Head of School Message
Dear Parents and Guardians
When schools were closed in March it was with the purpose of contributing to the national imperative of containing community transmissions of COVID-19. During this last week, draft documents from the Department of Education, have been leaked into the public domain leading to much speculation around the reopening of schools and the recovery plans that will be implemented.
It is important to note that any information that is being circulated is pure speculation.
What I do know is that, at some point, a date will be announced as to when Springfield may reopen. When this date arrives, it will not be a simple matter of unlocking the gates and running a normal school day. We remain mindful of our responsibility to contain community transmissions and strict health and hygiene protocols will be in place to mitigate risk to all on campus as well as to our extended community.
These protocols will include, but are not limited to:
- the use of infrared forehead thermometers to measure the temperature of each person requiring access to the campus
- mandatory wearing of face masks/screens
- use of hand sanitizer prior to entering any venue on campus
- arrangement of desks in classrooms that ensure safe distances between individuals
- no large gatherings of people e.g. assemblies
- continued education and reminders relating to hand-washing routines and safe coughing and sneezing practices
To facilitate our planning, Springfield has prepared a Health and Hygiene Protocol however, we await guidelines from both the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) and the Departments of Health and Education before ratifying and publishing this information.
We are aware that there are pupils and members of staff who, owing to pre-existing conditions, may choose to continue to self-isolate. When school reopens, we anticipate running classroom-based lessons in tandem with the distance learning that is currently in place. In this way, we will be able to accommodate the needs of all. If rolling lockdowns are implemented, Springfield’s remote academic offering will continue.
I am neither a doctor nor a risk assessment specialist, but I am committed to providing a learning environment that is safe for all. With this in mind, I welcome input from members of the Springfield community who have expertise in these fields. Please email me at pmullan@springfieldconvent.co.za should you wish to contribute suggestions of best practice.
I emailed the Senior School pupils, asking for their feedback on distance learning, and was struck by two aspects that were common to almost all responses. Firstly, the responses were positive and resonated an upbeat tone. The girls were able to recognize both their difficulties and their triumphs. This has led to a depth of learning about themselves and their learning styles. Secondly, the girls applauded the efforts, skills and support offered by their teachers during this time. I am so proud of them for adopting such a healthy perspective and for their acknowledgement and appreciation of others.
Keep well and stay safe.
Penny Mullan
Head of School
Weekly Inspiration
I Arise Today
I arise today
In the name of Silence
Womb of the Word,
In the name of Stillness
Home of Belonging,
In the name of Solitude
Of the Soul and the Earth.
I arise today
Blessed by all things,
Wings of breath,
Delight of eyes,
Wonder of whisper,
Intimacy of touch,
Eternity of soul,
Urgency of thought,
Miracle of health,
Embrace of God.
May I live this day
Compassionate of heart,
Clear in word,
Gracious in awareness,
Courageous in thought,
Generous in love.
By John ‘Donohue in the book “To Bless the Space Between Us – A Book of Blessings”
“Someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go”
(John 21:18)
Dear Friends
The painful lesson we are being taught is that we are not in control. We have lived for a long time thinking that we can control and manipulate things to our advantage. We have put our trust in our technology and sophistication. We believe that the complex systems we have created will endure and be our safety net. We have, if we admit it, been arrogant.
Instead of being stewards of creation we have attempted in vain to subdue it. An unforeseen virus has stopped us in our tracks. We stare our vulnerability in the face, a vulnerability that dispels the illusion that we are in control.
After the death of Jesus, the disciples had to learn the same hard lesson. Their hopes were dashed when all they had invested in had seemingly come to an end. They realised that, in the end, they were not in control. That was not the only lesson they learnt.
There is another lesson we need to learn too. Things will not go back to be as they were. Any semblance of ‘normal’ is going to take time to be realised. We live in an illusion if we think that our lives will be ‘glued back together’ in a few weeks’ time. We are in an economic mess. Before the virus our unemployment rate was high. It will be higher now. People are starving. People have died and more will die. The psychological effects of this pandemic will haunt us for a long time. We have to face facts.
We have also to face the fact that the Church will not go back to how it was two months ago. Social distancing and limitations on gatherings are likely to continue to affect our gathering for worship for weeks to come. Some communities, after weeks of no income, might have to shut down. We face the unknown. Things will change; we must get our minds around inevitable change.
After the resurrection the disciples encountered change. Jesus warned Peter that someone else would gird him and take him where he did not wish to go. He had to negotiate a whole new world – the narrative of which we hear in the Acts of the Apostles. Peter and the disciples learnt they were not in control, God was. They adapted and changed to take the good news of Christ to the ends of the earth, no matter, in the end, the cost.
