A Tel: (011)
577-6000/6387 (Direct); Fax: (011) 789-7519
ST
STITHIANS COLLEGE
Private Bag 2, RANDBURG, 2125
|
Saints Honour: Honour God, Honour Others, Honour Self |
NEWSLETTER NO. 01 – 23 JANUARY 2006
FROM THE DESK OF THE RECTOR
“Oh Lord, this year, open my eyes that I may see the need of others,
Open my ears that I may hear their cries,
Open my heart so that they need not be without succour,
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the
strong,
Nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and faith and hope are needed, and use me to bring
them to these places.
And so, open my eyes and ears that I may, this coming year, be able to
do some work of peace for You.
Amen”
Dear One & All
WELCOME
I trust
that 2006 got off to a good start for the Saints Family. It was wonderful to return to the campus,
with everything looking fresh, clean and green (after the wonderful December
rains). Staff had a spring in their
steps and even the pupils don't appear to be too reluctant to be back at school
after such a long December break.
Everyone is smiling and there is a vibrancy and energy about the place
which is very difficult to suppress.
We
started the academic year with two days of staff development and planning. Staff workshopped the draft Saints Charter, which will be discussed
further, in various parent and pupil forums, as the year progresses. Enclosed for information is my address to
staff on Monday, 16 January 2006. The aim of the staff meeting was to share the
College’s Strategic Plan with the staff. Plans are in place to ensure that the
Plan is also shared with parents.
May I
wish One
& All a very
happy term.
2005
MATRIC RESULTS
The 2005
Matriculants are to be congratulated on their outstanding results. The Matrics achieved 3 places
in the “Top 50” Candidates of the Independent Examinations Board Senior
Certificate Examination. These
candidates are: Christopher Biley, Herman Carstens and Melany Stevenson.
Below is a summary of the 2005 Matric results:
·
Candidates: 239
·
University Exemptions: 224 (93,7% of our candidates)
·
Senior Certificate:
16
·
Failures: None
·
“A” Aggregates: 78 (33 %)
·
Subject Distinctions:
366
The following candidates achieved particularly well and we are
very proud of their achievements. Their results are as follows:
Seven distinctions:
Biley,
Christopher; de Wet, Lara-Ann; Carstens,
Herman; McCurrie,
Andrew; Owen, Marion; Pomroy, Mark;
Stevenson, Melany
Six distinctions:
Crosse,
Michael; Franklin, Luke; Gohl, Nicholas; Janse van Rensburg, Janine; Lines, Richard; Riley, Nicholas; Sephton, Christopher; Shomalistos, Harry; Simmonds, Luke; Tatlow, Mark; Tindall, Steven
Five distinctions:
Blase, Jessica;
Campbell, Ashleigh; Clegg, Andrew; Combrink, Tessa; Dodds, Ashleigh;
Frederickz, Alicia; Gutstadt, Stefan; Kirschner, Phillipa-Anne; Martin,
Alasdair; Reiche, Samantha; Stransky, Wanda
These results
reflect on the dedication and commitment of all teachers from the
Enclosed for
information is a summary of our results for the last seven years (1999-2005).
STAFF
NEWS
We welcome the following new staff members to Saints and wish them a
long and happy career at the College:
Campus
Staff
Mrs Megan van der Poll –
Marketing Director; Rev John Tshabadira
– Chaplain, based at the Girls’ Prep & Junior Prep; and Mr Harmony Moyo –
Estate Supervisor
Girls’
College
Mrs
Taryn Schreuder – Drama; Ms Shereen Baker – History; Mr Timothy Schaerer – Maths;
Ms Kirsty Smith – Science; Ms Tshediso Radebe – Sotho & Sports
Co-ordinator; Ms Mvelo Phungula – Intern; and Mrs Enlana Thornton – Temp Maths
Teacher
Boys’
College
Mr Rob Schipholt – D&T/
EMS/ Accounting; Mrs Silke Smith – Biology; Mr Yaldrun Vickery – Accounting; Mr
Alan Weakley – English; Mrs Lizelle Theron – Temp Biology Lab Assistant; Mr
Christopher Chilvers – Gap IT; Ms Tammy Gordon – Intern; and Mr Jabulani
Maswenganyi – Boarding House Administrator; Mr Charl Smit - Intern
Junior
Prep
Mrs Gayl Kennedy – Deputy
Head; Mrs Victoria Goodstein – Learning Support Specialist; Mrs Susan South –
Temp Aftercare Assistant
Boys’
Prep
Mr Sean Logan - Senior Primary Teacher; Mr Russel Lennox –
Grade 5 Teacher; and Ms Jacqueline MacDonald – Grade 6 Teacher
Girls’
Prep
Mrs Rita Mncube – Sotho
Specialist Teacher; Mrs Lynda McCurrie – Grade 5; and Mrs Les Simmonds – Relief
Teacher for Mrs Sian May.
