Principal’s Message: 27 November 2019

Peace of mind

“It takes a village to raise a child” - African Proverb

In 2003, when I started as Principal of Springfield, there was no After-Care. There was no need for an After -Care. Sixteen years ago moms collected their children straight after school and took them home for lunch and a nap. There were no extra-murals for Pre-Primary girls, and just a few clubs for the Junior Primary girls, with sport really starting in the under 10 section in Grade Four. All activities started straight after school, after which the girls were collected and taken home to do their homework. What a different world from today, just sixteen years later!

I remember in that first half of 2003 receiving a visit from two sets of parents – I even remember their daughters’ names – Catherine Tinkler and Simona Donato (who matriculated at least six years’ ago) – who asked me if I would consider starting an After-Care. After a survey of parents, where it seemed there were about ten families interested, our After-Care was born. Since then it has grown, and grown, and grown… with After-Care happening in five different venues, servicing at least one hundred children on any given day of the week, being cared for by at least six staff members employed by the school!

It’s amazing how some things just stay in one’s memory. I distinctly remember, in that survey done so many years ago, one of the moms – a past pupil of Springfield – writing the following comment: “At last! We get sent to a good school like Springfield to get a good education, to go to a good university to prepare us for a good job, and here we are, having to stay at home and look after our children!” Not, perhaps, a comment every mom would agree with, but certainly a common thought amongst working moms!

Of course, there have been such changes in the past sixteen years. Most moms are keeping their careers, with more and more dads and au-pairs (and school After-Care facilities) taking on the care role. No school can exist now without an After-Care – giving help but also peace of mind to working parents.

At Springfield we are very proud of our After-Care facilities. They are run by efficient, caring and responsible people, who love and care for any and every child who needs to be at school after school hours. I commend them for the excellent work they do.

My favourite story about After-Care was related to me by a Pre-School parent, who had chosen to be a stay-at-home mom until her daughter reached Grade One. One day at 12:30 she arrived to fetch her daughter, only to be told by the little one that she didn’t want to go home and spend time with her mom, she wanted to go to After-Care and spend time with her friends! I think that mom went back to work sooner than she expected!!

At the end of this school year we say farewell to Mrs Donna Godwin, who has run our After-Care so ably for the past two years. We thank her for her love and care for our children and wish her well as she spends time with her family. We are very pleased to welcome Mrs Nicola Jagga as Head of our After-Care next year. Mrs Jagga is well known to us all, and much loved by the girls – a fitting replacement in this special little hub of our school.

Alison Dunn

Junior School Principal

👩‍💻 The pearl of tech wisdom for this week: #19

Screen time shouldn't always be alone time. Co-view, co-play and co-engage with your children when they are using screens—it encourages social interactions, bonding, and learning. Play a video game with your kids...Perfect holiday fun! It's a good way to demonstrate good sportsmanship and gaming etiquette. Watch a show with them; you will have the opportunity to introduce and share your own life experiences and perspectives—and guidance. Don't just monitor them online—interact with them, so you can understand what they are doing and be a part of it.

Happy holidays!

Waterpolo