ST STITHIANS COLLEGE
RECTOR’S
COLLEGE REPORT
FIRST
TERM 2003
2002 MATRIC
RESULTS
1. The Matric results achieved at the end
of 2002 were exceptional. The Grade 12
students achieved the highest number of "A'
aggregates and subject distinctions in the history of the College. Below is a summary of the 2002 Matric Results
(the numbers in brackets indicate the 2001 results):
"A"
Aggregates: 76 (61)
Subject Distinctions 352 (306)
Matric Exemption 97%
Subject Distinctions
(students names are in alphabetical order)
|
Seven Distinctions
|
Ashleigh Edwards (IEB Top 50); Jessica Fry; Kirsty Souter
|
|
Six Distinctions
|
Gregory Bean; Samantha Loaring; Lorna McCrindle; Andrew Middelton; Sian
Palmer; Stacey Shaw-Taylor; Oliver Venn; Jeffrey Webster (IEB Top 50)
|
|
Five Distinctions
|
Jessica Bernon; Brian Butler; Sheldon Friedericksen; Robyn Penhall;
Annabel Raw; Lize-Mari Redelinghuys; and Andrew Sterne
|
GOVERNANCE
STRUCTURES
2. I am conscious that a
number of the structures at the College are fairly new and in a process of
growth and development after the extension of the College into five
schools. I am aware that many parents, a
number of teachers, perhaps management and Council Members,
are not totally au fait with how the structures operate. It seems to me that at some stage we need to
develop clear guidelines around the powers, functions and general modus
operandi of the various school structures.
I think that this will also assist to clarify the distinction between
governance and management at the school.
3. The
College Executive has debated and made decisions during January to March 2003 about the following matters:
TRANSFORMATION
4. At the last Council Meeting, Susan
Pretorius was tasked with chairing a Task Team to look at the issue of
transformation in the College. Various
options were presented and we still need to decide how the matter should
proceed. That Task Team met with the
College Executive in January 2003 and it was decided that Exco needed to drive
the transformation process at the College.
It needs to be understood that there are already many initiatives taking
place that are challenging our young people and exposing them to the social
circumstances of other South Africans.
This occurs mainly through our very extensive outreach programmes that
exist in the various schools. We also
need to look at what role workshops and various external agencies can play in
assisting to make sure that our children are sensitive and committed to
resolving the social problems that affect our society. We also need to dialogue with our black
parents and a general open-ended indaba (parents, Council Members,
teachers, management members, learners) will probably
assist in airing some of the issues related to this concern. I have a sense that St Stithians is on the
threshold of a new and great development and a process whereby it explores the
South African side of its statement of strategic intent, which will be an
exciting growth process.
THE CHAPLAINCY
AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
5. Following the ISASA Chaplain's Conference held at St Mary's
(DSG) in August 2002, the College Executive and Chaplains held a very
productive meeting with Bishop Verryn to debate the issue of What
is the Chaplaincy?
On
11 February 2003,
a Workshop on Pastoral Care/Student Services (encompassing academic support)
was held with the Heads, Chaplains and relevant staff. Following a series of brief, pertinent and
well thought out presentations, followed by debate and discussion, a Task Team
was assigned to draw up a comprehensive policy for the College as a whole.
THE TERM TO
DATE
Employee Consultative Forum (ECF)
6. The ECF continues to
meet on a monthly basis. An updated
Employment Equity Plan for Saints was submitted to the Department of Labour by
the due date last year. A disability audit
of the College buildings was undertaken by the Operations Manager and
accessibility ramps installed in the Boys' College. Following a presentation by Mrs Lorna Fick on
the types of disabilities encountered in the workplace, the ECF initiated a Do-@bility Week (10-14 February 2003) in all the
schools to raise awareness of what people with disabilities can do.
Security
7. I am reviewing the
security arrangements with the Operations Manager, Michael Meyers, after a
break-in at the Boys' College resulted in the loss of seven computers.
Intern Programme
8. The
Intern Programme continues to be co-ordinated by the Heads of Schools, with
designated Mentors. We currently have
eight Interns based in four of the schools.
Saints Community 2003
9. The
Jubilee celebrations are in place and a list of the planned Jubilee events was
circulated to all in the Rector's January Newsletter. A monthly Jubilee Jabber column indicates the
events planned for each month. On the
Jubilee display boards, to be found at all the entrances, a list of the
forthcoming events is displayed.
10. To date, two rededication Services have
been held, to commemorate the arrival of the first boarders (27 January) and
the opening of the College (03 February).
Our sincere thanks goes to Bishop Paul Verryn
for officiating at both these Services.
Following the latter Service, each Saints learner was presented with a
Jubilee gift, ranging from ties for the Boys' Prep and College, to silver
crosses for the Girls' Prep and College, and Jubilee teddy bears for the Junior
Prep.
11. On 05
March 2003, the Pakistani Cricket team visited Saints and held
a coaching afternoon at the Boys' Prep for development teams. Messrs Steve Farrell and Patrick Lees will be
co-ordinating a mini-World Cup Cricket Festival, with teams from abroad and
local development sides in March.
Our thanks to Dr Marshall Walford and his
Committee for their considerable efforts.
ISASA & SAHISA
12. Points to
note:
12.1 ISASA's
book on Community Development Programmes, edited by Mark Henning, has been
published. It details the initiatives
undertaken by ISASA schools in outreach programmes. There were a number of editing and
typographical errors in the two reports on St Stithians. Mark Henning has phoned to apologise for the mistakes.
12.2 ISASA
is in the process of building a new national office on its current site in
Houghton.
12.3 ISASA
continues to develop its Maths & Science Partnership Project and hopes to
find new sources of donor funding during 2003 for this project.
12.4 ISASA
made significant interventions around the Education Laws Amendment Act. However, the impact of those changes will not
be known until regulations are promulgated in terms of the Act. The question of quality assurance, with the
school becoming a quality assurer, is still very much in the air with a fair
amount of confusion existing between the provincial Departments of Educations,
the National Department of Education and UMALUSI (formerly SAFCERT).
12.5 ISASA
continues with its legal department to investigate the whole question of
property rates and taxes. The Bill will
only be debated in Parliament in 2003. However, this will need to be monitored
carefully as it could have a sever impact on our bottom line.
CONFERENCES
Round
Square International Conference: 18-24 September 2003
13. St Stithians College is privileged to be
co-hosting the Round Square International Conference in the Third Term (18-24
September 2003) of our Jubilee Year.
Mesdames Wendy Kerr and Joan Buckley are co-ordinating the Saints leg of
the conference and parents wishing to be involved were invited to attend a
meeting on Tuesday, 04 February 2003. A meeting was held with Tessa Fairbairn of St
Cyprian's College on 20 February 2003 and the Organising
Committee will be meeting with Mr Terry Guest, Executive Director of the Round
Square Organisation, on 20 March 2003.
THANKS
14. My sincere thanks go to
all those on Council who have made my family and me particularly welcome at
Saints. It would be inappropriate to
name specific individuals as I certainly will not remember the names and faces
of all who have been so helpful, particularly as I still bump into people and
have no idea where I met them or to which school they are attached! A very special thank you to the Heads of the
schools, their Deputies and management teams, the Chaplains, Johnny Smith and
Michael Meyers, for their assistance and prompt response to my many requests
and general professionalism that has helped me to get a sense of the College to
date. I have discovered that Bev Johnson
is my right hand and in fact my left hand and I think often my brain as well: a
very big thank you for all her assistance.
STEPHEN LOWRY
RECTOR 06 MARCH 2003