REGISTRATION
OF LEARNERS FOR 2006
Please note that in terms of
the College’s Debtors Policy, every family has to register anew at the College
at the start of the academic year. This
is to ensure that the contract between the parent and the College is renewed
each year so that there can be no misunderstanding or doubt about the terms of
the contract. In this increasingly
litigious world, our legal advice is to ensure that we do renew these contracts
on an annual basis. Kindly note that your
child may not be brought to school in the new year unless this registration
form has been completed, signed and returned to the Bursar. The deadline for returns is Tuesday, 31
January 2006.
THE
HISTORY OF ST STITHIANS COLLEGE
As announced at Founders’
Day 2005, Mr Walter Macfarlane, former Head of the Boys’ Prep, was commissioned
some years ago to write the history of the College. Mrs Sandi Ahrenbrecht, a former parent, of
CREDA Publications has assisted Walter Macfarlane with the design and lay out
of this wonderful coffee table book and has done a magnificent job. The History is currently at the printers and
will be available for purchase from the Bursar’s Office during the first week
of February 2006. An Order Form is
attached to this newsletter. Don’t miss
the opportunity to own a copy of this book.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2006
Please diarise the
following important dates:
·
School
Calendar for 2006
The
2006 Calendar has been circulated via the Rector’s Newsletter and is available
on the website: www.stithian.com under Campus
Matters.
·
Second Foundation Celebration
A special
Service will be held to celebrate the founding of the Girls’ College & Prep
on Friday, 03 February 2006 at 08:00 on the lawns at the Girls’
·
The College Report Back
The College Report Back
sessions for parents next year are scheduled for: 22 February 2006, 21 June
2006 and 17 October 2006.
·
Founders’ Day
Founders’ Day will take
place on Saturday, 10 June 2006. Parents
are reminded that this is a compulsory function for all Saints staff and
learners.
SAINTS CALENDAR FOR 2007
The 2007 College Calendar has been agreed by the College Executive and
is enclosed for information.
QUESTIONS FOR THE RECTOR:
If
there is anything you would like more information about, please do not hesitate
to send your questions to me at rector@stithian.com. Learners as well as parents are quite welcome
to send their questions.
SAINTS FAMILY NEWS
·
We wish to express our sincere condolences to
the following members of the Saints Family on their loss of loved ones during
the school holidays. Please keep these
families in your thoughts and prayers.
o Ronel
Ganten-Bein (Bursar’s Department) on the death of her husband;
o Vernon
Nicholas (Bursar’s Department) on the tragic death of his brother;
o Jenny van der
Leij (Librarian, Girls’ College) & family on the death of her mother;
o Colin (Vice
Chair: Council) & Sabrina Smith and Helen & Michael Bester &
families on the death of their father, after a long illness;
o Bryn Gillies
(Grade 9) & family on the tragic death of his father (Ian Gillies).
·
Congratulations to:
o
Trudy Estran (Girls’ Prep) & Justin Naylor
on their recent engagement;
o
Luke Hartley (Boys’ College) & Deidre
Henning on their recent engagement;
o
Ruth & Alistair Stewart (Head, Boys’ Prep)
on the birth of their son, James Robert;
o
Graham MacCallum (Careers Officer, Boys’
College) on the birth of his first grandson (James) in
o
Alex & Sian May (Girls’ Prep) on the birth
of their daughter Izabella.
GOOD NEWS COLUMN
It
is always gratifying to receive letters of praise and congratulations about our
staff and learners. Should you wish to
contribute any Good News, please send the details to: rector@stithian.com.
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF INCOME FOR SAINTS
For more information
about the partnership, please call 011 303 5551, email gflint@rmbprivatebank.com, or
alternatively visit the College website link (www.stithian.com
- Campus Matters page).
REQUEST
FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE
The Environmental Committee
does a wonderful job of sourcing donations of plants, trees and bulbs to
beautify the campus. May I remind all
parents, staff and all visitors to the estate that no plants may be removed
from the grounds and no flowers may be cut for either personal use or other
events.
With kind regards.
STEPHEN LOWRY
RECTOR
RECTOR’S ADDRESS TO THE ST STITHIANS
COLLEGE STAFF
AT A WORKSHOP HELD ON MONDAY, 16 JANUARY
2006
GIRLS’ COLLEGE GYM
Saints is at a
crossroads. At its own Rubicon. Ten years ago with immense courage and
determination a visionary group of men and women set out to create a new
educational model in this country and indeed one that was unique in the world.
They were bringing to fruition a discussion that had taken place periodically,
since the establishment of the Trust in 1941, that is, whether Saints should be
a boys, a girls or a co-ed school.
They sought to combine
the best of monastic education with that of co-education. Over the years, many
have participated in trying to make sure that we get the formula working – that
we gear the model correctly – that we make sure that the education we offer in
this model is the best in the world and based on sound research and educational
thinking.
This pioneering
initiative has not been without its challenges, difficulties and frustrations;
without spending a lot of energy on new projects, meetings and seminars; and
reading of the literature – all of which may have seemed to some futile and a
waste of time and energy.
Some have perhaps given up
and moved on, too tired or perhaps even frustrated to continue putting energy
into a project that does not seem to come to fruition. And that is fine.
