GOVERNING BODY CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

2013

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Dear Parents

It is with pride and pleasure that I present to you the Chairman’s Report for the year 2013.

I will summarise the activities at Fairbairn College during the past 12 months under the headings of the following portfolios:

 Contact,  Academics and Examinations,  Operations,  Extra-Mural Activities,  Culture,  Pastoral and Discipline,  Amenities,  Information Technology and  Finances.

CONTACT

Staffing

At the end of Term 4, 2012, we said farewell to Mr Lombard and Mrs Carstens.

Mr Lombard joined the staff in 2010 teaching Accounting. On the sport field Mr Lombard coached Hockey and . 2012 has been a whirlwind year for Mr Lombard: he enrolled, completed and passed an advanced diploma in finance as a part time student at the University of the Free State and got married. Mr and Mrs Lombard have planned to spend a few years in Canada from the start of this year. We thanked him for his contribution to the College.

Mrs Carstens joined the College in 2006 teaching English. Mrs Carstens has been involved with numerous English Olympiads and public speaking competitions. In the latter, her learners have represented the district at provincial level and the province at national level. As mistress- in- charge of girls’ Squash, the College’s 1st team has been promoted into the premiere league of the province. Many of the 1st team members have obtained provincial colours. During the past 6 years Mrs Carstens and her register classes have collect R 242 628.74 during the Big Walk Fund Raisers. This equates to an average of R 40 438.12 per year. Well done Mrs Carstens! We wished Mrs Carstens well in her teaching position as subject head of English Additional Language at DF Malan High School this year.

At the end of Term 1, 2013, we said farewell to Miss Smit. Miss Smit is pursuing a career in the South African Police Force. We thanked Miss Smit for her contribution to the College in so many spheres: the Mathematics and Mathematical Literacy departments, 1st team girls’ Tennis coach, Hockey coach, member of the Sport Management Council and Napier’s House mistress. Fairbairn wished her well. We welcomed Miss Cooke as Miss Smit’s replacement in Term 2.

At the end of Term 2, 2013, we said farewell to Ms Cooke and Mr Swart. Miss Cooke was replaced by Mrs Roux. We welcome Mrs Roux back to Fairbairn College and look forward to her contribution to the Mathematics department. Mr Swart, estate manager and head of sport’s replacement for this position is still pending. Mrs le Grange is doing a sterling job as “caretaker” in the interim.

Congratulations to Miss van der Merwe on her engagement during the December 2012 holidays and Mr Pienaar in the June/July 2013 holidays. 3

We congratulate Miss Els, who in March became Mrs Jordaan. We wish the couple all the best for the future.

We congratulate Mrs Henning on the marriage of her daughter Leanne, (a past pupil at the College) in January 2013 as well as Mrs Ochse’s daughter Jeanne-Mari in September 2013.

Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Lawson on the selection of their daughter Rochelle to the U/21 Protea Squad. The Squad represented in Singapore in February, as part of their preparations for the U/21 World Youth Championships held in Glasgow, Scotland, in August. At this Tournament, the team finished in 5th place.

ACADEMICS & EXAMINATIONS

2012 Matric results

In a previous communication to parents, the 2012 Matric results were reported as below:

• 176 Candidates • 100% pass rate • 219 subject A’s • 82.9% bachelors • 16 A aggregates as follows:

Danika van der Zandt 87,7% Megan Pain 82,9% Mogamad Shaheed Karriem 87,3% Adrian Walker 82,9% Nadira Parker 87,0% William Craig Paine 81,9% Lee Franz Murdock 86,7% Morné van Wyk 81,4% Kellan Desmond Speelman 86,1% Jawaad Ganie 81,3% Valerie Mandisa Mlotshwa 85,7% Safia Mansoor 81,3% Sabrina de Freitas 85,4% Allan Christopher Hendrickse 81,0% Jean-Pierre Jackson 83,7% Sachar Davids 80,3%

The College boasts an impressive Grade 12 final examination record as follows, since the National Senior Certificate [FET – Outcomes Based Education] was written:

Year Candidates Failures “A”-symbols % “A”-candidates % “Bachelors” passes 2008 175 0 13 7.4 81.0 2009 175 0 13 7.4 86.0 2010 172 0 17 9.9 80.8 2011 176 1 19 10.8 82.8 2012 176 0 16 9.1 82.9

Past Pupils

Congratulations to the following ex-pupils of Fairbairn College who graduated at Stellenbosch University in December 2012 and March 2013:

Name Qualification Matric Year Cooper, R MMed (Int Med) 1998 Ford, T Bed (General Education) 2004 Blake, D BAccLLB 2005 Borchardt, J MSc (AH) 2005 4

