Fresh Beginnings

There is always something exciting about the first day of the school year. The stores have been building us up for this day ever since they took down the Christmas decorations replacing them with pictures of smug children on Back-to-School posters showing off their brand new shining shoes – which we all know will be scuffed within a week of kicking stones and soccer balls; angelic girls and boys, holding pads of hole-punched paper, a variety of ring files and fat wads of rainbow post-it notes looking as if they can’t wait to rectify the error of spotless paper unsullied by writing; sartorially immaculate young people in untarnished and spotless uniforms with improbably straight ties, knotted right up to top buttons – their expressions unconsciously sending us the message that this image is only for photographs, definitely not for real life!

Incredibly, these posters seem to presume that none of us, teachers or pupils, can possibly wait a moment longer for the term to begin. I suspect that this is only the case for the majority of our parents.

For a number of teachers, the school year started last week with the announcement of the matric results in the Avenue – an appropriate venue as it is the iconic signature view of Springfield. David Fick, Head of Academics, remarked to me that one small insignificant piece of paper could not possibly reflect the efforts, energy and sweat which have gone into thirteen years of academic endeavour. That insignificant piece of paper invariably provoked instant squeals of delight and warm hugs from proud (and relieved) parents.

‘I am going to miss this beautiful place,’ sighed one (now ex) Matric as she said goodbye to me, clutching that invaluable piece of paper, displaying a degree of nostalgia not usually evident in teenagers.

Now the first day of the school year has arrived. The freshly polished classrooms and buildings, unnervingly quiet for five weeks, with the peace broken only by a discordant sound of leaf blowers in the car park and the rasp of a chain saw as the work continues in preparing our gardens for the 150 celebrations in 2021. From 6.00 am, the school has been filling up and voices are more shrill and excited than is evident during a ‘normal’ school day. There is so much to catch up before the reality of the first assembly rudely intrudes into their holiday revelations.

New Grade 8’s have to become accustomed to their parents not coming into the school with them. Standing outside my office, I have been watching them hesitatingly creeping up the Avenue in their new uniforms unaware – at this stage – what all these uniforms signify in terms of pride and identity. As they slowly journey up the Avenue, I can see them eyeing out the deliberately-nonchalant old hands who are putting on an expert show of studied indifference for the benefit of the newcomers. Yet nervous new hands and nonchalant old hands have returned to school to face similar challenges. All are linked by apprehensions for what lies ahead in their new grades.

I wish all the Springfield Community well as they turn over the page and begin this new chapter in their lives. The pages are blank, just like the hole-punched paper of their files, just waiting to be filled by new experiences, challenges, events and friendships.

By starting afresh, our girls have a renewed purpose. There is something wonderfully positive and optimistic about the start of a new school year.

Keith Richardson

Headmaster