We, who remain at this
great educational institution, are asked to participate as runners in a perennial
relay team. As David Wylde described it to me: “We have been passed the
baton for a while. Some of us will run with it for a year or two, others a
decade or two or perhaps even three. We will all contribute and all of our
contributions will be valuable and will collectively add to the educational
capital resource that we are continually building.”
The co-ordinate model is
a work in progress. Like education it is
not cast in stone but dynamic. We still
have to get this model working effectively and that is what our Strategic Plan
is about. It is radical because it is attempting to delve deeply into what has
to happen to ensure that we get the model right and running effectively and
efficiently. I am absolutely convinced that what we are doing is correct. What
are the pointers?
Our values
Firstly, St Stithians
College is based on a particular value system – which is why our Strategic Goal
clearly identifies us as a Methodist and independent school. The plan also
details how we understand that value system at this particular juncture in the
history of the College. This is not a transient thing. These are not values
thought up at a workshop. These are deeply held values that are the very basis
of our humanity. They underwrite all the major faiths in the world including
that of Christianity upon which this school is based. Therefore they should
command the deepest reverence and respect and adherence from all of us. They
are an ideal to which we all strive. They are values that we do not always live
out. We, in all humility, recognise this, and strive to correct it. Our
challenge today is to take the Saints Charter and make sure it becomes a living
document that underpins all that we do at the College
The College’s philosophy of education
Secondly, we believe that the
child is at the centre of all we do. Responding to his or her needs in a
holistic manner is what we are about. Our second goal identifies this approach
as fundamentally important in what we do. Again, this is not based on the whims
of some teachers or leaders; it is based on sound research into education and
we state this in our Plan: “Our teachers will have a sound understanding of how learning
and teaching happens in the context of the latest research of the brain. This
will enable them to effectively differentiate in the classroom between learners
of different abilities including those with special needs.”
At the moment the senior
management of the schools, together with the academic support staff, are
debating this philosophy and hopefully will be in a position to publish this as
the College’s educational policy in the next few months.
The coordinate model and gender
in education
Thirdly, our plan
reinforces the College’s monastic philosophy of education. Our parents have
chosen Saints because they believe that monastic education is the best form of
education for their child. The College is 100% committed to this philosophy.
We believe that monastic
education is further enhanced by exposing children to appropriate contacts with
those from the opposite sex. We believe that our monastic education is
significantly different and enhanced by the presence of the opposite gender on
the site. We believe that our students are significantly advantaged in their
development by being a part of this coordinate model of education. It is the
key factor that differentiates us from any other monastic school. This is the
feature that gives us the cutting edge in the market place of educational ideas
and philosophy.
The challenge is to
therefore realise the fifth goal of our Plan: “We will be one College
with unity between the schools. The synergies which exist in our Coordinate
model of education will be realized.”
And
what are the indicators that we have identified? I will highlight a few:
·
A common understanding of what is meant by the
Coordinate Model.
·
All can point to an example of the Coordinate
Model working in practice.
·
90% will identify with St Stithians before their
individual school.
·
There will be 100% buy-in to the Saints Charter.
·
We see / feel the synergy.
·
The facilities will belong to Saints and not to
an individual entity.
·
We will talk as “we” and “us”
rather than “I” and “them”.
This plan is in place –
it is our direction for the next few years. It is non-negotiable. All of us have
a responsibility to commit to it, to make it work, to ensure that it is
implemented so that we can realise this model of education.
In fact, we are in the
process of re-designing the staff appraisal system at the College and we want
to look at a model in which the work of the staff and in particular senior
management will be assessed in relation to the extent to which the Strategic
Plan has been implemented.
The Strategic Planning
Committee, comprising the College Executive, school deputies and campus senior
managers think it will work; in particular because we have identified two
elements that are crucial to the success of the Plan:
·
We are committed as a College to getting our
Governance Structures right – to analysing and then planning how legitimate
authority should be exercised throughout the College (Goal 6).
·
And secondly we are committed to retaining and
developing the highly professional staff at the College. You, the staff, are
the most important asset at the College and without your commitment and hard
work at realising this Strategic Plan we will not succeed in getting our
philosophy of education right.
Thank
you for your passion and commitment to the College. Continue the good work and
I wish you everything of the best for 2006.
____________________________________________________
ST STITHIANS BOYS AND
Updated:
18 January 2006
|
|
ST
STITHIANS RESULTS |
IEB RESULTS |
SUBJECT
DISTINCTIONS |
||||||
|
|
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2005 |
Add
Maths: 15 Afrikaans
L1: 4 Afrikaans
L2: 22 Art: 12 Biology
HG: 42 Biology
SG: 1 Computers
HG: 15 Computers
SG: 2 Chinese:
1 Sp &
Drama: 12 English:
67 French:
3 Geography:
22 German:
1 History:
24 IsiZulu
L2: 15 Latin: 1 Maths
HG: 57 Maths
SG: 18 Music
theory: 2 Portuguese:
1 Science:
28 Spanish:
1 TOTAL: 366 |
|
Candidates |
199 |
201 |
215 |
249 |
239 |
234 |
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