From the Principal From the SGB Chairperson The principles of community are important in At SPHS, we have embraced E-learning every context where it is manifested. The idea of community is a beautiful conception and technology since 2009. We are using it in warrants our contemplation a lot more than we many different and innovative ways to make are willing to give. Is our lack of contemplation lessons more interesting, engaging and not perhaps the reason why we have all the ills resonant. The teachers at SPHS have bought in our present society? We should be thinking into this revolution and are playing their own a lot more about how the community may be enhanced – how we can in a small, or even role, where their contributions have not only greater way contribute to its well-being. changed the culture of SPHS but the culture This theme is one that has relevance at of learning and teaching in many other Sunward Park High School too. Community schools. We are simply not the same Mrs. ASH Peens, Principal, is about shared values. Dr “Piff” G. C. Pereira Sunward Park High School school as it was two years ago. (2014 Chairperson of the SGB)

The school is a microcosm of society at large. Young people with an openness to be shaped and formed by educating come from townships and suburbs, from families across colour and cultural lines, together from a wide economic spectrum – and they all are forged into one community. We are expected to make this community function in the beautiful way it is meant to function. SPHS was instrumental in the MEC “Big Switch On” as the blue print of E-learning in the five plus two schools which includes: SPHS, Phomolong Secondary School, Ponelopele Oracle Secondary School, Boitumelong Secondary School, Tandi Eleanor Its hallmarks of harmony must be derived from the created hierarchy of School Governing Body (SGB), School Management Sibeko Secondary School, Tshepisa Primary School and Tlamatlama Primary School. Team (SMT), Heads of Departments, Educators, Representative Council of Learners (RCL), Learners and Parents – each with their role to play. The MEC will continue with his roll out in 2015 and 2016 to two hundred (200) more schools in . Its hallmarks of harmony are teamwork, peace, mutuality, interdependence, cohesion, solidarity, enthusiasm and a quest for Our educators are designing E-lessons for every day of the year, consisting of curriculum content enhanced with technology. excellence. All the parts in the hierarchy must aspire to achieve these ideals. Technology is a game changer and bridges the gap between the have and have not’s. The SGB must be the first to set the tone towards achieving the lofty ideals of community. We in the SGB too come from the In 2014, we have seen the power of change unlocking potential and passion in educators and learners. We have gone beyond varieties of locations, cultures, families and means. We must know how we fit; what our chief role is; and strive to achieve it the curriculum to develop enquiring and thinking minds. Not only have we transformed the way we teach and think, we are also with excellence. in the process of changing the way we look inside the school. It is easy to summarise our chief role, namely, the SGB is to accomplish what is best for the school. We must be the facilitators The MEC has rewarded SPHS generously for allowing us to make our school his dream. We are in the phase two (2) of excellent academics, edifying staff relationships, prudent fiscal management, sound and un-cumbersome governance development of the MEC programme and are looking forward to the changes in the physical infrastructure. principles, and an openness to beneficial partnerships.

Part of our wish list to the MEC is Smart TV’s in every classroom and tablets for all educators. We can do all these by applying the hallmarks of harmony – teamwork, peace, mutuality, interdependence, cohesion, solidarity, enthusiasm and a quest for excellence. Last but not least, a heartfelt thank-you to parents and governors for their wisdom to invest in E-learning at SPHS. You have ensured that your children can The SGB has a massive task. Vigilance must be its constant trait, because there are things that forever compete against the compete globally. ideals of community. We all know that bad things come easy; but the good things always require hard work and sacrifice. The counter-forces of selfish aims, opposing camps, ‘unholy’ liaisons, disloyalty, legalism, unreasonable-ness, autocracy and Our initiative has put SPHS on the “map” and we intend, with your support to be the like always bring instability to the community. An unstable institution cannot succeed; it can achieve nothing. In fact, it will the leaders in E-learning. be counter-productive.

I regret our failures of the past, but encourage the attitude of community for the future. Let us be vigilant against the counter- forces and strive for a harmoniously life-giving community in the SGB. The task is no small one, and it is therefore wise to admit our dependency upon the Creator. In so doing we will temper our attitudes with humility. God bless Sunward Park High School. God bless them with a strong and facilitating SGB.

Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 1 The Big Switch-On • Infrastructure – e-Equipped schools Gauteng schools to have paperless and GDE offices, • Support – Efficient technical Support, classrooms management, etc. • Innovation – research related to curriculum and technology.

