EFFORT: I give my best effort to everything I do. Every time I try, I grow stronger. My effort makes me better every day!
UMZAMO: Ndizama kangangoko ndinako kuko konke endikwenzayo. Ngalo lonke ixesha ndizama, ndiyomelela. Imizamo yam indenza ndibe ngcono yonke imihla.
MOEITE: Ek gee my beste poging aan alles wat ek doen. Elke keer as ek probeer, word ek sterker. My moeite maak my elke dag beter!
Entering the last few weeks of the school term often brings a little anxiety and stress. Knowledge, content and skills are tested and sometimes the outcomes are not what we expect.
It is essential for our Rustybugs to remember that, while tests and assessments are important, they do not define who we are. They are markers on our learning journeys that highlight the effort that we have put into our work and point out the areas that still need our attention. This looks different for every child. We need to praise their effort and help them through the challenges. This is how they will grow in confidence and believe in their potential.
After all, it's all about having a growth mindset. There may be some things they don't know yet; that's the purpose of learning!
Belinda Petersen
Principal
Condolences to Nina Giraudeaux on the passing of her father.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this sad time.
The South African Principals' Association Conference was held at the Houw Hoek Hotel from 23 - 24 May. At the recent Power of U conference, inspiring speakers, including the WCED Deputy Director General, the Deputy Mayor of Cape Town, radio presenter and MC Sara-Jayne Makwala King, shared powerful stories centred on education and purpose. Their message was clear: every child matters, and it’s important for all of us—students, teachers, parents, and community members alike—to reaffirm why we do what we do.
One key takeaway was the reminder that, despite life’s challenges, embracing our school community and choosing courage is vital in today’s world. This is not a message just for educators, but for everyone involved in shaping our future.
A quote by Winston Churchill resonated deeply:
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts."
Let’s carry this spirit forward together, knowing that each of us has the strength to keep moving forward for the benefit of our whole community.
A special thank you to our school management for giving us the opportunity to attend this inspiring event.
Melanie Dudley & Sanette Jardim
This year's annual South African Girls’ Schools Association (SAGSA) conference took place in the picturesque town of Makhanda, formerly Grahamstown, and was hosted by The Diocesan School for Girls (DSG). RGJS was represented by Belinda Petersen (Principal), Neil Ryklieff (Deputy Principal) and Roxanne Greeff (Foundation Phase Head).
The three-day conference, which included delegates from some of South Africa’s top state and independent girls’ schools, focused on the theme of Personal Sustainability. The days included a combination of presentations interspersed with smaller breakaway sessions. Topics covered included ADHD, autism in girls, the importance of sustainable sleep health, the need for perfection in girls, from burnout to breathing - the art and science of energy management in the learning environment as well as character development - identity, community and purpose.
A strong thread throughout the conference was the mental, emotional and spiritual wellness of our girls and how much pressure they are under to achieve academically and on the sports field. Added to this, unhealthy social media use (time as well as content) is also a major contributing factor driving unhealthy and unsustainable pressure.
Some pearls of wisdom by the speakers include:
“There is power in kind acts.”
“I must be THE best in the moment, must change to: I must be MY best in the moment” - “the moment changes all the time.”
“Be kind to yourself in the moment.”
“ADHD - a different brain, not a broken brain”
“Power naps work.”
The conference offered a special opportunity, as well as encouraged members to collaborate, forge connections, share insights, and reflect on the evolving challenges and remarkable opportunities, we, as educators, have within our schools.
For the first time at the Conference, a Soap Box allowed 12 delegates the opportunity (4 minutes each) to share creative ideas that were successes at their schools. Our principal stepped up to the box and delivered her 4 minutes on RGJS’s Staff Mentorship Programme, which was well received.
The RGJS delegates walked away from the SAGSA Conference 2025 having made connections for future collaboration, richer with innovative insights on overall wellness and the heightened awareness to build resilience within our girls. These learnings will enable us as we build our strategy into the future.
SCHOOL NEWS
RGJS IMPORTANT DATES TERM 2 2025
ALL SCHOOL INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE FULL CALENDAR, IS AVAILABLE ON THE RGJS SITE
Disabled Access - Don't hesitate to contact admin@rgjs.org.za should you require wheelchair access or assisted access to our school campus.
The excitement is building as we count down the final three weeks until our Foundation Phase production, Beautiful Beasts, takes to the stage!
Our Grade 1–3 girls have been working hard, and we can't wait for you to see them shine.
Welcome to the bountiful grasslands!
Each year, the animals of the savanna come together for the most glamorous event of the season — the Beautiful Beasts Pageant! With dazzling stripes, spots, long legs and majestic manes, the “beautiful” animals strut their stuff while the “Uglies” are left in the shadows.
