 8-4
KMC 4C vs ST K 4C: 6-3
KMC 4B vs ST K 4B: 11-4
KMC 4A vs ST K 4A: 4-3

Grade 5:
KMC 5B vs ST K 5B: 3-0
KMC 5A vs ST K 5A: 14 -4
KMC 5C vs ST K 5C: 11-1
KMC 5D vs APPS 5C: 2-1

Grade 6:
KMC 6A vs APPS 6A: 8 – 2
KMC 6B vs APPS 6B: 10 – 4
KMC 6D vs APPS 6C: 4 – 2
KMC 6D vs ST K 6B: 1 – 2
KMC 6C vs ST K 6A: 7 – 7

Grade 7:
KMC 7D vs APPS 7C: 3-2
KMC 7C vs ST K 7C: 9-6
KMC 7B vs ST K 7B: 14-8
KMC 7A vs APPS 7A: 9-4

Squash
Well done to the squash teams on nail-biting results. The competition was tough, and our players showed true courage on the courts. Well done!

Kingsmead 1 v St Stithians 2
Vuyo Mkwanazi (6-15)
Mary Yiannoulakis (3-15)
Rebecca Donly (15-13)
Georgie Dalling (8-15)

Kingsmead 1 v St Andrew’s 1
Vuyo Mkwanazi (7-15)
Mary Yiannoulakis (8-15)
Rebecca Donly (14-15)
Georgie Dalling (15-9)

Kingsmead 2 v St Mary’s 3
Stella Eagar (14-15)
Madison Crozier (10-15)
Imaan Janoo (15-14)
Mysha Noor (12-15)

Kingsmead 2 v Roedean
Stella Eagar (8-15)
Madison Crozier (17-15)
Imaan Janoo (15-12)
Sophia Dyer (15-14)

Our final fixture for the season will take place on Thursday 8 June at St Andrew’s.

Soccer
We are excited to be going on our first soccer tour this year. Please note that trials, for the Grade 6 & 7 students wanting to try out for the tour, will take place on Saturday, 10 June from 08h00. These trials will be used to select the final touring squad that will be playing in the Penryn Soccer Tournament from 27-29 July.
We are also excited to be hosting The JvW Soccer Academy coaches to kick off the soccer season on Saturday 21 October. Please visit the App closer to the clinic day, for more information on times.

Hockey
We were thrilled to kick off the hockey season with a hockey clinic on Friday 2 June. Players in Grades 4-7 were all excited to attend these workshops. The clinic provided the players with several stations to improve their technique and skills for the upcoming season whilst having a good time. We are looking forward to our first match against St Peter’s on Friday.

Equestrian
Well done to Lucy Berry for taking part in the 4th Sanesa Qualifier this weekend.

Karate
On the 3rd of June, Darcy Anderson, Grade 5, competed in the KWF South African Karate Championships where she achieved a bronze medal in both categories, she competed in.
An excellent achievement!

Upcoming Events
8 June – Squash Fixture (A, B & C Teams – St Andrew’s)
9 June – Grade 4-7 Hockey fixtures vs St Peter’s (Grade 4 & 5 – St Peter’s, Grade 6 & 7 – Kingsmead)
10 June – Grade 6 & 7 Soccer Tour Trials (The list of students that have signed up for the trials can be found on the App under the Sports section).

Hockey Training
Please make sure that your daughter has a gum guard for all hockey practises & physical education hockey lessons.
Match kit: Green sports kit with yellow socks. Please ensure that your daughter has shin pads and a gum guard. Players will not be permitted to play without these items.

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 sport 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