When Gauteng schools opened on 14 January this year “We want the schools which are it was business as usual for most. However, seven performing to have capacity to continue schools in the province were on the brink of a to do so,” said MEC Lesufi, and hailed The Big Switch-On broadcast live on SABC watershed moment for South African education: The the project as “a game changer in the launch of a pilot project by the Gauteng Department of education of the African child.” All Education (GDE) called The Big Switch-On. school learners in public schools will be provided with tablets. The system will schools on the programme will be Gauteng Dr. More Chakane, CEO of also be introduced to grade 7 learners who are in primary schools so as to Education the Matthew Goniwe prepare them to easily adapt to learning on the devices in high school. MEC Mr Panyaza Lesufi School of Leadership and pearheaded by Gauteng Education MEC Mr. Panyaza Lesufi, Governance (MGSLG) Principal of Boitumelong Secondary, Mrs. Sesi Makena, said: “This is an exciting the project has transformed seven schools into modern e-learning time in our country’s education system and I am so proud of my teachers Sinstitutions with paperless classrooms. The project aims to introduce and learners.” smart schools of the future to ensure that learners and teachers have broadband access to digital content through a tablet device. Educators at the school were trained prior to the launch by SPHS teachers Phomolong High, • through the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG). “We are officially burying the chalk board, we are officially burying the duster, and Tandi Eleanor Sibeko High, • Under the leadership of CEO Dr More Chakane, the MGSLG is a semi- we are officially burying the chalk,” said MEC Lesufi during the launch at Tlamatlama Primary, and • autonomous, non-profit organisation established to serve as the training arm of Boitumelong Secondary School in Tembisa. “Gone are the days when they have Tshepisa Primary. • the Gauteng Department of Education. to write in exercise books and hand-in assignments on paper.” The department hopes to roll out the SPHS Learners in the paperless The Department’s mandate Using their tablets, learners connect via the UC-Wireless Ruckus Wi-Fi solution project to all Gauteng township and classroom to the Train Your Brain (TYB) education resource portal provided by MIB rural schools by the end of the The 5th Administration of government approved ten pillars for the Department of Technology. The TYB portal allows learners to download their prescribed 2017/2018 financial year at an Basic Education. The Gauteng Department of Education adopted these pillars for textbooks and access hundreds of educational resources. estimated cost of R17 billion. All high implementation over the next five years. SPHS – the blueprint for success One of the pillars is Pillar 6: ICT in Education. Within this pillar, GDE identified six priority areas: One of the seven schools, Sunward Park High School (SPHS), was the first public Connectivity – system-wide-access, school to migrate to a 100% e-learning platform in 2013, which grew from the • Content – digital teaching and learning resources, vision of the principal, Mrs. Peens, and the (then) chairperson of the SGB, Mr. • Capacity – Training, support, and ICT skills development, Vinay Somera. The school has played a pivotal role in assisting the MEC and the • GDE with a seamless roll out in the six pilot schools, namely: Boitumelong High, A proud day for the Principal and staff of Boitumelong Secondary School • Tablets being delivered to • Ponelopele Oracle High, Boitumelong Secondary School

Sunward Park High School educators training the teachers at Boitumelong Secondary School in Tembisa

Principal of Boitumelong Secondary Technology in action School, Sesi Makena

2 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 3 provided with unlimited data for learners while they are at school, and they would Summing up, Principal Peens thanked receive 4G connectivity to ensure the pupils can also work from home. MEC the parents and learners of SPHS. “It’s Lesufi said the data costs at the seven schools had been fully paid for by other the heart of the school, the learners Improving the delivery of public service government departments and the private sector. who adapted and grew with this initiative A dedicated team to make it a success and the parents Product exhibitions The SPHS event who supported it from the start. Without you, we would just be another school in During the launch at Boitumelong Secondary, Sunward Park High School was the system. Thank you.” linked live to the event and held their own ceremony to commemorate the occasion. Attended by parents, principals, media and provincial dignitaries, “It has been a tough journey,” said SPHS provided the detailed background to e-learning success, principal Peens, “and things did not just which culminated in a tree planting ceremony. happen overnight. We had to learn from our mistakes, correct them and move Deputy Speaker of the Gauteng Legislature, Mr. Uhuru Moiloa, said: “Statistics forward in order to reach what we have show that 71% of 18 to 35 year-olds are out of work, they are not fitting into the achieved. I think this is why the Gauteng economy. An initiative such as this will ensure that we prepare our youth through MEC for Education, Mr. Panyaza Lesufi, modern education for the demands of the future. Fifty years from now our country has labelled us the ‘model blueprint will look back to this day as the turning point in South African education.” school’ for e-learning.”