There are changes we will have to negotiate. Such as the digital church being the way we are church for a while – and maybe even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The essential role media and communications will play in keeping the larger Church connected. The way we administer sacraments (and by who) will need to be pondered. How do we form our young people in the faith when there is no formal religious education? Our focus may well shift from Sunday Mass to everyday ministry so that the Church is not just part of people’s lives on Sunday and absent the rest of the week. It will force us to think again about homily quality. People now know they have a choice and in the absence of Holy Communion are seeking this nourishment more discerningly. How will we sustain ourselves financially – we will have to embrace a simpler lifestyle; the many poor, and not our self-preservation. There may be many more considerations.
We are being girded and taken to places we do not want to go.
All this will need visionary and inspired leadership. In the Acts of the Apostles we see how, embracing change, Peter gives himself over to the lead of the Holy Spirit and becomes that leader. He is not afraid of the challenge that lies ahead. Neither should we be. We will be afraid – and fail – if we still think we can control and manipulate things ‘back to normal’ and not embrace the lessons and change coronavirus has thrust open us.
We are powerless and we are moving into the great unknown. If we accompany each other as Jesus did the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, our eyes will be opened to what we did not see before. There will be a changed (resurrected) life after this pandemic for us too.
We have decided, for the length of the lockdown, to continue offering daily reflections on the daily Easter Scripture readings. Subscribe to our database to receive them.
The Institute has also begun packing food parcels for those who are desperate. If you can help us, a contribution would be appreciated.
Our series The Journey continues this week. Every day at midday, we release a new edition. In the week ahead we will reflect on: Gender-based violence, personal learnings in lockdown, feeling ‘the blues’, meditation and the mantra, and self-compassion.
Remember too that we have trained spiritual directors available for anyone who feels that they need spiritual support. Please contact us and we will connect you with someone confidentially.
Let us unite in prayer for the sick, the traumatised, the starving, those who have died and all those who sacrifice and continue to work in essential services. We pray too for God’s Holy Spirit to help us embrace the change we are living in.
Many blessings
_______________
Fr Russell Pollitt SJ
Director: Jesuit Institute South Africa
Dear Springfield community
Today is the 27th day of lockdown. A number which instantly alerts me to the 27 years Mr Mandela spent in prison. While recalling this history, I'm deeply humbled by the stark differences of our experiences. While this period of lockdown has greatly curtailed my freedom, I'm still enjoying the comfort of my home. I'm able to make contact via many different social media platforms. In many ways, while this lockdown has felt like confinement, I have access to books, food, shelter, television, internet, fresh air and so much more.
In my moments of silence I contemplate the resilience of South Africans, who have an inherent capacity of being generous beyond measure. If we continue along this trajectory of being kind, generous and helpful, we will be remembered as a people who Rosa Parks embodied. She said, "I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free so other people would be also free." While we live in a city, a country, a world which is so unequal, perhaps this period of great pause, will allow us to think about those whose lives we can touch by being cognizant of our capacity to share.
Ms Stubbs
We've recently been exposed to a season of information overload, but this article, I'm sharing, is one of the more profound I've read and allows scope for deep introspection.
'Pope Francis says pandemic can be a "place of conversion"' in The Tablet >> (click on this link for the interview. Austen Ivereigh is a fellow in contemporary church history at Campion Hall, at the University of Oxford. He interviews Pope Francis.
Prayers of Reparation for St Mary’s Cathedral
The burglary and desecration of the Cathedral has shocked and hurt many people. The Cathedral is considered the “mother church” not only of Cape Town but of Southern Africa. Although it seems clear that the motivation was burglary and not desecration as such, we will follow a process of reparation. Bishop Sylvester has sent out a letter in this regard and has called on parishioners of the entire Archdiocese to say the prayers of reparation. The Prayer is attached here, in English, Xhosa and Afrikaans.
Reparation prayer (21 April 2020).pdfEerherstel-gebed-21-April-2020-1.pdfUmthandazo-wembhuyekezo-21-April-2020.pdf
Academics
Work for Senior School Pupils
The distance learning programme at Springfield continues, with today serving as a consolidation day, during which pupils are able to work at their own pace. As usual, the work planning grids for this week were shared last Friday and can be found here:
Next week’s planning grid’s will be shared with the pupils on Friday so that they have them on hand as the new week commences. Please remember that these work planning grids serves as the baseline for what should be completed in each subject over the duration of the week.
Work has been set on the understanding that it should be completed during the allocated lesson times with no “homework” set after school hours. The timetable is a structure that is geared towards helping pupils know how much time to allocate to each subject, so adhering to it should help everyone to manage their workload. Queries about the work set in a given subject should be sent to the subject teacher or the subject head, who will be able to use their specialised knowledge to provide an answer in the quickest possible time.
