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Current Events & News 2008
Grade One
The Junior Preparatory celebrated Art and our diverse culture on the 25th
and 26th September.
The exciting line-up for the children included Grade Two's from Witkoppen School
visiting us for the day. They were treated to the Saint Stithian Grade R concert
as well as boerewors rolls and juice for lunch. A happy day was had by all.
On Friday the Junior Preparatory was enthralled listening to the Girls College
Chamber Choir perform during chapel service. The Choir also taught the children
a brand new Zulu song. The rest of the day was spent playing traditional games
that the children absolutely enjoyed. The children also brought many interesting
bits of information about other cultures that were displayed in their classes
for the week.
The Junior Primary has been abuzz with Literacy week. The children were treated
to a show by Hooked on Books on Tuesday the 15th July. The stories are acted out
with involvement from the children. They loved all the books but are firm
favourites of ‘The Very Smelly Zoo’ and ‘Pretty Salma’ by Niki Daly.
During the week the children also got to bring their teddy bear to school for a
Teddy Bears’ picnic. They read their favourite story to their bear and enjoyed a
picnic with their friends.
In each class the children were exposed to different children’s authors. They
have enjoyed reading books by authors like Niki Daly, Kevin Henkes and Quintin
Blake. They have also completed numerous activities around these authors and
illustrators.
Friday the 18th July was pyjama day. The Junior Primary came to school in their
pyjamas and spent an exciting morning drinking hot chocolate and reading to
their friends from their most beloved books. The highlight of the morning was
that many teachers were also dressed in their pyjamas!
What a fun time we had at The Farm Yard! The children were taken around the farm
by two guides. They were introduced to a prickly porcupine family. The children
also experienced the milking of cows by hand. They were allowed to feed many of
the farm animals the vegetables that they brought along. The pigs, horses and
ponies really enjoyed the morning feast!
The J.P has had a
busy second term! On the 31st May the Grade Ones
exercised their legs around the Wayne Joubert Oval
for the Big Walk! Parents and children enjoyed a
sunny morning together.
Our children loved
giving trees a big hug for World Environment Day!
They have learnt all about nature conservation and
the impact it has on the future world.
Founders Day was
celebrated on the 7th June across campus. The
junior choir performed beautifully and left the
parents with goosebumps! The JP felt
privileged to
be included with the entire college.
The children moved
their Dads to tears at the Father's Day Chapel
service. The JP celebrated with prayers, songs and
poems for their dads. DADS you are so special!
Grade R
Mothers Day
Chapel Service:
Mother's Day was a real treat for all our mom's
and grandmothers. Special songs and poems
selected for the performance really did pull at
our mom's heartstrings. Tears trickled down
their cheeks as the mommy's watched the
incredible talent of their little ones, in
praise of all our mom's do!
Our mothers day
songs included "Aint she sweet", ' A mom's a
special lady", and a lovely Afrikaans and Zulu
verse was shared with our special moms.
Founders Day:
Founder's day was
a real treat for the Grade R's this year. They
all helped make a beautiful podium display of
paper flowers for our theme of "Aids
Awareness". The first Founders day attended by
the Gr R's was a really important day. They
sang many beautiful songs; watched the academic
ceremony; and returned to class for a delicious
treat of cup cakes and juice.
Fathers Day:
Soon after our
Mother's Day Celebrations it was time to honour
dad too. A celebration fit for a King.
Familiar songs such as "Ag please Daddy" ,
'Daddy, I Love you' and Zulu and Afrikaans poems
dedicated to Dad! We had loads of fun making
message boards for Dads, with blackboard paint,
hand prints and a special "I love you Daddy"
Message.
Click on
"Photographs" see see these and many more in
spectacular colour!
GRADE
2
The first half of the
term of Grade Two was very productive and exciting. We
started learning about various journeys into Grade Two,
under the sea and into space. Our “Journey into Space”
theme was really enjoyed by the children and we even
went on an outing to the Planetarium on Wednesday 13th
February. After a much needed rest in half term, we
launched straight back into our space journey followed
by a journey under the sea. This theme really captured
the imagination and interest of the children. Our first
Treat Shop took place on Friday 29 February and it
turned out to be a really enjoyable event. The classes
involved learnt all about entrepreneurship, marketing
and responsibility. We look forward to many more
successful Treat Shops throughout the year.
The
highlight of the term so far has definitely been the
Family Adventure Day held on Saturday 08 March in the
Junior Prep playground. The day kicked off with all the
families in their class colours taking part in a “boot
camp” warm-up to prepare for the events. Most of us were
exhausted by this before we’d even seen the other six
events. This was followed by a rotation schedule of
Blind Man’s Bluff (An obstacle course with the family
tied together), Rock Climbing Wall, Orienteering, Target
Shooting, Dodge Ball and an Obstacle Course. A fun, and
tiring, time was had by all and this was a day that we
are sure the children – and parents – will remember
fondly for a long time.
We look forward to many more exciting events in the new
term.
Outreach “ Izenzo School, Hillbrow (2007)

Saint
Stithians Junior Preparatory adopted the Izenzo School in Hillbrow. The JP has
this school on as an outreach project this year. It is a
school for refugee children from Grades
R - 12.
Currently there are just over 300 children - a number
which grows daily.
The teachers, too, are refugees,
and often don't get paid at all.
The school is housed on the 4th
floor of an old office block in the heart of Hillbrow.
Not all the children have chairs, and "lap-desks" have
been donated. There is no playground and the windows do
not have bars on them, so are seldom opened for fear of
someone falling out! At break the children run around,
just like our children do, but the indoor area is very
confined (a long room with chairs at either end where
two classes have their "classrooms".
They were very grateful for all the
books we sent, which we'd collected on "Dress Up Day"
during our Literacy week.

An exciting development, which came
out of the visit to Izenzo of the JP class rep mums, is
the establishment of a weekly clinic at the school. It
is staffed by doctors who have volunteered to give their
time to the clinic. We thank the
doctors from NHC Medical Centre for seeing this need and
"running with it".
The Grade 1 and 2 learners visited
us in early August and enjoyed a fun filled morning of
learning and play.
The children learn vital life
skills such as responsibility and becoming other-centered
through these projects. We hope to instill in them a
lifelong sense of caring for those who are less
fortunate.
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