Dear Springfielders

A sincere welcome to the 2021 school year and to Springfield’s 150th year. I should also like to extend a warm welcome to all new families who join our community this year.

The long summer holiday was a welcome change of pace after a tumultuous 2020. Our energies are restored, and after a brief start with online schooling, it is good to be back at school. The girls might not admit this openly, but the buzz outside my office window of happy sounds and smiling eyes, suggests that they too are pleased to begin a new school year.

New years are great times to take stock and resolve to do better in our lives. For some they provide an opportunity to start afresh. This is not dissimilar to a birthday. After the celebrations, for some there is a pause when plans are made for what the next decades should bring.

Birthdays are also a time to be joyful and to give thanks. We celebrate each other’s birthdays to show how much we value the people in our lives and for much the same reason, 2021 will be a year in which we celebrate our School and what it has contributed to so many. For now, many of the bigger events that are planned will be placed on hold until we are all able to be together to enjoy these celebrations.

Last Friday, the new staff gathered to join an orientation programme. During the day, Ms Dunn told the story of Springfield’s beginning. She is a great storyteller and a sense of nostalgia stirred within me. The 6 women who left Ireland in the 1860s brought with them faith and a mission to educate. Knowing the history of our school enables us to draw on those Sisters' strength of purpose to ensure that these values remain at Springfield’s heart for the next 150 years.

New years bring new people to our school and I hope that all new pupils have felt welcome at this, their new school. In addition, we welcome new people to the School’s staff.

In non-teaching posts I should like to welcome:

• Mrs Samantha Belcher - Music secretary

• Mrs Rosa Krauss - Senior School Counsellor

• Mrs Nicky Lewis - Senior School secretary

• and Mr John Oertel - Grounds manager

In the Senior School classrooms we welcome:

• Mr Ntokozo Biyela - Maths department

• Ms Celeste Botha - Music department

• Ms Dominique Ducray – Religious Education

• Mr Ziyaad Ismail – Head of Hockey

• Mr Mel Marx - Information Technology

• Ms Cathy Munro - Sports department

• and Mrs Melanie Wagner - Life Orientation and Sport

In 2021, greater emphasis will be placed on our house system. The houses will literally become a home for each Senior School girl, and, in this space, she will be supported, encouraged and challenged. House Coordinators have been appointed to lead this process and I am grateful to each person for the significant role that she will play.

• Dominic house: Mrs Pippa Visser and Mrs Nicky Hughes

• Maccy house: Mrs Nomthandazo Ndlebe and Mrs Kirsty Tromp

• Thomas house: Ms Sara Boock and Mrs Kate Zimmermann

An additional internal appointment has been made and Ms Samantha Whitehorn will take on the responsibility of Subject Head for Mathematical Literacy at Springfield.

Around the globe, healthcare workers have been lauded as the superheroes of the pandemic and quite rightly so. Many people place teachers in this category too and again, I am in absolute agreement. Every teacher at Springfield is an excellent practitioner, dedicated to their profession and to the care and development of each pupil at our school. It is a matter of deep concern that it has become common practice amongst some parents to judge, criticise, compare and undermine teachers. This prejudice has been directed variously at the race, age or experience of the teacher. Not only does this go against the Constitution of our country, but it also attacks the fundamental beliefs of our School and will not be tolerated.

During our assemblies earlier this week, I wished all of the girls a rewarding 2021 and I extend this wish to all in our community. During this birthday year, we will elevate our motto, Veritas (Truth), and give it pride of place in all that we do. St Catherine of Siena reminds us about our personal truth when she tells us to "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire."

PENNY MULLAN
Head of School

It is with great pleasure that I greet you at the beginning of the 2021 school year. In just over a month’s time, on Sunday 7 March, Springfield celebrates 150 years of educating girls in Cape Town. Unfortunately, due to Covid, the actual physical celebration of the birthday might have to wait until later in the year, but we will certainly do what we can to mark this incredible milestone in the life of Springfield. There was great excitement on Monday as girls returned refreshed and eager to begin the new year. I am confident that, despite the challenges, it is going to be a very good year indeed - so let's work together to make it a special one for our girls!