Henning, R BSc (Sport Science) 2005 Turner-Dauncy, W BComm (Hons) 2005 Viola, OS MB, ChB 2005 Teixeira, JM BAHons 2006 Carswell, BR BComm (Hons) 2008 Crafford, P BMus (Perf/Comp/Mus Ed) (4yr) 2008 Fritz, N BAccounting (Hons) 2008 Russell, TA BEng (Civil) (4yr) 2008 Snyders, AN BTh (Without Ancient Lang) 2008 Bailey, NC BA (Humanities) 2009 Marcelino, PDJ BComm (Management Sciences) 2009 Steadman, J BA (Humanities) 2009

Academic excellence is the cornerstone of Fairbairn’s educational programme. We are proud of our educators and learners who have excelled, yet again. The College has acquired a reputation of academic prowess: there is no doubt that we are on the right track.

Fairbairn College is to be praised for:

Fairbairn is to be praised for providing our past pupils with a solid and outstanding academic foundation that has prepared them more than adequately for university. The quality of the teaching that they received at Fairbairn was always top class and the ethos of academic excellence that was instilled in them has carried over into their 1st year at university.

UCT Dean’s Merit List - 2012

Darryl Brown - 2nd Angela Wu - 8th Dominique de Oliveira - 20th

Fairbairn has 3 past pupils (Class of 2011) in the Top 20 on the Dean’s Merit List!

Furthermore:

Darryl Brown: Top 1st year Chemical Engineering student. Awarded class medal. Darryl has also received a full bursary from Anglo Platinum. Vuyo Sidinile: who is studying Business Science, has received a full bursary from KPMG.

Well done to Fairbairn for their part in producing quality, well-educated young people, who can go out and tackle their further studies with confidence.

2013

Learners at Fairbairn are nicknamed “mean exam-writing machines”, but this is not wholly in jest. Our focus on academic excellence is reflected by the fact that we are one of few schools who write four examinations per year. In this way, learners become familiar with the pressures of study and examination writing.

Many of our learners showed their all-round academic ability by participating in the Mathematics, Science, Bioscience, English and Life Sciences Olympiads and the Eisteddfod. Some of their achievements were truly astounding.

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Learners, parents and staff experienced a particularly busy second term. A full winter sports’ programme was followed. Most importantly, the academic ethos of the College was upheld through the writing of regular class tests, SBA tests and handing in assignments and projects. The term was concluded with formal examinations. At the start of Term 3, Grade 9 learners and parents were briefed regarding senior phase curriculum requirements and vital subject choices. A full examination was written at the end of this term.

The 4th term awaits: after only three academic weeks, learners write the most important examination of this year.

Grade 12 National Senior Certificate Examinations

Our Matrics start their all-important National Senior Certificate Examinations on 28 October. We believe that they have been well prepared by their educators for these examinations. We wish them well in this important milestone in their young lives and Godspeed for the future.

Academic Dinner

The prestigious annual Academic Dinner was a huge success. We celebrated the academic ethos of Fairbairn College by awarding the Top 10 Academic badges to the top ten learners in each Grade as well as bursaries to the top three learners in each Grade. Our guest speaker, Bianca Howell (a past pupil of Fairbairn College), captivated and enthralled the audience with her motivational speech on “Finding your Passion”. Our scholarships of R1000, R900 and R770 are allocated to the first three places in each grade, respectively. The scholarships were as follows:

Grade 8 - The L Rothman Scholarship to Himil Parshotam. Grade 9 - The L Rothman Scholarship to Mohammed Yaseen Mowzer. Grade 10 - The C Cook Scholarship to Sean Weber. Grade 11 - The A Hadjidakis Scholarship to Saadiqa Bray. Grade 12 - The E Hadjidakis Scholarship to Mohamed Hassan Moydien.

OPERATIONS

Assemblies

Assemblies continue to be a very special part of the ethos of Fairbairn College. These gatherings remain vital in upholding school spirit and communication. The College’s rendition of the National Anthem remains particularly stirring.

Founders’ Day and Water Sport

Founder’s Day was celebrated on 22 February 2013.

Founder’s Day was once again one of the highlights of the term. We were very privileged and proud to have Dr Barney van Dyk, who matriculated at Fairbairn in 1981, as the guest speaker. Dr van Dyk is an Orthopaedic Surgeon and guided our learners with tips on how to travel the road to success.

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Our learners’ excellent behaviour once again made us very proud. How fortunate we are to be learners, staff members, governing body members or parents at this fine institution. We can, and must all Value Fairbairn!

The Founder’s Day ceremony in the hall is usually followed by Water Sports. Water Sports was introduced in 2000 in place of the Cadet Parade when it was no longer possible to offer cadets to the boys.

