Junior School

Dear Parents

Welcome back to Term 3

How wonderful it is to be back in the classroom and seeing our girls face to face at last, albeit just the top half of their beautiful faces, due to the mandatory wearing of face masks.

We are so proud of these little champions who have adapted to the new classroom layout and new rules just as easily as they adapted to the distance teaching and learning last term.

They bravely arrived at school on the first day, said goodbye at the entrance to the Centenary Hall and proceeded through the screening process, relieved to see the familiar faces of Miss Dunn, their class teachers and their class teaching assistants waiting to welcome them.

They have quickly become used to all the COVID-19 protocols showing just how resilient young children are.

We were thrilled to learn that two owls had taken up residence in one of the trees in the preschool playground during our absence, and hope that they will remain here now that we have returned, although the squirrels may be very happy to see them go elsewhere.

The following photographs depict the new classroom and playground layout for physical distancing, the individual equipment and toys for each child at their own work station, sensory play with individual sand trays and the manner in which the girls are escorted to and from the hall each day, holding a correctly spaced out rope.

DIANE VILJOEN

Head Preschool

With gratitude

GILLIAN STUBBS

Head of Junior Primary

Weathering the Storm

“Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain”

As the universe begins to reboot itself, to establish healing on many levels – we have returned to Springfield. Returned to our new normal. The first week has been an interesting week indeed. We have done our best to devise a practical blended system to facilitate effective learning. Thank you for your patience as we endeavour to improve this new system. Masks initially muzzled the spontaneity of both pupils and staff. However, Covid has taught us resilience. We have been impressed with the girls’ positive attitude and eagerness to be back at school. This is evident in their reflections below.

Out of the mouths of babes:

Grade 4

• I found it very fun because there was finely normality so that made me excited!!!😃 - Isabel

• I Found it very exciting and exploring with all the sanitizer and the social distancing and I am so happy to be back at school and I never wore a mask for so long before - Emma

• I am so excited to be back at school because I can experience different things like not hugging anyone and it is so sad but I am sure this will be over. - Muntaha

• I found it very exciting and fun and more organized because I had someone finding the work and not being a teacher and a student for me and seeing and seeing my friends and teachers - Gabi

Grade 5

• I am happy to see my friends and teachers in person. I am sad that we have to wear masks because my glasses keep falling off! - Andrea

• I like being in the classroom with my friends and getting taught by my teachers but I don’t like carrying my heavy bag with all my books. - Juliet

• I like being back at school because it’s easier than being at home. I do not like switching between home and school, I find it very confusing. - Carolyn

Grade 6

• I feel like I am a robot and that someone else has got my remote control. - Sabien

• I don’t like the way that our masks hide our smiles - Jemma

• I love being back and wearing civvies and working on devices in the classroom. - Sophie

• I miss being able to hug my friends and feel disconnected from my friends in the other class. - Erin

• I am glad and happy to be back at school though I absolutely hate wearing a mask. It is suffocating. I also really missed everyone at school but I do not miss waking up so early. I like going to school as well because I don’t have my family on my back the whole day.I am also not the best at working on my own.I want to do sports again but we can’t so that is sad. - Isla

• I am very happy to be back at school even if we have to wear a mask the whole time,

• I am happy to see my friends, my teachers and I am glad to get away from my brother for 6 hours. - Rachel

• I hate that we cannot return to what we are used to. The virus has changed things forever, everything has changed forever. - Hannah

Grade 7

• Pros and Cons

I like being at school because i get to see my friends.It is really nice being able to get taught our school work in the classroom again and i find it easier.The sad part is not being able to see my friends from the other class.one thing that i also don't like is that i put my family at risk Because if i come into contact with someone that has the virus i could give it to my family. - Madi

• I was really excited to go back to school for many different reasons. I was excited to go back to school to get back to normal but I was also excited about seeing my friends and my teachers. Some more positives are that we can hopefully continue doing our leadership duties around the school. There were definitely some negatives about going back to school one of my biggest negatives is not being able to play sports! I also did not enjoy having to wear a mask and social distancing. But other than that I am really excited to continue going to school. - Sarah

The screening process that we all endure at the start of each day triggered the following metaphorical thoughts within me – let us screen our hearts in order to be committed to change, the change starts within.

KAREN SMITH

Head of Senior Primary

Dear Parents

What difficult times we find ourselves in.

I feel that talking about a teddy bear drive seems so inane at this time. But I know there have been some concerns from parents about this initiative and I’d like to address this briefly.

Our Preschool and foundation phase girls have been invited to bring a teddy to school (which stays at school 24/7 in order to minimise travel and thus germ infection). The aim of this project is to provide our little ones with their own “object of transference” to contain their difficult feelings during this new and uncertain time. It is not shared or played with by the others - it becomes an extension of themselves and has to follow the same physical distancing rules as humans! The teddy serves the double purpose of assisting teachers provide comfort when they can't hug or hold a distressed little person -which is very hard for teachers who care so much for the beloved children in their care.

As a community connect initiative, we felt it would be kind to extend this project to schools in our area. St Augustine’s took up our offer and since then we have been collecting teddies to give to little ones who don’t own their own teddy to bring to school. Our girls have been so generous and to date we have collected 136 teddies, added to that 60 teddies were donated by a parent in the high school. Our target is 210 so we still need 14 teddies and I’m certain we’ll reach this by the end of the week!

The project has been explained to the foundation phase teachers at St Augustine’s and we know and respect that they will implement this in a Covid friendly manner. Thank you Spingfielders for your incredible support of this project, as well as the positive responses we have received for the Mandela Day Food Drive.

Warm regards to you all

GABBY CLOETE

Junior School Counsellor

LET’S GO!!! GET ACTIVE ON MANDELA DAY!!!

SPRINGFIELD COMMUNITY – STAFF, PUPILS, GRANNY, GRAMPA, SISTERS, COUSINS AND AUNTS, TEENS AND LITTLIES, PARENTS AND FRIENDS - GET OUT THOSE TRAINERS, TAKKIES, FLIP FLOPS OR WELLINGTON BOOTS AND JOIN SPRINGFIELD JUNIOR AND SENIOR SPORTS DEPARTMENT IN VIRTUAL FORCE TO CELEBRATE OUR GREAT NELSON MANDELA ON SATURDAY 18^TH JULY 2020.

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