We welcome the following new staff members to Springfield this year:

• Ms Zintle Ngcelwana – Nursery class teacher

• Miss Jessica Wani – Nursery assistant

• Mrs Zoliswa Mangingxa – After-Care assistant

• Mrs Amy Fernandez – Grade Three class teacher

• Miss Danielle Carter – Foundation Phase Learnership student

• Miss Michael-Jade Petersen – Foundation Phase Learnership student

• Mrs Cyntike Mathyeke – Grade Five class teacher

• Miss Kristen Arendse – Intermediate Phase Learnership student

• Miss Bianca King – Intermediate Phase Learnership student

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We wish them well and hope they all have long, happy times at Springfield. Photographs of our new staff members will be featured in this Newsletter and in the next.

Sadly, we have received a resignation letter from Mrs Fernandez, who will be leaving us at the end of this term. Mrs Fernandez was offered a position in the Foundation Phase at Bishops Prep, which is a wonderful opportunity for her and her two sons to be at that school. We wish them well. We have appointed Mrs Sarah Ausmeier to the Grade Three post, starting at the beginning of term two. Mrs Ausmeier comes to us from Rustenburg, where she has taught for five years. She is known to us as Sarah Holton, who was a Learnership student here before she went to Rustenburg.

In all my years as a teacher and as Head of a school, I have always loved the start of a new school year. There is something magical about the spirit of a new beginning amongst pupils, teachers and parents. The weather is perfect, the children look so lovely in their summer uniforms, and a spirit of happiness pervades all. This quote from Meister Eckhart epitomises the spirit at school this week: “And suddenly you know: it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings”.

I found this very beautiful reflection written by one of my favourite spiritual writers, Joyce Rupp:

My hope for you this New Year is:

That the single, most significant dimension of life is your relationship with the Source of Goodness who never ceases to sing love songs to your soul…

That you find meaning, purpose and vitality in what you do daily…

That you treasure your loved ones and let them know how dear they are to you…

That you make choices and decisions that reflect your truest self…

That you look in the mirror at least once a day and smile in happy amazement…

That you remember relationships are what count above all else - more than work or money, or all the material things we spend so much time tending…

That you live in an uncluttered manner, enjoying the freedom to be content…

That you keep your sense of humour when things don't go the way you want…

That you find adventure in each new day and marvel at the wonders of creation which constantly present themselves to you…

That you never give up on yourself when others turn away or do not understand…

That you are attentive to the health of your body, mind and spirit…

That you take risks and accept the growth-full challenges that come to you…

That you draw on your inner strength and resiliency when you are in need…

That you carry peace within yourself, allowing it to slip into the hearts of others so our planet becomes a place where violence, division and war are no more.

ALISON DUNN

Principal of the Junior School

Dear Springfield Community

On the first day back, our beautiful mascot St Dominic or affectionately named Dom, welcomed all the students back to school capturing a beautiful presence and sense of fun. As you entered the Avenue you too were greeted by a big sign on the PreSchool fence with a profound reminder that in our 150th year, we exist because Sisters Stood Strong through a history of struggle, joy, challenge and faith.

We will navigate through the chapters of our 150th celebration acknowledging the phenomenal legacy of the Dominican Sisters whose shoulders we stand on today. I encourage you to discover their names, their stories, their historical magnitude.

My wish for all Springfield families in the 150th year is to feel a sense of genuine welcome and deep belonging. May the year ahead be punctuated with blessing, discernment and growth. As Sr Kathy reminded us last year, we grew in courage through our vulnerability. May the humanness of our vulnerability allow us to journey in respect, compassion, kindness and truth.

Tomorrow, 4 February, is World Cancer Day. I’d like to honour all our Sisters and Springfield family members who have fought cancer in the most heroic ways. Some have sadly succumbed and we pray for their eternal rest. We continue to pray for those members of our community who need our healing prayers.

With blessing for a deeply meaningful 2021.

Gillian Stubbs