During the tree planting ceremony, Mr. Clifford Elk of the Peermont Schools Support Programme (PSSP) said, “The only way we can unlock the potentials of the future is by building the capacity of our youth through inspired education. The Sunward Park High principal and team at Sunward Park make it a truly pioneering school. Access to technology is like planting a tree – you need to harvest the fruits. I hope that in School five years from now, this tree will be a forest.” nominated for

Mr Uhuru Moiloa – Deputy speaker of the Gauteng Legislature UN International Award Sunward Park High School (SPHS) has been The SPHS designed interactive table making the headlines for a number of years now. Whether it is a consistent 98% to 100% Grade 12 pass rate and producing some of the top matriculants in the province, or being the first public school to fully adopt e-learning and assist the Education Department with image of Public Service; enhances trust a provincial roll-out, SPHS has been a model school of in government; and collects and shares innovative education. Clifford Elk of the Peermont Schools Support Programme successful practices for possible replication between and within countries. t is only appropriate that eventually SPHS would attract the international spotlight and be granted the opportunity to share their success on a global According to SPHS principal Mrs. Peens, Istage. The Head of the Department, Mr. Boy Ngobeni has selected Sunward “This is a golden opportunity and we are Park High School to enter the United Nations Public Service Awards (UNPSA). The very grateful to the GDE (Gauteng UNPSA is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in Public Department of Education) for nominating Service. The overall purpose of the UNPSA programme is to reward the creative our school to represent the province - achievements and contributions of Public Service Institutions towards a more and ultimately the nation - at the 2015 effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. This is an United Nations Public Service Awards.” annual global competition that promotes the role, professionalism and visibility SPHS learners demonstrate The SPHS choir entertain the guests Dignitaries lend a hand at the of Public Service. The programme aims to discover new innovations in tablet technology during The Big Switch-On SPHS tree planting ceremony governance; motivates public servants to further promote innovation; raises the to page 6

4 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 5 Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?

Engaging with the parents Training teachers from other schools

3. EXECUTION AND IMPLEMENTATION • What were the most successful outputs? • What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome? 4. IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY • Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?

Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance

It is important to emphasise the elements of sustainability from page 5 and transference – can SPHS share their model with other schools, and can other schools adopt and implement the Mrs Bheemraj (front sitting) with her proud graduates The school was nominated to compete in Category One – Improving the delivery is only fitting that the school be given formula? of Public Services – and it is important to note that the 2014 winner of the same the international acknowledgment it category was none other than the Gauteng Department of Education for the SSIP deserves. With the assistance and support of the Matthew Goniwe (Secondary School Improvement Programme) initiative. “This fact has definitely School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG), thousands served to motivate us to ensure that we ‘keep the trophy’ in its rightful place – Submission criteria and of teachers, principals and education administrators in our well deserving province and country,” said Principal Peens. categories have been trained by SPHS educators in using tablet technology to access the e-learning content on the Mr. Enoch Thango, deputy principal of SPHS and head of e-learning, pointed out: The UNPSA required that the school Train Your Brain (TYB) portal provided by MIB Technology. “We have engaged in a series of meetings with all of our educators, HOD’s, SMT submit their responses to various (School Management Team), parents and even learners over the past few benchmarks of performance such as: Under the leadership of CEO Dr More Chakane, the MGSLG months in order to encourage their participation and collaboration on this is a semi-autonomous, non-profit organisation established to prestigious event. I am proud to say that our submission for the awards is 1. PROBLEM ANALYSIS serve as the training arm of the Gauteng Department of representative of the collective voice of Sunward Park High School.” • What major problems and issues Education (GDE). This institution plays an important capacity- needed to be addressed? building role for School Governing Bodies, teachers, learner- Under the guidance of Mr. Thango as the project manager, the school submitted 2. STRATEGIC APPROACH leaders, parents with children in Gauteng public schools, and their project name and initiative as 100% migration to e-learning (mobile learning • In which ways is the initiative school leaders and managers in the form of principals and digital content). Having made national headlines in 2013 for this initiative, it creative and innovative? and SMT’s. Assisting learners with personal growth

6 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 7 learner contributions learner contributions

