Embedded Files
Youth Day
Youth Day
On June 16, we commemorate the Soweto uprising of 1976 and we mourn the lives of 176 school children who lost their lives in their fight for social justice and for education reform.
This is the famous photograph, taken by Sam Nzima. Mbuyisa Makhubo is carrying the lifeless body of Hector Pieterson, with his sister Antoinette Sithole running alongside. This image shocked the world, symbolizing the horrors of apartheid. It galvanized the world's attention to end the apartheid regime.
These were the words of Mbuyisa's mother before the Truth Commission:
"Mbuyisa is or was my son. But he is not a hero. In my culture, picking up Hector was not an act of heroism. It was his job as a brother. If he left him on the ground and somebody saw him jumping over Hector, he would never be able to live here. "
Academic
Academic
We have come to the end of a very busy and unusual term that has challenged us to think differently about how we engage with academics at Springfield under the present circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have a term of distance-based learning behind us and the Grade 12s have had some experience of a bi-modal model in which those at home and on campus have been able to access lessons. This has happened in various ways depending on the subject, the teaching staff involved and the section of work being taught. The entire process has taught us a great deal about what might work when we have greater numbers at school next term as well as multiple situations to accommodate as best we can.
Without any formal period of assessment this term, there will be no report going out this week. A very comprehensive report is being planned for next term. If you would like specific feedback about your daughter’s performance in a particular class, please feel free to make contact with her teacher.
Next term, we will continue with the current five-day timetable, with the first day of school being Day 4. More details about the structure of the few days of next term, including which grades will return on which days, will be provided later in the week.
For now, it is time to rest so that when we return next term, we’ll be ready to deal with whatever curveballs may be thrown our way.
DAVID FICK
Head of Academics
Community Engagement
Community Engagement
Eve and Lucy Bosanquet
Face-masks for hospitals
Face-masks for hospitals
Ceres Hospital is in desperate need of cloth face masks. Hospital staff are so short of PPE that some of the cleaners and porters are forced to wear the same cloth masks for days on end. Medical staff are obliged to give new patients surgical masks because many patients do not have their own cloth masks. Many of these patients have TB or COVID-19 and it is essential that they wear masks to reduce the risk of infecting others. Giving patients surgical masks will probably result in a dangerous shortage of these masks for the medical staff at the hospital.
Groote Schuur hospital has also made a public appeal for donations of 50 000 cloth masks required by their patients in the next month. You can save lives if you buy or make masks and donate them to our hospitals. A collection box will be available at Springfield's security gate in Convent Road, from Tuesday 9th of June until the start of Term 3. Masks will be collected, sanitised and delivered to Ceres and Groote Schuur hospitals. Masks can be in either adult or children's sizes and should ideally be three layer masks. For a good mask-making pattern, please see https://www.masks4sa.co.za/. Masks can also be purchased for donation from most pharmacies, Checkers, Makro or Pick 'n Pay outlets. Many thanks to Mrs Nic Stephens and the Pinelands Can group who have already donated over 200 masks to the Ceres Hospital.
NICOLETTE GOING
English Teacher
Cultural
Cultural
DEBATING
Despite the lockdown, our girls are as keen as always to continue with any extramural activities they can. As such, the Debating Society has been working tirelessly to begin with Social Debating for our Grade 8-10s as soon as possible. As there is still uncertainty surrounding the timetable and term dates, we would initially like to see how many girls would be interested in participating in Social Debating. These sessions will occur on an online platform, and we have fantastic coaches and heads of the society that will be running the sessions. These sessions will run as follows:
Wednesdays from 15:00-16:30.
There will be sessions where content and debating techniques will be discussed and taught, as well as sessions where the girls will be able to submit speeches that they will receive feedback on. These sessions will alternate from week to week.
We will start by using WhatsApp as a platform for communication, so we ask that your daughter have access to a device where WhatsApp can be accessed.
For larger group discussions and virtual debates, we will use Google Hangouts.
There is a fee associated with joining debating of R240,00. This is the payment that will cover debating until the end of Term 3, and this will be deducted from your account.
If your daughter is interested in joining Team or Social Debating, please complete the following form: Please note, that even if your daughter is part of Team/Social debating this form still needs to please be completed.Participation in online debating will count towards Cultural Awards.
Tuesday 16 June is Youth Day and we think of our young musicians who are unable to participate in the joy of ensemble playing, a perfect example of teamwork and harmonious society building.
Examples of this are our own ensembles at Springfield, as well our local Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra of which Pascale Plougmann is a member.
In this video they in turn pay homage to the frontline care workers who have worked solidly throughout the Pandemic
ANDREW BENTLEY
Head of Culturals
Sports News
Sports News
Winter Solstice Challenge
Traditionally the Winter Solstice celebrates the longest hours of darkness or the rebirth of the sun and is believed to hold a powerful energy for regeneration, renewal and self reflection.
Use the opportunity to revitalise and reinvent yourself by doing a Half Marathon, 10km or 5km run on this symbolic day.
Race Bib
How it works:
Sign up for the challenge at https://www.energylabrunning.com IT’S FREE
Print out you race Bib and share it with your mates
On the 20th go out and run the distance you signed up for wherever you want. In your garden, on a treadmill, we really don’t mind. Please just adhere to all the government regulations surrounding exercising during the lockdown.
When you're done you submit your time on our website, https://www.energylabrunning.com, before 12h00 on the 21st. (Click on the Solstice Challenge Tab at the top of the page) There is no need for any other proof. We believe you. Your certificate will be available for printing once you've submitted your results.
T-Shirts and Medals are available for order via our website at https://www.energylabrunning.com
There are really cool lucky draws up for grabs. To enter all you need to do is send us a pic running/walking with your race number visible to competitions@energylabrunning.com
We’ve learned a few hard lessons from the Mzani Challenge and are certain that the Solstice Challenge will be a far smoother experience.
COLLEEN REED
Head of Sport
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