Senior School

As we continue to celebrate women...

In this busy and uncertain time, there are anchors that help us to navigate the uncertainty. One of the anchors is remembrance.

The 9^th August 1956 was a Thursday, traditionally the day off for domestic workers in South Africa, which made it possible for women to heed the call to travel to Pretoria. Women travelled from all over South Africa to take a stand against the intended pass legislation, which would make it compulsory for Black women to carry a passbook.

In her book We have done with Pleading the women’s 1913 anti-pass campaign, Julia Wells talks about how Lilian Ngoyi, one of the key leaders in the 1956 anti-pass protest, had learnt about the story of the first women’s anti-pass campaign in the Orange Free State, in 1913, from her mother, who had heard it from Sol Plaatje, at that time a journalist and editor. Lilian’s comment was, “women maintain their own history, even when the books are silent.”

Women’s Day in South Africa allows us to open up the past and acknowledges the courageous and significant role that women played in establishing a democratic South Africa.

The excitement, courage and significance of the day can be sensed from the account by Frances Baard, in her book ‘My Spirit is Not Banned’ as told to Barbie Schreiner. Frances Baard was one of the eight women who carried the thousands of petitions, protesting the implementation of the pass laws on Black women, to Prime Minister Strijdom’s office. She recounts:

“Then we walked outside again and joined the other women who were waiting in the amphitheatre [of the Union Buildings]. All the women were quiet. 20 000 women standing there, some with their babies on their backs, and so much colour, many women in green, gold and black, and the Indian women in their bright saris! Then Lillian started to speak. She told everyone that the prime minister was not there and that he was too scared to see us but that we left the petitions there for him to see. Then we stood in silence for half an hour. Everyone stood with their hands raised in the salute, silent, and even the babies hardly cried. For half an hour we stood there in the sun. And not a sound. Just the clock striking. Then Lilian started to sing and we all sang with her. I’ll never forget that song we sang then. It was a song especially written for that occasion. It was written by a woman from the Free State. It went: ‘Wena Strijdom, wa’thinthabafazi, wathint’embokotho, uzokufa!’ That means: ‘You Strijdom, you have touched the women, you have struck against rock, you will die.’ Of course he did die, not long after that.”

There are so many, many stories about the courage and fearlessness of women in South Africa. Some who come to mind are MaNthatisi of the Batlokwa, who valiantly led her people in the 19^th century, and Queen Modjadji of the Balobedu, better known as the Rain Queen, whom Shaka consulted during the times of drought. And of course, Charlotte Maxeke the first Black women in South Africa to obtain a university degree in 1901. Each of these women have an amazing story and our submarines have been named after them in acknowledgement of their courage and heroism.

Something that Grade 12 staff, pupils and parents alike have been waiting for with baited breath is the release of the revised NSC final examinations timetable, which finally was released to us today. Please click on this link to download a copy of this important document, which indicates that the exam period will span from 5 November through 15 December, with the practical examinations and the LO exam taking place on specific dates before this block of time as usual.

Speaking to more general interests, I think we all know that a happy teen is more likely to be a productive teen, be it at home or at school. As we head into the second half of the third term, knowing that that everyone is more stressed than usual and that our circumstances are as unpredictable than ever, let’s remind ourselves that the key to great learning is the three-way relationship that exists between teachers, pupils and their parents. When Springfield teachers and parents work together to create a nurturing environment, every individual pupil can make the best progress they can.

Please refer to the newsletter dated 29 July as well as the recent communication sent to parents via D6 for all of the useful links you need to navigate assessments at home, to view the grade workload calendars or the Grade 12 Trial Examinations timetable. Remember that your daughter’s subject teacher is always on hand to answer any queries about her specific classes or assessments.

Following the positive feedback received after their first parent webinar series, Elevate Education will be running another series of free webinars, with the first hour-long session taking place on Wednesday, 19 August at 18:00. This session will focus on study skills and helping students to balance an distanced learning environment with reintegration back at school. Click here to reserve your place.

DAVID FICK

Head of Academics

Feeling inspired after having a peak at what my girls have learnt to make in our Consumer Studies classes? One of the most successful flavour combinations in food has to be chocolate and orange!