This heartwarming tale follows the “ugly” animals — the warthogs, hyenas, a vulture, rats, storks, and a wildebeest — as they take a stand using teamwork, creativity, and courage to clean up their shared home and prove that beauty isn’t just skin deep!
Packed with a little humour, a lot of heart, and a powerful message about inclusion and the environment, this play reminds us all that every creature has something special to offer.
Tickets are R100 per person.
Dates: Wednesday 25 June 10:00 am & 06:30 pm
Thursday 26 June 10:00 am & 06:30 pm
Please take note of the classes performing when purchasing your tickets on KARRI.
PARKING FOR EVENING PERFORMANCES: The Funny Festival is on at the Baxter, and parking may be limited in the surrounding area.
Thank you for paying your school fees on time. Your financial obligation to RGJS ensures that our Rustybugs receive quality tuition in a well-maintained and safe environment. New flooring in the Grade R block, painting and waterproofing of Rustenburg House, front office upgrade and renovation of the Digital Den are just a few of the major projects we have been able to carry out thus far in 2025.
We encourage families to continue paying school fees on time.
Monday 26 May saw our largest number of participants in music assembly ever! The Senior Choir opened the assembly with a beautiful rendition of "How Far I'll Go" and the Vocal Ensemble rounded everything off perfectly with "The Moon". In between, there were sizzling solos and dynamic duets from another fifteen girls.
The Foundation Phase Music Assembly, on Tuesday 27 May, was equally entertaining. The Grade 1's, 2's and 3's were treated to piano, recorder, voice, violin and cello performances by nine of our Foundation Phase learners.
As always, we are in awe of the natural poise and confidence shown by our Rustybugs. Well done, girls!
MUSIC ASSEMBLY PHOTOS
On Monday this week, our Grade 4s honoured the courage of the brave learners of 1976 who stood up for the right to education. In their informative presentation, they reminded our Rustybugs about how we can be a powerful voice for change. By being BRAVE and putting in the effort, we can all make a difference in the world. This important assembly closed with our Rustybugs and staff singing this song together.
The Grade 3 teachers presented an assembly focused on the importance of healthy living. With the help of two delightful puppet friends, Squirrel and Owl, the girls learned all about making smart choices for their bodies and minds.
Squirrel and Owl taught us the difference between sleepy snacks and energy snacks, reminding us to fuel our bodies with nutritious foods. The assembly also highlighted the importance of brushing our teeth, visiting the dentist, and staying active through daily movement and school sports.
A key message was that kindness, perseverance, and effort lead to success, both in and out of the classroom. The girls were encouraged to eat a colourful variety of fruits and vegetables, stay active, and always try their best.
Grade 3 Fun Day – Exploring History and Heritage!
What a delightful and educational day it was for our Grade 3 girls! Together with Miss Mallows, Miss Rhode, and Mrs Ingpen, the class took a wonderful journey into the past, celebrating history and heritage in the most engaging way. The girls dressed up and brought in treasured goodies from their grandparents – from vintage handbags and old photographs to classic kitchen tools, each item with a unique story to share.
Our teachers joined in the fun too, donning charming outfits from days gone by, sparking curiosity and laughter all around. The classroom was filled with excitement as everyone shared memories, learned about different eras, and appreciated the richness of our collective heritage.
Thank you to Ms Liesl Ludik, Zahra Gangrakar 7a, Ayesha Rhoda 5c, Gabriella Botha 2c and Madeleine Plummer 7b for the beautiful framed works of art in Mrs Petersen's office.
Happy World Environment Day — thank you for contributing to ending plastic waste (the theme for this year).
Well done on diverting 474.4kg this month 👏 Please watch the video of Damian from Plant The Seed explain what happens to our waste when it leaves our school campus.
Thank you to all our Support Staff for assisting with the process of sorting the recycling.
Thank you to our Rustybugs for using the correct bins - keep recycling!
Recently, we have been asked, "What is the Gr 7 Fundraising objective?"
Each year the Grade 7s raise funds for projects around the school. Last year's funds have been used for the new Digital Den revamp, and 2023's funds were put towards the solar installation. Previous years' funds raised have been towards the lawn on the grade 6 & 7 playground; new benches and tables around the school; water fountain; Grotto pool upgrade, traffic cones, bursary fund, etc.
SWAP SHOP: After Covid-19, many children had grown out of their school uniform and numerous items were donated to RGJS. In 2022, the Swap Shop was started as a service to parents and to raise funds for the RGJS Bursary Fund.