… “Doctor sunny please TECHNOLOGY The Learner Contributions section of the TO TOKOLOSHE FROM help me!”… magazine is a platform for learners and #lets tawk# school press teams to have a voice. Not E-LEARNING….WHAT IS THAT? ANDROIDS/ Q: so I am a nerd and I recently started dating and I’ve noticed that my grades are dropping .is it only is this of interest to fellow pupils, but TABLETS?..WE OWN THAT. HEAVY TEXTBOOKS? because of my new venture or am I simply too lazy?#puzzled# parents, teachers and the general WE OVER THAT. DIGESTIVE SYSTEM? WE GOOGLE A: SWEETY DO YOU WANT AN *A or F? If all went well before exploring the new venture then THAT. ALL OUR WORK ON A 7 INCH/10 INCH chances are the “fling” is the reason for the “non-profitable season” education readership are given an insight WE ARE THAT! TABLET? WE GOT THAT! CHILDREN OF THE 21ST into the issues and topics discussed on *WHOOP WHOOP* CENTURY? Q: SO MY MOM THINKS I’M A REBEL NOW AND KEEPS ON TELLING ME I AM AN the playground. ADOLESCENT AND I STILL THINK I AM THE SAME? IS IT ME GROWING UP? OR IS SHE MISINTERPRETING ME?#TEAM REBEL# PAPER CUTS NO MORE! SWIPE, TYPE AND MARVEL AT THE SIGHT. A: the only way out of this situation is to get good grades and work your way to get out of her In this first edition we feature the Sunward way#speaking from experience# Park High School Press Team, an initiative Q: SO MY FRIEND IS PRETIER THAN ME AND EVERY GUY IS INTERESTED IN HER EXCITEMENT RISES AS LEARNERS USE THEIR AND I FEEL INVISIBLE. THIS MAKES ME EXTREMELY JEALOUS. IS IT RIGHT launched by iSchoolAfrica and supported by ANDROIDS. THE WEIGHT HAS LITERALLY BEEN TO FEEL THIS WAY? #INVISIBLITY# the Peermont Schools Support Programme LIFTED OFF THEIR SHOULDERS AS MORE THAN 6 A: if you feeling like this don’t “trip” she can’t be better than you. beauty fades. dnt show that you’re (PSSP) prior to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. EBOOKS ARE ACCESSIBLE ON THE LIGHTWEIGHT *NOT* BE MISSED, jealous that makes her even more confident# Ignore her. TABLET VIA THE TRAIN YOUR BRAIN SITE. Q: im a 15-year old girl in grade 10. i want to start my life afresh but I can’t seem to ALTHOUGH TEXTBOOKS WILL Here are some snippets from their because I’m addicted to partying with guys…what to do? THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW HURDLES THAT SPHS #wanna be fresh# journalistic endeavours. For authenticity, we HAD TO OVERCOME, (WIFI ISSUES, THEFT, A: #TRUE G! I’m not even gonna go into all the bad things that can happen while partying with guys because have kept the original format and “lingo”. FACTORY FAULTS ETC….) NONE-THE-LESS ALL I’m sure you know. i suggest you take part in extramural activities such as sport, debating or whatever. IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL

8 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 9 Sunward Park High School SPHS staff and learners educators teaching sharing their e-learning the teachers best practice with other schools

10 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 11 Teachers and RCL learners Reaching out during throw a Christmas party the season of caring at SPHS for the children of the in December 2014 St Francis Care Centre

12 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 13 The Honours Awards evening An evening of celebration ceremony for 2014 for SPHS staff and learners – achievements held on 29 and tearful moments for January 2015 for learners proud parents receiving half colours, full colours and honours blazers

14 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 15 The 2014 Merit Awards These learners can truly live ceremony held during the SPHS motto of “Strive for the day on 30 January 2015 the highest” and aim for those full colours

16 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 17 Annual East Rand High The Participating Schools • Benoni High School (X) • (B) Schools Athletics Association • High School (G) • Sir Pierre van Ryneveldt for Boys and Girls High School (K) • Sunward Park High School (U) • HTS Springs (S) 20 February 2015 • Johan Jurgens (JJ) Hosted by Benoni High School at Boksburg Stadium • Die Anker (A) • Curro Serengeti (C)

18 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 19 Although SPHS did not take many trophies, The school motto is LABORATE AD SUMMUM which means “Strive for the highest”. the learners had a fun day and competed In order to reach maturity, one rises through seven against their personal best. We can “strive educational steps: for the highest” next year LOVE... The crowning step in any educational process is the discovery of love for God and man.

HOPE... through faith, one comes to realise that because God is in control there is hope for the future.

FAITH... in God and man deepens to become a stabilising influence on individual life, promoting personal purpose and poise.

LOYALTY... through respect, one learns loyalty to society and nation.

RESPECT... from self-discipline, one learns self-respect and respect for others.

DISCIPLINE... from knowledge, one rises through being disciplined to self-discipline.

KNOWLEDGE... a knowledge of self is required, of the world and of God.

20 Sunward Park High School – School Magazine Term 1 / 2015 Sunward Park High School TEL: (011) 896-5114/5 FAX: (011) 913-3524 P.O. BOX 17233, SUNWARD PARK 1470

E-MAIL: [email protected] Website: www.sphs.co.za