BUG NEWS

7 MAY 2026

VAKALISA: Ndiyakwazi ukuvakalisa iingcinga, neemvakalelo, nezimvo zam ngendlela yam eyodwa. Ilizwi lam libalulekile, kwaye ndiyazingca ngokwabelana ngam. Xa ndithetha, ndidlala, okanye ndisenza, ndikhanyisa ngokhanyo lwam.

UITDRUK: Ek kan my gedagtes, gevoelens en idees op my eie spesiale manier uitdruk. My stem maak saak, en ek is trots om te deel wie ek is. Wanneer ek praat, speel of toneelspeel, laat ek my lig vir ander skyn.

EXPRESS: I can express my thoughts, feelings and ideas in my own special way. My voice matters, and I am proud to share who I am. When I speak, play, or act, I shine my light for others.

Learning how to express ourselves in meaningful ways is essential to building relationships and a sense of belonging and community. Here are several ways to show expression.

We express our feelings through words, body language or even silence. Healthy emotional expression helps regulate stress and builds connection with others.

Creative expression, like art, music, writing and design, allows us to turn our inner imagination into something tangible. Using a means of creative expression helps us say what may sometimes be difficult to express with words.

We express who we are through communication and relationships. We share perspectives, needs and boundaries that strengthen understanding, which leads to better communication as opposed to miscommunication.

Expressing ourselves reflects our identity and inner values and beliefs through our words, actions, choices and appearance.

We also express ideas or intellectual thoughts through explanations, suggestions and assertions, shaping what is in our minds into language that others can grasp.

Movement, whether structured through activities like sport and dance or unstructured like everyday gestures, expresses energy, mood and intention, often without words. Physical expression allows the body to "speak".

Finally, spirituality, faith or inner life involves the expression of prayer, meditation or rituals for some people.

As we consider these different ways that we express ourselves, let's consider how we do so respectfully, acknowledging that each person may express themselves differently, and that's okay.

Belinda Petersen

Principal

CONGRATULATIONS

CONGRATULATIONS: To Nina Giraudeaux and family on her daughter's wedding. Kaylagh and Rudi were married on Saturday, 2nd May.

Wishing your daughter and your new son-in-law a lifetime of love and happiness♥️

WCED ROADSHOW

I attended a roadshow launching the new Bala Wande Mathematics programme that the WCED will be launching next year. This programme focuses on ensuring every child can calculate with confidence by the age of 10 years old. The WCED has had a big focus on improving reading through the new reading strategies that they have put much research into, which has shown a pleasing increase in results. This is now the next step to improving Mathematics across the Western Cape. I am excited to see the continued growth and confidence in our Rustybugs through this phased-in programme.

ROXANNE GREEF - FOUNDATION PHASE HEAD

STAFF WELLNESS

On Friday, 24th April, Candice Nicholls presented a frank, open and honest discussion with our staff on the topic of Hormones, Humanity & Support: Understanding Women Through Midlife.

Whilst we are all at different stages of life, it was an important conversation that affects everyone as we engage with people of different ages and generations. A healthy understanding of our bodies leads to a healthier team and a better understanding of people and what makes us tick.

The conversation was engaging and enlightening, with many of our staff receiving prizes for asking brave and interesting questions.

JOIN OUR TEAM

PART-TIME VIOLIN TEACHER

Closing Date: 10th June 2026

FULL-TIME PIANO TEACHER

Closing Date: 18th May 2026

SCHOOL NEWS

RGJS IMPORTANT DATES TERM 2 2026

ALL SCHOOL INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE FULL CALENDAR, IS AVAILABLE ON THE RGJS SITE

Disabled Access - Please don't hesitate to contact admin@rgjs.org.za if you require wheelchair access or assistance with access to our school campus.

Fri 8th May: RGJS U10 Hockey Festival @ RGHS

Interschools General Knowledge

Sat 9th May: Bugs Boutique OPEN 09:00 - 11:00

Sun 10th May: Happy Mother's Day

Wed 13th May: Foundation Phase Shared Reading

Community Engagement Evening 18:30

Thurs 14th May: Ascension Day

Fri 15th May: Kirstenhof U10 - U13C Festival

Marimba Festival @ Baxter (19:00)

Mon 18th May: Music Cycle 1 - Assessment Week

Grade 4 Rocky Shore Outing - Centre for

Conservation Museum

Wed 20th May: AMESA Maths Round 2

Fri 22nd May: Herschel Netball Festival U10A, U11A, U12A, U13A 2-7:30pm

U12C, U13C 2-6 pm

Sat 23rd May: Herschel U11 Hockey Festival 2:30-8:30 pm

U9A, B, C Hockey 8-1 pm

Fri 29th May: Slipper Day - Collection on KARRI

ASSEMBLIES

This week in our Singing Assembly, Mr Alex van der Speck taught a new song to our Grade 4 - 7 Rustybugs.

