Quarter 2 Newsletter 2021

3 After a successful implementation of our internal Summer Pro League we excitingly moved to our winter sporting codes at the start of the quarter. With COVID 19 restrictions in place most of our initial training sessions focused on fitness and body conditioning. After a few weeks we moved to ball skills with all codes except for Rugby which followed "safe return to play' directions from SA rugby. We finally started playing matches during the first week of June - much to the delight of our learners, especially seeing that some of them last played winter sports in 2019. During the quarter we had a special visit from Laura Wolvaardt who spoke to our learners at our Sport Assembly. She spoke about training hard and never giving up, which was perfect for our learners to hear about what it takes to be an elite sport star in the world. Although some of our 1st teams did not play matches due to the suspension of contact sport just before our examinations, other teams had an opportunity to compete once again. We hope that after the July holidays sport can resume again and we cannot wait to get back out on the fields and courts to continue with our winter season. Head of Sport Thanersen Pillay The Autumn Quarter is typically a time of Eisteddfods and this quarter is no exception. Pandemic or not the show must go on and the Dance, Drama and Music departments have been actively preparing learners to compete with the rest of the Western Cape on a virtual level. The resilience of our young participants is beyond heartwarming, they arrive for rehearsals and give their best in spite of the challenges of wearing a mask observing physical distance and sanitising absolutely everything. The sense that we are heading towards a time of intense personal and creative freedom is strong. Hope abounds and the sacrifices we are making now will be the inspiration for artistic liberation in the future. I would like to make a special mention to all of our Culture Department educators who continue to find ways to nurture and encourage our learners to find their voices and lift their spirits through the Arts. You are the foundation upon which many young artists, performers, sound engineers, film makers and designers are building their own structure. Your efforts in this time of challenge are making all the difference to young people who need hope and a healthy outlet for their fears and frustrations. The future looks bright thanks to the lessons you impart. Best wishes to everyone and, in the words of SARK, Stay Juicy! Head of Culture Catherine Dodders With so many clubs and societies to choose from, there is always something for everyone. We encourage you to sign up for something new next quarter. Here is a little feedback from two of our newer clubs: The Parklands College Astronomy Club learners spent many an awesome evening with professional astronomer and cosmologist, Professor Dunsby over the past quarter. Seeing the process of how images of the universe are captured and processed in real-time was a great privilege. According to Kate Hughes (Grade 11) the wooden craft club is an exciting new club in which they learn about the different types of tools and methods used to make various wooden crafts. “We have learnt about the various tools used in the workshop and have even designed and started making our own projects out of wood. Cars, dove-tail boxes and honey dippers are just a few of the amazing items being made. This is a great club to learn a new skill and where to get creative!” Our Interact Club was invited to the recent Blouberg Rotary Award ceremony where we received the trophy for the Top Project to Promote International Understanding (2010- 2020). This year Parklands College also officially became part of RI Peacebuilders Club. Apart from Interact, a number of individual learners got involved in a variety of projects over the past few months and encouraged the school to participate. From collecting supplies for the fire fighters when Table Mountain was on fire, to collecting blankets and food for dogs, to donating goods to the Recycle SwopShop in Dunoon - our learners’ generous hearts remained open. We also donated goods to night shelters and towards environmental issues, e.g. the planting of trees. Many learners also gave of their time to participate in beach clean-ups and walk abandoned dogs. Thank you to everyone for making a difference in this difficult year. SPORT NEWS CULTURE NEWS SERVICE Laura Wolvaardt CLUBS AND SOCIETIES