Through PTA events, Grade 7 Fundraising initiatives and the Swap Shop, funds raised are utilised to upgrade and enhance many projects in our school. Even though operational expenditure is budgeted annually, the additional income from fundraising aids the needs of special items identified throughout the year.
OUTREACH & CIVVIES - All funds raised from outreach and civvie collections are donated directly to the charities concerned.
We are grateful to our Rustenburg Community for their generous support.
As one of our Outreach initiatives, RGJS delivers sandwiches and fruit to the girls at Molo Mhlaba Girls' School in Khayelitsha every Tuesday.
For those able, please bring an extra sandwich and/or a piece of fruit. The girls must place them in the box in Rustenburg House before 08:00 every Tuesday.
MUSIC
Maya Dlepu, 7b, and Sophie Shaw, 6c, took part in the voice category of the Kaapse Afrikaanse Eisteddfod in the last week of May. Both girls sang from the heart and performed with true musicality. Between them, they achieved one High Honours (85-89%), two Distinctions (90-94%) and three Golden Diplomas (95-100%). These results are unparalleled!
We are incredibly proud of both Maya and Sophie.
In our previous newsletter, we mentioned all our Rustybugs who participated in the recent Cello Eisteddfod and Marimba Jam. In our assemblies on Monday and Tuesday, our musical Rustybugs received their certificates.
Well done to all our Cello and Marimba musicians.
SPORTS
Security Passes for external sports matches must be shown to security upon entering the campus.
No spectators are allowed for practices or internal matches.
Please enter through the Top Gate in Burg Road for matches.
As per the Sports Information shared at the beginning of 2025, any cancellation of sport for Grades 4 - 7 will be communicated by 13:00 on the day. Grade 2 and 3 cancellations will be communicated by 12:00 on the day.
Last Wednesday, our Netball teams were excited and ready to play Reddam Constantia, but the rainy weather had other plans. Some of the netball matches had to be cancelled due to the wet conditions.
From the matches that could go ahead, the following teams won their matches:
U9 C 4-1; U10 C 4-1
U13 A 14-11; U13 B 6-5; U13 C 17-0; U13 D 5-4
Well done to all our netball players.
Our Hockey teams have played against Micklefield and St Cyprian's, with all our teams showing improvement each week and some great results.
Well done to the following teams for their wins against Micklefield:
U10 B 4 - 2; U10 C 7 - 0; U10 D 3 - 1
The U10 A and U10 E teams drew their matches:
U11 A 3 - 0; U11 B 2 - 0; U13 C 4 - 1
2nd 11 4 - 0; 1st 11: 3 - 0
Well done to the following teams for their wins against St Cyprian's:
U10 A 1 - 0; U10 B 1 - 0; U10 C 2 - 0
U11 B: 2 - 0;
U13 C 2 - 0; U13 D draw 1 - 1
2nd 11:1 - 0
1st 11 drew 1 - 1
Rustenburg was invited to take part in the Herschel Winter Sports Festival on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 May. Our U10A, U11A, U12A and U13A Netball teams took to the courts on Friday afternoon, playing fixtures into the evening under the lights.
All our teams played exceptional netball with girls bringing the gees from the sidelines and the energy on the court.
The U12 and U13 B and C netball teams and U9A, B and C Hockey teams battled it out on Saturday morning. The U11A Hockey team played in the afternoon, with the playoffs under lights in the evening.
All our athletes not only showed up in true Rustybug Spirit on the court and field, but it was so encouraging to have so many staff and parents from other schools compliment our girls on how well they played and their wonderful attitude and sportsmanship. We can be very proud of our Rustybugs.
We have competed in two races since the last update.
The Rustybugs always arrive with GEES and are super supportive of their fellow runners. The key to running is to show up consistently and to understand that even the hardest runs serve a purpose. Progress does not happen overnight.
Race 5 - Friday, 23 May (hosted by Kirstenhof)
This was a superb cross-country event because the race route had it all - varied terrain, sharp embankments, twists and turns. To top it off, the runners experienced a late summer’s heat to test their endurance. It was a tough challenge for both legs and lungs.
Every runner ran with a purpose and goal: some aimed simply to start and finish, others pushed for a podium spot (1st, 2nd, or 3rd), some worked hard to beat their previous race positions, and many ran just to be with friends and make new ones along the way.
To top it all off, each runner was treated to an Aquelle bottled water and a Mantelli’s biscuit at the finish line. It was a nice unexpected treat after such a demanding race!
The Rustenburg girls ran so well and the girls confirmed that they all felt it in their legs the next day!
Race 6 - Friday, 30 May (hosted by Oakhurst)
This race gave the girls an opportunity to improve on their previous performance, as it followed the same route as an earlier race.
