The Arundel Post
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Arundel School THE ARUNDEL POST VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4 5TH AUGUST 2015 THE NOTICEBOARD!! School will resume on Tuesday 8 COMBINED SCHOOLS CONCERT September. Boarders return on Tickets are available at reception - $5 each Monday 7 September (school opening hours are on page 17) SAVE THE DATE Monday 14 September Grade 6 Open Day Thursday 17 September Combined Schools Concert Saturday 3 October Orientation Day Saturday 3 October Inter-Schools Finals Relay Gala (hosted by Arundel) EWC is raising money towards their “grey-water” INSIDE THIS ISSUE: recycling project, so if anyone is able to assist with sponsorship it would be greatly appreciated – HEAD’S DESK 2 please contact EWC through the school. GREY WATER 6 RECYCLING FOUNDATION DAY DVD AWARDS LIST 8 Copies of the Choral Celebration in the Cathedral are on sale at reception for $7 CLUB NEWS 10 SPORTS NEWS 12 Exam Timetables for the GOLDEN GIRLS 14 end of year Cambridge Exams are available on IMPORTANT DATES 17 the website Arundel School Page 2 THE HEAD’S DESK Dear Parents Teen years are a difficult time for parents as well as children. Nothing prepares one for a pouting, crying, argumentative, hormonally charged teen. Given a job description for raising a child few would voluntarily take on the 24/365 responsibility however it is immensely pleasurable and rewarding. Recently I read an article on the role parents play in the lives of teens; it identified parents as teachers, coaches, cheerleaders, guides, advocates and disciplinarians. http://parentingteens.about.com/od/familylife/fl/The-6-Major-Roles-Parents-Play-in-the-Lives-of-Teens.htm. The least heralded, most time consuming but most appreciated role is that of a cheerleader. Witnessing parents working behind the scenes serving food and decorating venues or biting their nails as they hold themselves back from joining their girls on the sports pitch or stage, or watching them receive prizes I am struck by their wholehearted support. As one mother assured me whilst cheering loudly every time her daughter’s team played, she only had a limited time left in which she could be present to observe her daughter first hand and she intended to continue storing the memories and enjoying this time in her daughter’s life as much as possible. Her immense pleasure, win or lose, in her daughter and the team’s performance was visible (and audible). Her daughter like most teens was a mixture, in equal portions, of resigned embarrassment and visible pride but she no doubt performs better knowing her principal cheerleader is present. To the few parents who turn up at all hours and do whatever is required to urge the school on, your support and valuable time are greatly appreciated. We all acknowledge that time is a precious commodity that can never be regained however the seemingly insignificant occasions spent with your daughter watching the school play or a sport, eating meals together and discussing the day are the times she will remember as the most important in her life as the focus is on her. It is during these times that she will open up to you and help you learn about her world. Referencing her world, please exercise vigilance with respect to your daughters’ use of social media sites and web pages. What they may think is innocent invites comment from some unsavoury characters and could result in your daughters being victimised or publicly abused and ridiculed. Their images and comments once posted may be ‘hidden’ but can never be deleted and may in future years come back to haunt them. Social media whilst being of immense benefit in connecting people has unfortunately increased the ease with which individuals can be bullied and ‘friends’ whose identities remain unknown (catfishes) cannot always be relied upon to portray themselves as they really are. Cyberbullying is rife as posts can go viral within hours thus increasing negative exposure and burdening our young who are trying to chart their path through the sensitive adolescent years. I can only urge you to help your child compliment their academic performance by being their main cheerleader as they explore other aspects of life. On Tuesday we watched the Allied Arts Speech and Drama Festival highlights and were greatly entertained by the dramatic ability of the performers. ‘Treading the boards’ may not be their chosen career however their talents when provided with an outlet give them the opportunity to shine and provide pleasure for others. The benefits to the actors are numerous: self confidence, problem solving, self discipline, trust, improved memory and aesthetic appreciation to name a few. Entrance Assessment Day last month saw us accommodate over 230 students keen to come to Arundel next year. Their apprehensive faces reminded us all of the weight on these young shoulders as they face their first public examination. The standards were commendably high and the successful candidates will return for an Orientation Day mid next term where we will meet with them and start the transition process from junior to senior school. The frenzied activity of the day was closely followed by the deafening silence, louder even than that heard at performances and sporting events, Volume 3, Issue 4 Page 3 THE HEAD’S DESK CONT... that marks the examination period as everyone knuckled down, put aside their co-curricular activities and focused purely on their academic performance. The tension was palpable both in the examination rooms and in the staff rooms. Hearing the return of the chatter and vibrancy once the week was over underlined everyone’s determination to succeed. Our recent performance at Golden Girls on and off the pitches was a delight to behold. 21 teams competed and our 1st team played with determination but unfortunately were not able to bring home the trophy. They are commended for their skilled hockey coupled with enthusiasm and determination at the culmination of a very successful season. The camaraderie shown by all the teams and team picture with 4 of the original 1980 Golden Girls made for an exciting tournament. The APA soldiered away following numerous meetings and I’d like to express my gratitude to Mercy Msipa and her able committee as well as all the Form 1 parents who were drafted in to provide refreshments and man (or woman) the various duties. The students and staff turned out in force and though we are merely hosts of this event, the Sports Department pulled off this pinnacle of girl’s school hockey magnificently. Arundel hosts the Combined Schools Choir at 6.30pm on 17 September 2015 for the first time since 2002. The concert features music and singing from 15 schools and is a celebration of talent this year under the overall direction of our Music Director, Mrs Moyo. The Arundel family and friends are invited to turnout in large numbers to support both Arundel and the continuation of music in our schools. Tickets, a mere $5.00 for an evening of entertainment, are on sale at school and will be available at the door. There is a depressing quantity of items being brought into the school without labels then reported as ‘stolen’ when the owner has no means of identifying their carelessly misplaced item. Lost Property also has items that have not been reclaimed however as these are eventually passed on to the Thrift Shop, there is a positive aspect for the school. All items of clothing, stationery or other belongings must be labelled or they will find their way to the Thrift Shop. Clothing labels (or their stitching) should not be visible and if your daughter has a locker please ensure that she has a lock. Please note that the school has strict regulations as to how hair may be worn. All students are also expected to have natural eyebrows for the duration of their time at Arundel; shaving of the eyebrows is a violation of the school dress code. Braids when worn should not be ‘box’ braids nor should any extensions be beyond regulation length. All braids must fit comfortably inside the swimming cap and be tied at the nape of the neck with no wisps interfering with vision. The gratifying result of less variety in style and colour as uniform purchases are made from a sole supplier is becoming visible. Thank you all for your cooperation. Parents, please do not arrive late at school then place the blame for your tardiness on the Prefects and guards. Arrival at the gate after 7.20am means your daughter is already late for Form Time irrespective of whether or not you try to race past the Prefects on Gate Duty and means you are endangering the lives of our students. The speed limit in the school is 20kph; please adhere to it. Some students are regularly absent from school often without any notification from their parents. On return to school a note explaining the absence and signed by the parent/guardian must be handed into Reception for each unforeseen absence and a sick note from a doctor is required after two days’ continuous absence. In conjunction with the Environment and Wildlife Club the Estates department has designed a Grey Water filtration system that is storing water from the kitchens in the Pond. The system once fully developed will be supplied with water from the bathrooms (not sewage), the boarding houses and the roofs to both help preserve the water table and the boost the aesthetic quality of the grounds. The Pond is being stocked with fish and will become a sanctuary for birdlife attracting more varieties to complement our nesting kestrels, visiting fish eagles and other avian species.