On Tuesday, Mrs Leah Adams started the Foundation Phase Singing Assembly with an action song, "Wake Up". They also sang "Jambo", a Swahili Greeting Song and an Afrikaans classic, "Bobbejaan klim die berg".

Thank you to our Music Department for this fun way to start the school day.

GRADE 6 OUTING - SIMONSTOWN MUSEUM

The Grade 6 learners enjoyed an educational outing to the Simon's Town Museum and the South African Naval Museum. During their visit, they explored the rich and diverse history of Simon’s Town, including its notable residents, the former prison, and the role of the Dutch East India Company (DEIC) in establishing the area as an important naval and trading point. They also gained insight into South Africa’s naval history and the workings of the Naval Museum. The outing provided a meaningful opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences.

GRADE 5 PARENT TALK

What’s Going On in There? Understanding Your 10-Year-Old

On Tuesday, 29th April, we welcomed back Tamsyn Alfino for her third annual parent talk, and once again, she left us with fresh insights into the world of our tween daughters.

Tamsyn created space for parents to pause and reflect on where our girls are in their development — not just academically, but emotionally and socially. She reminded us that while IQ opens doors, emotional intelligence helps our daughters walk through them with confidence.

Parents came away with practical strategies and valuable resources to support their daughters through this important stage: how to listen so they’ll talk, how to validate big feelings, and how to build resilience without rescuing.

A heartfelt thank you to Tamsyn for her wisdom, and to all the parents who joined us. The tween years are complex, but with shared understanding, we’re better equipped to guide our girls.

GRADE 7 SOCIAL

What an unforgettable evening at the Rustenburg Girls' Junior School Disco! We were thrilled to welcome the boys from Rondebosch Boys’ Preparatory for a fun-filled social evening. The night kicked off with exciting quiz games and icebreakers, where the girls and boys teamed up to answer as quickly as possible. There was plenty of laughter and teamwork all around! After enjoying delicious doughnuts and refreshments, everyone danced the night away thanks to an incredible DJ who kept the energy high all evening. A huge congratulations and thank you to our amazing Grade 7 mums, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make events like this possible. A very special mention must also go to our fantastic MC for the evening, Mr Neil Ryklieff — you were absolutely incredible! See you again next year! The boys and girls had such a wonderful time!

WORLD BOOK DAY

On Friday the 24th of April we celebrated World Book Day. Thank you to all our Rustybugs for going the extra mile and dressing up as book characters.

Mr Bump, The Cat in a Hat, Angelina Ballerina, Harry Potter, Lottie Brooks, and Where's Wallie, were just a handful of the exciting characters that came to school!

Thank you to all our Rustybugs for their generous book donations which have been sent to Molo Mhlaba Library.

GRADE 2 ORANJEZICHT CITY FARM

The Grade 2 learners recently visited the Oranjezicht City Farm as part of their Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) unit on farming. During their visit, they explored the principles of sustainable farming and gained an understanding of its importance in caring for the environment. The learners thoroughly enjoyed the guided tour and had the opportunity to plant their very own beetroot seedlings. Back at school, they are continuing their journey as budding farmers by nurturing and growing their own plants.

MUSIC

PIANO & WOODWIND CONCERT

The Woodwind and Piano Concert marked a special new chapter in our music programme, as learners performed together in sections rather than by grade. It was wonderful to see girls from across all grades sharing the stage, from the youngest performers bravely taking part in their very first concert, to the senior students leading with confidence and inspiring those around them. The evening was filled with beautiful music, warm encouragement, and an incredibly supportive audience. With smiles all around, the concert truly celebrated growth, courage, community, and a shared love of music.

MARIMBA FESIVAL

Exciting news!!!

Our marimba ensembles will be performing in the 2026 Cape Town Marimba Festival for the first time ever!