It allowed the girls to plan their own race strategy based on knowing what to expect.
Congratulations to the following girls who have completed all 6 races so far:
U9 - Kate Hendricks 3c, Sofia Abdullah 3c, U10 - Raabi’a Dramat 4b, Holly Haldane 4c,
U11 - Ava Rood 5a, U12 - Sophie Gray 6a, U13 - Ava Mattushek 7b
We have registered Rustenburg Girls' Junior into the school's mountain biking league. This is a parent-driven activity. If any girls want to cycle in any of the events, or parents would like to know more about getting their children involved in the races, please contact Brett Pearce (084 9860295). Brett is a parent in our school who has a daughter who takes part in these events.
EVENTS
Our Grade 7 Fundraising Team are selling Bobum 100% Recycled Microfibre Towels. The collection will be open on KARRI today, Friday 23rd May and closes on Wednesday 20th August.
The delivery date for the towels will be at the start of Term 4, just in time for the swimming season!
The towels are R285 each.
Thank you to the Grade 7 Fundraising Team for arranging the tickets for the Funny Festival show last night.
Thank you to all the parents, guardians and staff who supported the fundraiser and a BIG THANK YOU to the brave adults who sat in the front row and were such fabulous sports.
OUTREACH
THANK YOU to all our Rustybug Families for their generous donations for Slipper Day.
We have donated
R 12 840.OO
to Reach For A Dream.
As the winter holidays are approaching, it is time to get those knitting needles out and start making squares.
If any families have wool to donate for our knitting boxes, please send them to school for attention Pam Heiberg. The wool will be placed in tubs in the library together with knitting needles, ready for our Rustybugs to knit during break time. We will be collecting squares throughout June and July for Mandela Day.
As Mandela Day falls in the school holidays, we encourage our Rustybugs, all families and staff to share their 67 Minutes on Mandela Day with Pam Heiberg. We'd love to share how you made a difference on Mandela Day in our next newsletter.
As one of our Outreach initiatives, we would like to assist Molo Mhlaba with the following items that you may no longer be using and would like to pass on to the girls at Molo Mhlaba:
Art materials: paint, paint brushes, pastels, crayons
Stationery
Reading Books
Secondhand musical instruments
Secondhand sporting kit or gear
If you have any of the above items in good condition, please drop them off at the front office, clearly marked MOLO MHLABA.
SCHOOL UNIFORM
Please access Bugs Boutique through Grosvenor Road, the road adjacent to RGHS. Please use the small pedestrian gate on Grosvenor Road.
Bugs Boutique Trading Hours 2024 - During the school term
Monday 12:45 - 15:30
Wednesday 12:45 - 15:30
Friday 12:15 - 14:30
SATURDAY 7 JUNE 09:00 - 11:00
All orders placed through the online store will be delivered to RGJS.
Please encourage your daughter to check the Lost Property Boxes.
Please complete this FORM if you are missing an item, but remember to remind your daughter to check the boxes as well.
STARS IN THE MAKING
Congratulations to Riley Gilfillan-McEvoy 4c, who recently competed in a club rhythmic gymnastics competition on Saturday, 17th May, as well as in the Cape Town District Rhythmic Gymnastics competition on Saturday, 24th May. Riley won a silver medal in both competitions. Riley is a level 2 gymnast, competing in the Rope and Hoop categories.
Riley and her fellow gymnasts have been selected to compete in the Western Cape championships later this month.
Well done Riley, we are so proud of you.
Congratulations to Beatrice Forgan 1a, who was recently awarded her orange belt in Karate.
Well done Beatrice, we are so proud of you.
Congratulations to Lisakhanya Tom 6B, who participated in the Cape Town District Trials for Gymnastics (level 2) on Saturday, 31st May 2025.
Lisakhanya was awarded a bronze medal and has qualified to represent her club at the Western Cape Championships on 27th June.
Well done Lisakhanya, we are so proud of you.
MYSCHOOLCARD
R6,929.04
Raised in April
Thank you to all our SWIPERS!
New to RGJS and have a MYSCHOOL Card, please remember to change your beneficiary to RGJS.
All funds raised go towards our school bursary programme!
MYSCHOOLCARD
Sign up here for MYSCHOOL CARD
Add RGJS as your listed beneficiary
Already a MYSCHOOL CARD holder? Change your beneficiary to RGJS here
SWIPE SWIPE SWIPE
EVERY SWIPE CHANGES A LIFE
ADVERTS
Please contact Pam Heiberg for advertising rates & queries pamhei@rgjs.org.za
Please note that the placement of an advertisement does not indicate endorsement by the school.