Junior School

14 April 2021

Quote

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

~Eleanor Roosevelt

Preschool News

Dear Preschool Parents

Welcome back to Term 2, the school grounds are looking fabulous in all the autumn hues and the squirrels are happily collecting acorns in preparation for winter.

We trust that you all enjoyed some family time together over the Easter period.

A huge thank you to all for your most generous contributions at the end of last term.

The very generous contents of the “Lenten Appeal” boxes will be sent to the Catholic Archdiocese for distribution. A bakkie load of non-perishable foodstuffs was sent to “Living Hope” for distribution to families in Lavender Hill, Ocean View, Capricorn Park and Westlake. They have sent a thank you letter expressing how much this will assist in helping to feed the less fortunate people in these areas.

Almost 4000 Easter eggs were also donated and distributed to a number of charitable organizations:

Where Rainbows meet, Nazareth House, Maitland Cottage, St James Parish, Christine Revell Children’s Home, The Gertrude Malgas Foundation, Ceres Hospital and the butterfly Crèche, and they have also expressed their gratitude for your kindness.

DIANE VILJOEN

Head of Preschool

We welcome Skyler Makeredza and her family to the Nursery class.

Pre School Pictures Continued...📷

Junior Primary

Dear Parents/Guardians

After a refreshing break we are so excited to commence the Second Term of 2021. While we might have to face many covid related challenges during the course of this term, we are delighted to have every child back in class for face to face teaching. We consider it a real privilege to teach and we are even more grateful for the trust you have placed in our school and staff. Learning within an environment of care, creativity and kindness is a God given right and we feel deeply respectful of the expectation you have of us.

I would like to welcome Mrs Sarah Ausmeier, our new Grade 3A teacher. Mrs Ausmeier was a learnership student in 2014 and 2015 and is therefore no stranger to our school and its ethos. Having just completed five years at Rustenburg Girls' Junior School, we are delighted to have her back. I have no doubt that she will transition well into the school and the girls in her care will continue to flourish holistically.

Special Birthday Blessings to two of our Foundation Phase teachers, Mrs Payne and Ms Davidse, who recently celebrated significant milestone birthdays….both ending with 0, representing different decades.

Wishing you and your daughters a meaningful and exciting Second Term and may it be filled with beautiful memories.

Wishing all our Muslim Families blessings during the holy month of Ramadan.

With gratitude

Ms Gillian Stubbs

Warm Fuzzy Awards

24 March 2021

Sophie Hollis 1B, Emily Felix 1D, Hannah Borwick 2D, Amelie Roels 2P, Sahara Jeppe 3B, Stella Caligaro 3F, Brenna Kieser 3M

14 April 2021

Jesse Jolly 1B, Lizzy Smith 1D, Mila Garcia-Warner 2D, Sienna Williams 2P, Ava Sedice 3B, Georgia Kipps 3A, Michaela de Abreu 3M

Senior Primary

How fortunate we are to return to our beautiful campus this term! One year ago we were all learning to navigate teaching and learning via a screen during the country's first lockdown. The teachers are looking forward to engaging in meaningful feedback sessions with you at the Parent Teacher Meetings scheduled this week. These classroom connect sessions are a great opportunity to share academic progress and growth based on classroom observations, assessments and assignments. You will learn and possibly be better informed about your daughter’s strengths, challenges, needs, behaviours, and learning styles. We invite your valuable input and insight about your daughter during the feedback time.

● What do you talk about in a Parent Teacher Meeting?

Your child's teacher will probably show you some samples of your child's work, and may discuss your child's progress, grades, homework, and behaviour. The teacher may also ask you about any concerns that she has about your child, as well as questions about her study habits, routines and after school interests and activities.

➢ You may ask what your daughter is learning about and what you as the parent need to know about what they're learning.

➢ You may wonder about what measures and standards the teacher uses when assessing and what you need to know about them.

➢ You may wonder how you respond if or when your child struggles in class and how you can help at home.

There is great merit in constructive and collaborative parent involvement in education. The advantages are being able to relate to your child in a wholesome well rounded way thus growing their positive self esteem, motivation and good behaviours.

Our children test us everyday! It is therefore essential to present as a united front as parents and teachers when guiding and managing them to be their best possible selves. Be Consistent and open when dealing and engaging with them. Always focus on the challenge they present and not the person. This will help keep communication open and constructive.

Parents and teachers have a common goal, which is to facilitate the best educational experience possible for pupils. When parents and teachers communicate with one another, they are able to work together towards this common goal. Each party contributes their own specific skills and knowledge toward meeting the objectives. When successful communication occurs, parents will become more engaged and involved in class and school events. It is proven that strong parent-teacher communication improves academic performance in children and provides a greater feeling of community. I trust that your meeting with the teacher will be insightful, encouraging and meaningful.

Have a happy and productive term ahead.

KAREN SMITH

Head of Senior Primary

Counsellor's Corner

Dear Parents

Welcome back to Term 2 - let’s hope and pray that it runs as smoothly and continuously as Term 1!

Some brief news from my Department:

Positive Parenting Course:

Janet Freemantle and I are still running this four week course this term but the dates have changed slightly due to the long weekend. It will now be on Monday the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th of May from 6-7.30pm. It will be held at school, not via zoom. Cost R600 per person or R1000 per couple.

Topics covered include

Understanding the factors that affect children`s behaviour, (and misbehaviour), and how our own experience of being parented may have affected our parenting style.
Effective Listening
Building confidence and resilience.
Setting boundaries and working together as a family.
Maintaining harmony in the home.
Establishing your authority without becoming authoritarian.
Managing stress...finding that when you are stressed you overreact to children`s behaviour. Life under lockdown seems to have changed so much. Living together so closely for so long raised the level of stress all round.
How to have difficult conversations around issues like death, pandemics, race, diversity.

Should you wish to attend, please email me at gcloete@springfieldconvent.co.za.

Spaces are limited.

Peer Support Monitors:

Our Grade 7 students are now actively offering peer support during break times. This involves being available to diffuse conflict, help with exclusion or just generally being a kind and helpful “big sister” to the younger girls. I am so grateful for the devoted and passionate way the Grade 7’s go about doing this. Thank you Peer Support Monitors!

My favorite pics from the holidays are:

Annabelle Baff, Mackenzie Anderson and Sarah Borwick who sold Sarah’s painted rocks at the Rondebosch Craft Market and made R2340 for our COMMUNITY CONNECT CLUB! What champions you girls are!

This sweet little video is from Siyazama Creche in Hout Bay who received marshmallow eggs from our Easter Egg drive - their thank you song from them to us!