Hillcrest Preparatory School, Term 3, 2014

- Volume 4 From the Head’s Desk Issue 8 Dear Parents and Guardians including presentations are on cards

before year end. Use of technology in Simba Mate I hope you certainly had a fantastic the classroom was seen in action school holiday with your children. We TEL: +263 20 63120 during the UK visit: +263 772 100 746 (Head) are glad to see our pupils back  Middlethorpe purchased IPads, [email protected] including the new ones who are all loaded with specific, age +263 772 249 009(Secretary) immersed in their daily activities. As a [email protected] appropriate software and kept school, as classroom communities, as a P O Box 1010 under lock and key at the school. whole staff, as smaller teams and as  Years 1, 2, 3 have one set of individual teachers, we have moved into Contents IPads, signed out as required for this term with inspiring and rigorous specific lessons. From the Head’s Desk 1 goals to attain the desired results.  SDC Communique 2 Years 4, 5 and 6 have a set for In pursuit of educational enrichment, Educational Visits 3 each class, used only as required Mrs. Mutangadura and I had an for specific lessons. 2012 ZIMSEC Certificates 3 opportunity to visit our UK Connecting  Whiteboards are used in the Projects Day 3 Classrooms Partner during the last and school, connected to the teacher’s Sports Detail 4 fifth week of our Family Visit in laptop or IPad to aid with lessons. Ongoing Enrolment England. The visit to Middlethorpe Other ideas gained during the visit Enrolment is still ongoing and School in Grimsby from the 8th to the should you know of anyone th included: looking for a place, please 11 of September was all part of the advise them to contact the ongoing British Council funded project.  Approaches to the Curriculum school. A guided tour of the The visit did feature in the local paper, school can be arranged by Content: The Approaches engage appointment. the Grimsby Telegraph 11 September all children in the learning 2014 edition, pages 22 and 23. process; give them a sense of www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/education ownership and try to meet the Third Term Highlights student’s desires during the  Projects Display: 03/10/14 @ 10:30am education process.  Junior Double Wicket @ Though the thrust of the Connecting Murray Mac: 04/10/14 Classrooms project is on cultural  Building Learning Power (BLP) –  Inter-house Cricket- exchange, it has turned out to be an Building learning power strives Tennis @ Hillcrest Prep: 04/10/14 educational experience as well. Staff to develop the children’s  ZIMSEC Exams: 7 -16 Oct and pupils are communicating through Learning-power dispositions  Half term: 17-20 Oct. Schools closes at letters, emails and Skype Video Calls, in such as Resilience which touches 12:30pm on the 17th. particular the Grade 2, 5 and 6 classes. on the emotional aspects of  CIE Exams: 22 -24 Oct We were extremely glad to talk to our learning in other words feeling.  Inter-house Swimming Gala: 25/10/14 Grade 5 pupils on Skype whilst at (continued on next page)