This tart recipe can be enjoyed with a cup of tea or served as a dessert with a creamy vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate tarts

Pastry ingredients:

115g cake flour

10g cocoa

50g castor sugar

62, 5g COLD butter, cubed

1 egg yolk + 5ml ice water

Filling:

2,5ml gelatine

15ml cold water

100g dark chocolate

50ml cream

Zest of an orange

To make the pastry:

Sift together the cake flour and cocoa and then stir in the sugar. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs; add the egg/water mixture and then cut in well using a knife. Using fingertips bring the mixture together to form a dough, flatten well, and then wrap up in clingfilm. All pastry needs to be rested and chilled in the fridge for 30 minutes before being rolled out. Roll out the rested dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 4mm. Fill 5cm diameter tart tins with the pastry; prick the bases and rest gain in the fridge for a further 15 minutes. Now bake these pastry cases at 180 C for 12 - 12 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Now to make the filling

Sprinkle the gelatine over the cold water. Break the chocolate into very small pieces and pour over the hot cream. Now place this mixture over steaming water to ensure the chocolate melts completely. Add in the gelatine and stir to help it dissolve. Finally add the orange zest. When this filling has cooled, pour it carefully into the prepared pastry shells. Chill the in the fridge for 10 minutes to set.

Enjoy

Pamela-Ann Gore

Get Behind Virtual Slipper Week

Let’s help raise funds for this worthy cause and ensure that dreams can’t be locked down. Join Reach For A Dream and Wimpy between August 10 and 16 to show support by making a donation via https://wimpy.co.za/reach-for-a-dream/. Spread the love by sharing your Slipper Selfie and tagging @ReachForADream and @WimpySA with the hashtags: #BetterTogetherMoments #VirtualSlipperWeek.

For every donation of R30 and above, you can redeem a free filter coffee voucher from your nearest Wimpy.

For more information on Reach For A Dream visit www.reachforadream.org.za

Music School: Marimbas:

Please complete this Google form if you are interested in signing up your daughter for socially distanced marimba lessons.

(Cello and Guitar)

Presently music pupils who learn Violin have the option of receiving in-person lessons at school, in co-ordination with their teachers according to the COVID safety precautions.

We have the facilities to now extend face to face lessons to Cello and Guitar.

The instrument teachers concerned will be in contact with their pupils and parents regarding the availability and timetabling of these lessons during the next week for those who would like them.

Ode to our Springfield Women on Woman's Day - 9 August 2020

Inside each one of our strong women at Spring

Stands a solid rock of vast imagining

She is a fiercely feminine feline

With an open mind and a heart divine

She's a Super Star, her own Super Hero

She does not shout it out loud and bold

But rather stands tall and is a sight to behold

You see, from the outside she silhouettes a dress

Whilst if you look much closer you will see nothing less

Than her Superhero Cape, her statement of fashion

Is her womanly commitment to patience and compassion

To love with strength of heart and mind

Is Woman's gift to all of human kind.

Happy Woman's Day to all our amazing Springfield Woman, young and old!!

Celebrating HER

This month, we have seen our community members celebrate themselves and each other through sharing their #FiercelyFeminine stories on JEFF Together. We have been inspired, humbled and uplifted from not only the stories but from the messages of encouragement from our incredible community!

Don't miss the start!

Join Seri and Juls at 7.30am on the 22nd August as they count down to race time and a morning of exercise and acknowledging the incredible women who have made a difference in our lives.

Let’s continue to show up for each other!

We’re challenging you to Pitch up in Purple on the 22nd August for our very first JEFF Celebration Run For HER. We’re honouring South African Women by inviting everyone to join JEFF on a very special virtual run. The JEFF Celebration Run For HER. Register for the race, include the name of who you are running for, and we will include it on your race number! It'll take you 30 seconds to sign up for free here.

Dear Staff, parents and pupils

We are excited to introduce a fun and challenging series of events that involve participating against other Schools on a National level in various forms of physical activity.The event will take place over a number of weeks and all pupils, parents and staff are invited to take up this challenge on behalf of Springfield Convent Senior and Junior Schools.

Each week the organisers will set a new challenge which will be sent out to you.

For more information and to sign up click here and follow the prompts. This is an opportunity to be physically active and productive for our beautiful school and to get our School spirit going.

Kind regards

Colleen Reed

Head of Sport