JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

15 January 2020

Quote of the week

“Let the children come to me, and do not stop them,

because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these”.

~ Mark 10:14

A message from Miss Dunn

Principal’s Message

Dear Parents

WELCOME BACK

It is with great pleasure that I greet you at the beginning of the 2020 school year. There was great excitement this morning as girls returned refreshed and eager to begin the new year. I am confident that it is going to be a very good year indeed - so let's work together to make it a special one for our girls! Our new Grade One’s have spent a happy morning in their new environment, and are looking forward to a fun-filled, sociable family picnic on Saturday.

There are some lovely photographs in this Newsletter of the first day – happy children who love their school. One could not ask for more.

We congratulate our 2019 Matric girls on their excellent results – so many of these girls went through our hands in the Pre and Junior School, and we love to see our efforts bearing fruit as they finish Matric and prepare for tertiary education.

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

Miss Carla van Niekerk – Grade Five class teacher
Miss Fritha Jooste – Physical Education teacher
Mrs Tarryn Hawke – Education Support teacher
Mrs Andrea Huffkie, Mrs Lauren Wicomb and Miss Emma Stevenson – Foundation Phase Learnership students
Mrs Rehana Kleinveldt – Intermediate Phase Learnership student.

We wish them well and hope they all have long, happy times at Springfield.

We congratulate the following existing staff members on their promotions within the staff complement:

Mrs Karen Smith – promoted to Senior Primary Head of Department;
Mrs Nicola Jagga – promoted to Head of After-Care.

We wish these two ladies everything of the best in their new roles at Springfield.

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 today: “And suddenly you know: it’s time to start something new and trust the magic of new beginnings”.

Of course, no one could say it better than Pooh Bear and Piglet!

Alison Dunn

Junior School Principal

Headmaster's Message

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

Weekly Inspiration

Greetings and blessings to the extended Springfield Community

We commenced the academic year with a service in the Dominican Chapel for all staff, with a theme we'll try to permeate in all our undertakings this year.

The theme is based on a quote by WIlliam Kentridge currently exhibiting his work at the Zeitz Mocca Museum. William has granted us special permission to use this image.

We hope that we will remain mindful of the beauty of difference, the steadfastness of our rich Dominican legacy and the potential of seeing each other through the lens of a dignified humanity. Hold The Open Heart is an expectation as well as a challenge to discern the richness of the blessing evident in its search.

Lord, at the start of this 2020 academic year, we turn to you in gratitude for the gifts that you have poured into our hearts as members of your Son’s body. We ask you to send your Spirit upon us so that by hearing your word, we may grow in reverence for one another, as servant leaders in our Springfield School community. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen

Courage by Maya Angelou My wish for youIs that you continue ContinueTo be who and how you areTo astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness ContinueTo allow humour to lighten the burdenOf your tender heart ContinueIn a society dark with crueltyTo let the people hear the grandeurOf God in the peals of your laughter ContinueTo let your eloquence elevate the peopleto heights they had only imagined ContinueTo remind the people that each is as good as the otherAnd that no one is beneath nor above you ContinueTo remember your own young yearsAnd look with favour upon the lost and the least and the lonely ContinueTo put the mantel of your protectionAround the bodies of the young and defenceless ContinueTo take the hand of the despised and diseasedand walk proudly with them in the high streetSome might see you andBe encouraged to do likewise ContinueTo plant a public kiss of concernOn the cheek of the sick and the aged and infirmAnd count that as a natural action to be expected ContinueTo let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneelTo say your nightly prayerAnd let faith be the bridge you buildto overcome evil and welcome good ContinueTo ignore no visionWhich comes to enlarge your range and increase your spirit ContinueTo dare to love deeplyAnd risk everything for the good thing
ContinueTo float happily in the sea of infinite substanceWhich set aside riches for youBefore you had a name
ContinueAnd by doing soYou and your work will be able to continueEternally

Office Information / Calendar events

WEEKLY INFO LETTER 15 JANUARY 2020

**DATES TO REMEMBER**

"MEET THE TEACHER"

THURSDAY 16 January:

Grade 1 from 5pm to 5.45pm **(see further info in letter below)

MONDAY 20 JANUARY:

Grade 2 & Grade 3 from 5pm to 5.45pm

Senior Primary Grade 4 to Grade 7 from 6.15pm to 7pm

**(see further info in letter below)

Next PTA Cake Sale will take place on Friday 31 January and will be hosted by Grades 5,6 & 7.

NB** Grade 1 to wear PE uniform to school on PE days only.

Grade 2 to Grade 7 to wear full school uniform and to change into PE togs at school on PE days.

Junior & Senior Primary

Parent Meetings 20 January 2020.pdf

FIRST DAY OF TERM

Pre-Primary News

First day in Pre School

Our girls' proud moments

Well done!!

Keri Warner, Bella Amm and Christina Caryer (U12’s) represented the Seal Pups in the 2019 U13 PSi Indoor Hockey Nationals and ended up placed 9th out of 18 teams. They did exceptionally well considering they were a year younger than their opponents and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Counsellor's Corner

15.01.20 news letter

Tech tip

👩‍💻 The pearl of tech wisdom for this week: #01

Where and how to find important school information and dates:

D6 APP - download the app from app store or play store. Access the calendar - Click on the Calendar icon and add the relevant event to your personal calendar, by clicking on the + sign. D6 App also has daily alerts, check regularly

Newsletter - Open in emails and review "Office Information / Calendar events" section for what is happening during the week.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2019 MATRICS

PTA

Notice of PTA AGM to be held on Tuesday 28 January 2020 at 18h30 in Centenary Hall. All parents welcome to attend.

SPRINGFIELD CONVENT PTA AGM 2020.pdf

SPORTS

Please see important information regarding Interhouse Swimming trials for term 1 2020

SWIMMING TRIALS FOR THE INTER HOUSE GALA

There will be swimming trials next week for all girls (not only team swimmers) from Grade 2 to 7 from 2-30pm to 4-30pm on the following days:

Maccy on Monday, 20 January

Thomas on Tuesday, 21 January

Dominic on Wednesday, 22 January

These sessions take precedence over all other sport at school. All sport will continue for girls NOT swimming for their houses on these days. All other swimming extra murals on Monday and Tuesday will fall away completely.

Water Polo for the U11's will take place from 4.30pm to 5.30pm on Wednesday, 22 January.

There will be Team Swimming on Thursday morning (23 January) for all team swimmers and anybody wanting to try out for the team.

Junior School Calendar

Add the calendar to your app screen for easy access.

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