Middlethorpe School. More activities

Hillcrest Preparatory School

Newsletter Page 2 of 4

(continued from page 1) Should the British Council avail SDC COMMUNIQUE Secondly, Resourcefulness which more funds, Staff Exchanges are Summer Fair – Due to the ongoing touches on the cognitive aspects of highly recommended. Our teachers counter attraction Lunar Park, the learning, that is, thinking and thirdly, would benefit. Committee has unanimously agreed Reflectiveness which covers the to postpone the event from the 3rd of strategic aspects of learning that is It was very encouraging to learn October to 1 November 2014. The thinking. There is so much focus on that Middlethorpe also did learn function Sub Committee will be developing the children’s Learning from our education system too. headed by Mr. G Knife. Other Power Capacities that train them to Middlethorpe now wants a school members are Mr. G Maariria, Mr. G question, to collaborate, to think The Rydings School Interpretive choir as good as ours. They are also Nyakudzuka, and Mr. K Matsikure. critically, to show empathy and Centre under reconstruction. thinking of introducing the Please support them in this Once again we would sympathy, manage distractions, like to welcome Mr. J. concept of prefects! They were endeavour. notice, absorb, persevere, imagine, fascinated by our educational tours Mutangadura who assumed duty on 01 reason, plan, etc. in particular the experiences ICT SOLUTIONS FOR SCHOOLS October 2011 and was gained at the Malilangwe and I am very excited that the teachers Having received a glowing report of officially introduced to Triangle Grade 6 camp when our are already incorporating some of the the practice of ICT at Middlethorpe the parents by the SA and UK partners visited us last Management Board on learnt ideas and thus creating by Mr. Mutangadura, the feeling is term. They applauded our Saturday 8 October 2011. learning environments that are more that we should follow suit in an educational standards. engaging and productive. Also, other effort to empower our children. academic and management ideas However, the Committee has noted School Fee Facility (CABS/AFRASIA) discussed included: that a number of safeguards have to Those parents who went this route be put in place before the  Lesson Observation Criteria. have nothing but praise for the implementation. A presentation  Requisites for Outstanding service providers. No queues to see from a reputable company is lined Learning. the accounts staff. Those who have up in the 2nd week of October. Areas  Triangulated Monitoring. continued to pay fees timeously to be covered include; clean internet  Use of technology for quality must be complemented for their connection, internet web filter, teaching and quality learning. support. remote IT support, IPads and

 Use of inspiring resources. Promethean Interactive Boards This is a very busy term  Reading zones and many more. pedagogies. characterized with Public and

Internal Exams. I hope you will It was also amazing to learn that the Lastly, a lot of headway has been give your children all the necessary PUPILS VOICE was so powerful. made in getting school tracksuits support. and other regalia to be readily Pupils have their own notice board, available. Bear with the distributors radio station, and school council. It Enjoy the rest of the newsletter. was an eye opening trip. Anything at this teething stage. happening at the school had impact My kindest regards Looking forward to suggestions on on quality teaching and quality how we can make the Summer Fair learning. a resounding success! Josh Mutangadura

Hillcrest Preparatory School Page 3 of 4 Newsletter

GRADE 4 HERITAGE DAY AT GREAT ZIMBABWE ZIMSEC 2012 CERTIFICATES Parents battled to get their Grade 4 children have This serves to inform parents and students who sat for the an early night to prepare for an even early above public examinations that the certificates are ready for

morning departure for the Great Zimbabwe. collection at the front office.

At the time of going to press, the visiting party PROJECTS DISPLAY ON 3RD OCTOBER had just arrived at the Majestic Ruins and were preparing for the activities of the day. It is hoped that all the final touches are now completed, files and models ready for display during the Projects Display We shall be giving you a full account of this great Day on Friday 3rd October 2014. We look forward to seeing learning experience in the next issue. you in numbers from 10:30am.

GRADE 2 NYATIE ECO GAME PARK The beaming faces of our Grade 2 children said it MILK SALES all. They were excited and eagerly looking Milk is now available from the Tuck shop. Orders can be forward to this inaugural excursion. made at the Front Office for the tokens/cards. Academically and recreationally, this was an exceptionally magnificent day. Activities included END OF YEAR PLAY game viewing, canoeing, and horse riding to We are appealing for scenery, props, and costumes for our mention but a few. cast. Please contact Mr. Nyakudzuka or Mrs. Torrrie.

