A doughnut made my day

Yesterday at break time, two little Grade One faces popped up at my door, dressed in civvies and giggling delightfully. They came rushing in to tell me that their names were both Mia, that they were born on the same day and that it was their seventh birthday! And then, to my delight, they produced a somewhat squashed but delicious-looking caramel-covered doughnut for me, all wrapped in a package with the label – It’s our Birthday! Celebrate with us. Love from Mia and Mia.

It was the giving that delighted these two little girls and me so much. They weren’t in my office to receive on their birthday, (although they did get a hug and a birthday card), they were there to give, and delight in the giving. Such joy!

I told these two little ones that I was going to cut the doughnut in half, and think of one Mia while I ate the one half, and the other Mia while I ate the second half – which I then proceeded to do (my sweet tooth is legend!) The two little Mia’s went off happy and I was duly sweetened, but it didn’t end there. Mr Meehan had been in my office while all this happened, and within two minutes the two gigglers were back, armed with another doughnut especially for Mr Meehan!

We know we’re doing something right – both parents and teachers - when our girls take such delight in giving.

Actually, it wasn’t the doughnut that made my day, it was the two Mia’s!

As this sort of thing is a regular occurrence, I can assure you, your daughters light up my life.

By the way, to continue my theme of the sweet tooth, today is WORLD FOOD DAY. My quote for the day is:

“Life is uncertain. Start with dessert!”

Alison Dunn

Junior School Principal

'At Springfield, we are allowed to give our own opinions’

Quote from a Grade 10 Pupil in a recent (anonymous) survey about Springfield

It was good to hear Jess Holing at the Valedictory Service thank Springfield in her speech to the school and matric parents for ‘encouraging her to question things’.

The challenge facing all parents and teachers is to encourage their charges to question, query or interrogate all concepts and ideas which are put before them. Textbooks, Wikipedia, Facebook and TV news are definitely not the purveyors of true facts and our children have to be taught not to accept anything at face value. The skill we need to teach them is one of discussing issues without getting personal, of debating without automatically having a winner and of understanding another point of view without necessarily agreeing with it. ‘Raise your argument not your voice’ is a mantra on which all parents should insist as they wrangle over various issues with their children round the dinner table.

One can only admire the courage and tenacity of Greta Thunberg, the 16 year old Swedish girl who was a 2019 Nobel Peace Prize nominee. She used the occasion of the recent UN Climate Action Summit to address world leaders with passion and vigour. She was relentlessly logical and uncompromising in her address to the world leaders as she cut through the obfuscations and muddled thinking of politicians on the issues of Climate Action. The white heat of her passion remorsefully excoriated the politicians who were exposed, like emperors of old, as wearing no clothes - not also to mention losing their hearts in the excoriation process. There was no solace in what she had to say and even I, watching from the safety of my armchair, felt uncomfortable.

'You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words,” she said accusingly. 'The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say we will never forgive you. We will not let you get away with this. Right here, right now is where we draw the line.’

How do we as adults respond to our children when they zealously express such passion on issues about which they feel so deeply? Those car trips home and dinner time conversations become even more important opportunities to have meaningful family conversations.

Trump’s sarcastic response was not really befitting a world leader: 'She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!’ In one thoughtless tweet, he belittled a cause and a 16 year old young woman whose only fault was to take on a cause affecting our future world.

On the last day of the third term, many Springfield pupils who felt just as strongly as Greta, joined in the march through the streets of Cape Town. My challenge to them is to ask what has changed in their personal lives after that march? Are they now questioning why so many cars are coming to Springfield and that we should rather be sharing lifts? Do they now question the need for air conditioners and heaters when conditions are not ideal in the classroom? Do they now question their motives when they nag their parents for the latest must-have cell phone model?

Most of us can’t change the world and we most emphatically can’t change Trump, but by asking the questions which Jess exhorts us to do, we can certainly change our own personal worlds.

Keith Richardson

Headmaster

WEEKLY INFO LETTER – 16 OCTOBER 2019

The PTA Cake Sale hosted by the Pre-School Friday 11 October raised an amount of R7421.00. Thank you for your support!

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**DATES TO REMEMBER**

Wednesday 16 October: Senior Primary Music Awards - 16 October at 6:30pm in the Centenary Hall.

Invited guests.

Thursday 17 October: Heritage Celebrations

Friday 18 October: Athletics Day – Grade 2 to 7 girls must please wear their PE togs. Grade 1’s need to wear their full summer uniform.

Tuesday 22 October: Music Staff Concert, at 6:30pm in the Music Annex -All welcome.

Thursday 24 October: Transition Grade 3 to Grade 4 2020 – Parent evening will be held in the Centenary Hall at 6:30pm.

Kind regards

Junior School Office

SPRING BONNET PARADE IN THE PRE SCHOOL

Our Nursery girls working together to plant their petunias,and showing off their finished pots

Pre Reception (Mrs Ruscoe's Class)

Maya and Hayley (both Gr 6) participated in the Alfred’s Sprints on Saturday 12th October. This was their first race for Peninsula Girls Rowing Club.

They won their quad race and showed real determination in their pair race. Struggling with strong wind and the reeds. Much fun was had.

Fixtures

Waterpolo Clinic