Quarter 2 Newsletter June 2019

7 PREPARATORY FACULTY GRADES 1 - 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . From the Principal’s Office Tanya Dean Following our participation in the 2018 Grade Three and Six Systemic Tests, we are extremely proud to once again have been acknowledged recently by the Western Cape Education Department for our academic excellence. A special mention and thanks are extended to our dedicated teaching staff who ensure continued best practice. Our media centres continue to be a hub of literary activity, and our World Book Day celebration was once again a vibrant, colourful affair, as children brought their favourite book characters to life. We were also privileged to welcome a local author as special guest. The ‘Parklands Playground’ events invited parents to delve into the world of innovation, under the guidance of their digital savvy children. We had Spheros rolling in paint, virtual butterflies in the Library and experiments in the Science Labs. The highlight of each ‘Parklands Playground’ was seeing the joy and excitement of our learners as they observed their guests taking on the role of ‘student’. There were squeals of excitement as EV3 robots were programmed to avoid crashing into objects. These events were very well supported and provided opportunities for parents and guests to step inside the Faculty and observe the exceptional programme on offer. Postings and comments on social media platforms confirmed the absolute delight of all who attended. Our Cultural Department has achieved numerous accolades this quarter. Learners from the Preparatory and Secondary Faculties participated in the Major and Minors Concert in May, showcasing the talents of our diverse range of ensemble groups. The concert was heralded by parents and guests for the outstanding quality of the musical performances. Our Junior and Senior Choirs impressed audiences during their participation in the ATKV Choir Competition and the Tygerberg Eisteddfod, achieving silver medals. The Naledi Awards are one of South Africa’s premiere theatre awards, recognising excellence in the Performing Arts, raising the profile of live theatre and creating awareness of the abundant talent alive and well on our South African stages. We are very proud of Morgan Santo, a Grade Six learner, who was awarded a ‘Special Award for Outstanding Performance in a Musical’ at the award ceremony which was held in Johannesburg. Morgan played one of three leading ladies in Matilda - The Musical last year. She performed in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Singapore. We are very excited about our planned Cultural Tour to Paris in 2020 for our Grade Six and Seven learners, and twenty-four learners have already confirmed their participation therein. The winter season sporting codes are in full swing with numerous match fixtures and sports festivals on the sporting calendar. Parklands College toured with the U/11 A and U/12 A soccer teams to the Camp Discovery Preparatory Schools Soccer Tournament, a very popular and prestigious event hosted within a Big Five Game Reserve in the Northern Province. This year was the 11th anniversary of this high- profile event which accommodated sixty- five schools, from all over the country, as well as two international teams. Our boys competed admirably against highly respected soccer teams and enjoyed an unforgettable experience. Our U/12 A netball team also enjoyed a successful tour to Knysna where they competed in friendly fixtures hosted by Oak Hill Preparatory and Riverwood Primary. The team then joined a Festival hosted by Sport at Backward Point, which welcomed forty well respected netball teams from all over the country. Our girls were not only kept busy with netball matches, but also enjoyed the natural surroundings that Knysna has to offer. These tours ensured productive pre- season soccer and netball experiences, preparing our learners for their local league fixtures, as well as providing the opportunity for teamwork and sportsmanship. Junior Chefs has become a very popular extramural activity within the Preparatory. It provides a unique experience for learners to experiment with different ingredients and expose them to various cooking techniques. We currently have 90 budding Master Chefs and the offering has been extended to include four classes. The vision is to combine project-based learning with kitchen science and technology, ensuring a top-class activity that is not readily available at other schools. It further serves to compliment the Hospitality Studies in the Secondary Faculty. The Preparatory have continued to support multiple charities with collections of foodstuffs, winter clothing and blankets, sweet treats and toiletries. Learners and staff also donned their slippers in support of ‘Reach for a Dream’ Slipper Day. We are immensely proud of three of our Grade Five learners, Amelia Bishop, Isabella Riviera and Melina Rall, for their mindfulness and genuine care for the environment and its endangered wildlife. Following a Keynote presentation, they presented their idea to their grade of hosting a bake sale, with all funds raised being donated to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). A sizeable amount was raised, a phenomenal achievement initiated by three girls who wanted to make a difference and were given the opportunity and support with which to embrace it. This amazing gesture is mirrored in the ‘Parklands Mind’, where Parklands College encourages and provides opportunity for their learners to shine in the five focus areas: Effective Communicator, Purposeful Collaborator, Creative Agent, Responsible Citizen and Critical Thinker. As I conclude my final newsletter submission, I wish to take this opportunity to thank Mrs Lorraine Roth and the Board of Directors for the enormous opportunities afforded me during my time at the College. As partners in the educational journey, it has also been my privilege to enjoy a longstanding relationship with a very supportive parent body. I extend my gratitude to you for the many happy and proud memories that we have shared as a Preparatory family. I look forward to watching with pride as the College continues to excel both in the community and in its global engagement. A GRADE ONE LEARNING ADVENTURE… Our theme ‘I Wonder Why’ opened up doors to a world of wonder for the Grade Ones this quarter. The weeks flew by at record speed as we delved into questions about why stars twinkle, why cats purr, what the time is in space and so many other ‘I wonder why’s.’ What better way of discovering the answers to our wonders than in books! This is so true of our little Grade Ones as they discover that they too are able to recognize words in the books that