Surveys
You will have received a reflective survey by email requesting your feedback on the distance learning programme at Springfield. Should you have missed that link, please find a direct link to the feedback form here. A separate survey has been sent to the pupils for their feedback. Thanks to all who have sent queries in the meantime.
Be assured that we are discussing these as we adapt our learning programmes week by week.
Winter is fast approaching!
It's been a long few weeks at home, the days being filled with all sorts of activities. I would imagine that by this stage you might be getting tired of eating the same-same, or you might be lucky like me. My daughter Cassidy, a past Consumer Studies student, is keeping us too well fed with delicious creations most days. Waistlines are proof of that!!
Soups are very much the order of the day in winter, but sometimes a little too long in the making. So I've come up with this idea to share some very quick and easy soup recipes with you. This week's one requires only two ingredients, and the best is that they are two cans!
Pamela-Ann Gore
This one really is for those of us that enjoy a little heat.
Spicy tomato and lentil soup
One tin All Gold Indian Style diced tomatoes (410g)
One tin lentils in brine (410g)
Empty all the contents of both cans into a medium sized pot.
Place the lid on the pot.
Bring SLOWLY to the boil, and allow to simmer very gently for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, and using a hand blender,blend to the desired consistency. If you prefer it a little thinner,add about 100ml of ready made stock of your choice.
Makes about 750ml.
Serves 2 to 3
Serve with lots of crusty bread
Community Engagement
Springfield Blood Donation Clinic: Even at a social distance, we still do great things as a community. The next Springfield blood donation clinic (Tuesday, 28th April) has been cancelled due to the COVID19 lockdown. There is still a critical shortage of blood, so the WC Blood Service are still running clinics in the Blue Route Mall and N1 City Mall. As blood donation is an essential service, donors are allowed out of their homes in order to donate. Every precaution will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID at the clinics - please consider saving three lives by donating a single pint.
For more information, please go to https://www.wcbs.org.za/aboutdonation/becoming-donor/where-can-i-donate.
VID-20200421-WA0018 Blood.mp4Wedding Prayer
Congratulations to Hebrew-John Morgendal who is getting married on Sunday 26 April 2020.
We thank you, O God, for the Love You have implanted in the hearts of Hebrew-John and Chantal.
May it always inspire them to be kind in your words, considerate of feeling, and concerned for each other's needs and wishes. Help them to be understanding and forgiving of human weaknesses and failings. Increase their faith and trust in You and may Your Prudence guide their lives and love. Bless their Marriage O God, with Peace and Happiness, and make their love fruitful for Your glory and Your Joy both here and in eternity.
Cultural News
Springfield COVID-19 Writing Competition
Congratulations
Ella Rennie achieved 80% for her recent ABRSM Grade 5 theory exam. Well done to all our teachers and students for continuing to work online using zoom, skype or whats app videos.
Emma Thompson
Tahlia Rossouw
VIDEO-2020-04-20-15-46-15 - Valmarie Calthorpe.mp4Kirsten Stabrey
Sports News
Sports Department Coronavirus Rap!
So you're on your own
You're at home and not alone, homey
You under stress, don't look your best
When you sittin' at your desk
Your sister is a pest and your dog is a whinin'
Cos he not allowed to walk, and he be busy pinin'
Your mama in the kitchen every day, every way, shaking, baking, no mistakin'
Pappa is large and in charge and cleaning out the garage
You done sortin' jumble and you feel like you gonna crumble
This lock down ain't no joke, it's tough, its not dope man, nope you quit hopin' and start mopin'
Social media is killin' ya, too much stuff, it's enough
Yo fridge is yo friend, to the end, you find you be starin' and glarin' at what's in there, or what's not there, you don't care, you feel nowhere, despair
Deep in your head you think of somethin', somewhere, some time ago
When life was slow and it were real and you could feel and run around and hear your footsteps on the ground
In the distance you hear ringin', you hear singin', you start seein', you remember bein'
On grass on tar in a crowd, shoutin' loud, proud
Blue, true, free and joyful
Playin' for that badge, your homies, for the place you know you belong
Excited, reunited, time has moved along, virus gone
Hallways are bustlin', people hustlin', lots of clappin', so much happenin'
You remember that lock down and you frown, what a time, it was way outta line
And you remember with elation, your dedication, your thirty minutes everyday
Being wise, doing exercise and you realise with tears in yo eyes
You back in action and you fit and strong, you can play along
With the best of the best, in victory or defeat
Making your team a hard team to beat!
De moral of de story, go for glory, don' give up, don' be lazy at this crazy, hazy time
Don' be a jerk, do your fitness work, keep goin' and showin' you a true blue, homey
So dat when time comes to align, you gonna be fine, sublime and it will be your time to shine.
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