The performance is in Baxter Concert Hall on 15 May at 19:00.

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

SPORT

HOCKEY & NETBALL

Well done to all our Hockey and Netball players who played their first matches of the term last week. A special to mention to our U9s, who started playing team sport for the first time this year.

We look forward to sharing all the results and updates of the matches in our next newsletter.

STARS IN THE MAKING

HOCKEY STARS

Congratulations to Tazkia Mohamed Hoosain 7a and Liberty Wallace 7b, who were selected for the Western Province U13 Hockey Squad.

Tazkia and Liberty are in the C Team. They both endured tough trials and tough selections. Well done, Tazkia and Liberty, we are so proud of you.

DANCING STAR

Congratulations to Ayelah Antooley 1b on her excellent results in the Elements of Dance competition held last Sunday.

Ayelah was awarded Gold for a group dance and Pro Gold for a duet. Ayelah's group also received a special award, 2nd place overall for the group dance!

Well done Aleyah, we are so proud of you.

EVENTS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETING

Help Plan the Future of Rustenburg Girls' Junior School!

WE NEED YOUR VISION!

Your feedback is the foundation of our future campus infrastructure. Join us for a collaborative evening as we develop a visionary Master Plan for our school.

We warmly welcome all Staff, Parents, and Learners (Grades 5-7) to participate in this vital conversation.

Limited parking will be available in the staff parking area.

PLEASE RSVP HERE

Tea, coffee, and hot chocolate will be served from 18:00.

FRANSCHHOEK LITERARY FESTIVAL

You are invited to bring the whole family to a special day of storytelling, creativity and literary discovery at the Franschhoek Literary Festival on Saturday, 16 May 2026. Featuring some of South Africa’s most loved authors, storytellers and speakers, the Children’s Programme sessions are engaging and designed to inspire curiosity and spark a lifelong love of reading.

Programme highlights

Real Parenting in 2026:
Dr Claudia Gray & Craig Wilkinson in conversation with Pippa Hudson.
A thoughtful discussion for parents navigating modern childhood - from screens and AI to boundaries, resilience and connection.

Stories that Inspire Young Minds with Refiloe Moahloli
Award-winning children’s author shares joyful stories that celebrate imagination, courage and belonging.

African Storytelling Magic with Gcina Mhlophe
One of South Africa’s most beloved storytellers brings African stories to life through storytelling, poetry and performance.

Big Adventures for Curious Kids with Riaan Manser
Explorer and author shares thrilling real-life adventures that inspire children to dream big and explore the world.

Draw Along with an Illustrator with Alex Latimer
Join the popular author-illustrator for a fun live drawing session where children can sketch along and bring characters to life.

Book tickets and explore the full programme at https://www.flf.co.za/.

OUTREACH

SLIPPER DAY 2026

Support Reach For A Dream and wear your slippers to school on Friday, 29th May.

Slipper Day is an annual fundraising initiative that brings South Africans together to show their support for children with life-threatening illnesses. We call on the nation to buy their R20 Slipper Day stickers and wear their fuzzy footwear out in the world, whether they’re in a classroom or a boardroom.

Rustybugs and staff will be able to purchase stickers on KARRI.

The stickers will be handed to learners on Friday, 29th May.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

SWAP SHOP & LOST PROPERTY

The Swap Shop will be open on Friday, 15th May, in the Hall Foyer.

As the season is changing, Grade Rs can wear their tracksuits over their shorts and T-shirts to school on cooler days.

Grade 1 - 7 learners may wear either summer or winter uniform all year round, but may not wear a combination of summer and winter uniforms, i.e. school dress with black tights.

LOST PROPERTY PROCEDURE

If your daughter has lost an item, please remind her to let you know as soon as possible and encourage her to look for the item herself. Parents can also send a notice to our fabulous Lost Property Team using this FORM for easily identifiable unlabeled items, i.e., pink Mr Price takkie. If the item is found, the team will return it to the class. Parents can also look for lost items in the Lost Property Box before or after the school day. Please sign in at the front security. The Lost Property Boxes are situated at the entrance to the Grade 4 - 7 Teaching block. All labeled items are sorted and returned to their owners. Unlabeled items are tagged with the date found in the box and returned to the box for collection by their owners.

UNLABELED ITEMS CANNOT BE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS😥