Junior School

Dear Parents

What a busy couple of weeks we have had in the preschool.

The Reception girls have been learning about wild animals and birds and the Nursery and Pre-Reception girls have learned all about ocean life and saving our seas.

In order to retain an element of fun we had a dress up day and had numerous pirates, mermaids and sea creatures invading our classrooms.

The tooth fairy has also been very busy in my class with many wiggly, jiggly teeth finally falling out!

We have also been “catching up” with birthdays that were celebrated during the lock down.

DIANE VILJOEN

Head Preschool

Dear Foundation Phase Parents

I am writing to share our current status of attendance within our department.

Grade 1 - 57/57 = 100%

Grade 2 - 52/54 = 96%

Grade 3 - 48/56 = 86%

The JP Team and I are delighted to have so many students back at school enjoying the routine, structure, social engagement and teaching within the class setting. I’m appealing to parents who might be experiencing some fear and anxiety around returning to school. We’ve just entered our 6th week of school without incident as the daily safety protocols are in place with absolute care and diligence. Seeing children learn within their natural habitat is priceless. I know that there are children with comorbidities but the virus is not disappearing anytime soon and we have to reach a decision as to when all children will return to school. There is no comparison to the benefits of the daily social engagement with peers and teachers for young children. Working at the screening table each morning gives me my daily dose of vitamin JOY!

The banter, laughter, smiles and confidence experienced lifts my spirits everyday.

SCHOOL MATTERS:

Mrs Meredith is working from home and her Art classes continue online during the usual timetabled times. Due to the numerous requests from parents I’ve kindly asked her to stop extra Art for Grade 1’s.

With gratitude

GILLIAN STUBBS

Head of Foundation Phase

Choices

Strength - Endurance - Courage

“The human capacity for burden is like bamboo - far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance.” - Jodi Piccoult

As we enter our 142nd day of lockdown - we are weary. Weary of the juggle, weary of the strain, weary of the multiple layers of burden that this pandemic has invited into our lives. In the previous newsletter, I focused on Relationships, Routines and Resilience. This week I am compelled to write about the effects of how we choose to respond to our situation. The following story explains how adversity is met differently by different people.

There was a girl named Asha who lived with her mother and father in a village. One day, her father assigned her a simple task. He took three vessels filled with boiling water. He placed an egg in one vessel, a potato in the second vessel, and some tea leaves in the third vessel. He asked Asha to keep an eye on the vessels for about ten to fifteen minutes while the three ingredients in three separate vessels boiled. After the said time, he asked Asha to peel the potato and egg, and strain the tea leaves. Asha was left puzzled – she understood her father was trying to explain her something, but she didn’t know what it was.

Her father explained, “All three items were put in the same circumstances. See how they’ve responded differently.” He said that the potato turned soft, the egg turned hard, and the tea leaves changed the colour and taste of the water. He further said, “We are all like one of these items. When adversity calls, we respond exactly the way they do.

Moral of the Story:
We can choose how to respond to a difficult situation.

My son recently celebrated his 21st birthday. We presented him with the proverbial traditional key - the symbolism of this rooted in the power of the opportunity that the key represents. In the potential for choice, change and possibility. Keys are connected with doorways to the unknown, knowledge, mysteries, new ways, answers to curious questions.

Perseverance is therefore not a long race, but many short races one after the other. I therefore challenge you to find the strength and courage to endure the many short races ahead. Your race may be offering assistance to your children during a busy work day of your own; lending an ear to their frustrations; facilitating IT issues ...

The key lies in how you choose to respond to the current situation - are you the potato, the egg or the tea leaves?

KAREN SMITH

Head of Senior Primary

Dear Parents

Helping children with their anxiety

It seems that many of our girls are battling with anxiety at the moment. This is not surprising given how much stress we are all under; and how contagious anxiety is. Children may have their own personal anxieties - but chances are they are also picking up on adult anxiety around them - that of their teachers and their parents.

Unfortunately a common neurological problem with anxiety is that it tends to lock up the brain, making school and learning very tricky for anxious children. The locking of the brain also makes finding solutions during anxious times difficult, as the brain is “stuck or locked” and not able to think clearly or strategically.

I have attached a link to an article from the Child Mind Institute on anxiety in the classroom - it is a helpful read in terms of understanding anxiety more comprehensively. If you follow the links, there are some solid techniques for you to discuss with your child should you be needing help or ideas. https://childmind.org/article/classroom-anxiety-in-children/

Exercise and mindfulness are two tried and tested interventions that help ease stress and anxiety. Keep your girls moving as much as possible - a good sweat does wonders for endorphin levels (one of our feel good hormones). Endorphins also act as natural painkillers—and improve the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress. Meditation, acupuncture, massage therapy, even breathing deeply can cause your body to produce endorphins.

Mindfulness has gained popularity and momentum over the last decade and is a highly respected method of enhancing mental wellness. Yoga is the movement BFF of mindfulness - please see enclosed advert from Kirsten (from Foundations for Life - a resource familiar to SFC) for online yoga sessions for children should you be interested in helping your daughter manage her stress through this age-old tried and trusted technique.

Alternatively, please come and see me at school or email me at gcloete@springfieldconvent.co.za and I can refer you to a specialist should you prefer external help.

Stay warm, safe and sane

Warm regards

GABBY CLOETE

Junior School Counsellor