A scrumptious lunch too was had by all and this

day will never be forgotten. We look forward to NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLIED ARTS the video and pictures of this great grade two We would like to express our satisfaction at this year’s outing. results at both literary and visual results. The Manicaland Agricultural Show Art also produced remarkable results. GRADE 3 AT IMIRE PARK This travelling class took off on Thursday 18 MARIMBA CLUB September in the small hours of the morning. It has been resuscitated by Mr. W. Gotora who has pledged There was a lot of excitement on the way to that students should be able to present some cultural pieces Imire. before year end. At the Park we saw a plethora of wildlife; elephants, crocodiles, white and black rhinos, YOU MUST BE JOKING! impalas, sables, etc. We welcome original jokes or quotes for our 2014

Magazine (Not too long or previously published.) Address Some exciting moments were also experienced at one of the dams in the park. The children enjoyed these to Mr. Banda or Mr. Nyakudzuka. having a feel of the Sable’s horns. They learnt a lot from the tour guide, Cosmas, who was knowledgeable. It was an enlightening trip to cap Wildlife lessons pupils covered in the opening week. Hillcrest Preparatory School Page 4 of 4 Newsletter

Sport Hillcrest vs. Springvale House XI Cricket

Hillcrest vs. Milestone Fillies Tennis Springvale 142/5 Hillcrest 74

Fillies Tennis Hillcrest 9 Springvale 7 A bad day in the office. The team’s best Hillcrest 3 Milestone 13 The elation of victory will surely last a performance has always been a The long lay off in the winter season lifetime, perhaps! The girls rediscovered bowling and fielding attack. Against created lethargy in the girls. They were their magic charm when it mattered the Springvale, the writing was on the

wall that they had lost the sharpness brought back to mother earth in an most. All indications at practice were emphatic way by Milestone who that the Milestone episode had created in the off-season. Basic skills were annihilated us heavily. Combinations did awareness in the players that they thrown to the wind with not work out and its time to go back to needed to improve their play and most consequential results. Ndivhuwo the drawing board for the girls and importantly, game aptitude and never Sibanda, shone with the ball and

grabbed 4 wickets for a measly 10 rediscover the form that had been let down their guard. They rose to attained in the first term of the year. supremacy and outclassed a team that runs. If it were not for a dropped offered a greater challenge than catch, he would have attained the 1st Tennis Milestone. Well done girls! magic 5 wicket haul. Hillcrest 11 Milestone 3 st A resolute and resounding performance! 1 Tennis The batting was fickle. The top order The girls were in no mood to do any Hillcrest 8 Springvale 8 showed a lot of promise but never dug favours for Milestone and completely The pendulum swung throughout the in as they lacked the discipline to face dominated play. The partnerships are games and it was one of those nerve each ball in a befitting manner. They now treadmill with a lot of telepathy. wrecking episodes. The spectators were all perished in an attempt to slog. The kept in awe of the brilliant rallies. It was mammoth target might have given Colts Cricket only fair that the games ended in a them a wrong impression of a quick Hillcrest 127/3 Milestone 89 stalemate. chase. Prominence Chiundo and A solid batting performance by Christian Tapiwa Marufu were the only Muchemwa 37 and Shingirayi Colts Cricket batsmen who made double figures. A Manyarara 30* was the backbone of a 38 Hillcrest 143/5 Springvale 91 lot of work needs to be done if the run victory. The boys stuck to the basics A great all round team effort in front of team is to compete evenly with other of cricket and executed excellent shots. a robust home crowd. As the match sides but the dearth of matches will be Mr. Knife took an afternoon off and dragged on, it became the ‘only a major handicap. urged the team on. The boys did not attraction’ and drew everyone to the Inter-House Cricket and disappoint. exhibition. It was a top shelf game and Tennis

the spectators were reluctant to take a Please note that due to a typo on the The bowling was also of a superb break, even at tea-time. The boys have calendar, the festival is slated for the standard as Milestone was bundled out certainly come of age and put up their 4th of October and not the 3rd. for 89 all out. A good way to start the best performance so far in the year. Regrettable, a section of the parents term as the team hasn’t lost much of its Shingirayi Manyarara and Bradley have excluded their children in the mojo. Room for improvement noted Matsikure were the ‘pick of the past without due notice to the though and future practice sessions will bowlers.’ Credit to the boys for the detriment of the House. All pupils, dwell on weak points. achievement and meticulous work U9s to O13 have opportunity to ethics at practice. participate.