This event was a hit right from the start. It is unbelievable how much our modern teenagers enjoy having good, “clean” fun while being sprayed with water or sliding down a slippery, muddy canvas. Even the younger staff now team up to take part in the fun. The activities are scored by the teachers in charge and a Senior and Junior winning team is declared. Each member of a winning team is rewarded with a cooldrink and packet of chips.

Commemorative Ceremonies

It is tradition at Fairbairn that public holidays like Human Rights’ Day, Womens’ Day and Freedom Day are reflected upon in special assemblies. In this way, we contribute to upholding the dignity of all citizens.

Prize Giving Ceremonies

This year, the annual prize giving ceremonies take place on 8 October for the Juniors, and 9 October for the Seniors. These prestigious occasions are graced by the presence of many guests of honour, not least, our prizewinners, of whom we are exceptionally proud.

Valedictory Service

We will bid farewell to the Matrics at the Valedictory Service at 11:00 on Friday, 18 October 2013. This is a formal ceremony, which will be preceded by a light brunch for the Matrics and the Staff in the Seminar Rooms. Parents of Matric learners will again be given the opportunity to attend this ceremony. Seating is created for them by allowing the Grade 8 and 9 learners to leave for home early that day.

EXTRA-MURAL ACTIVITIES

The Governing Body believes in a holistic education: the development of body, mind and spirit. Consequently, we continue to insist that Grade 8 and 9 learners participate in one winter and one summer team sport; all other learners participate in a minimum of one extra-mural activity.

I would like to extend a special word of congratulations to the host of learners who participate in a huge variety of extra-curricular sports, like Drum Majorettes, Surf Lifesaving, Indoor Hockey, Ice Hockey, Martial Arts and Karate, Gymnastics, Baseball, Hip-hop Dancing and many others.

We are proud of:

Kayla Calvert: who was selected to the U/18A Girls’ Baseball team to represent Western Province in the upcoming Inter Provincial Tournament taking place in during the April school holidays. Aidan de Jager: who was selected to the Protea Youth Team which will compete in Ireland at the 12th FIPS-Mouche World Youth Fly Fishing Championship from 21 to 26 July 2013. This is Aidan’s second cap as a Youth Protea angler! 7

Leandro de Sousa, Savio Jardim and Ricardo Ribelo: who were selected to the U/15 team of CR Vasco Da Gama, to participate in the Gol Brasil Cup during the period 12 June to 1 July 2013 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Darian Hector: for being selected for the Zebras Hockey team to represent Western Province North Zone at the Southern Regional Tournament held at Hartleyvale from Wednesday, 10 July to Saturday, 13 July 2013. Ulrich Kalp: who was selected to represent Western Province U/16 Baseball at the 2013 IRT taking place in Cape Town from 3 – 6 April 2013. Stefan Karamanski and Cassidy Ohlsson: who were selected to the U/14 Northern Zones Hockey team. Congratulations! Michael Ketterer: on achieving the Springbok Scout Top Award of the South African Scout Association. Michael has now become one of a small and select group who, while they were Scouts, showed outstanding perseverance and determination in reaching this goal, the highest level of scouting. Well done! Danian Koen: who was placed second in an Art Competition. Danian Koen, Daniel Scheidegger and Yakeen Toefy: who were selected to participate in the Western Province U/15 Talent Development Rugby Project for 2013. Danian and Daniel were selected for the Western Province U/15 Elite Squad for 2013/14. Yaseen Mowzer: who was selected to represent South Africa in the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad which took place in Nigeria from 25 June to 2 July 2013 and the Western Province A team at the Interprovincial Mathematics Olympiad on 7 September. Yaseen has been awarded 1st Prize in the for the second round of the Junior South African Mathematics Olympiad and received his award on 19 September 2013. Yaseen also took part in the Computer Programming Olympiad and is the only Grade 9 learner amongst the top twelve! He was place second in the country. Well done! Rhys Mullen: who represented the Western Cape JKA Karate Team at the South African National championships in Johannesburg held on 30 May to 1 June 2013. He came third in Kata and fourth in Kumite and will represent South Africa at U/21 level next year in Japan at the World Karate Championships. Jamie-Leigh Overmeyer and Kiersten Meyer – who were selected to represent Western Province to partake in the SA Hip Hop Dance Championships taking place in Kimberley from 21 to 23 June 2013. Mahmood-Ali Parker – who was selected to represent the Western Province C team at the Interprovincial Mathematics Olympiad on 7 September 2013. Robyn Pinder – who was selected as a non-travelling reserve for the U/18B Western Province Hockey Team, participating at the Inter Provincial Tournament in Durban from 8 to 13 July 2013. Robyn was also selected to represent the Western Province Schools’ Hockey U/18 North Zone team to participate in the tournament in Cape Town from 1 to 4 July 2013. Well done! RCL Contact members – who during the last two weeks of Term 1, collected Easter Eggs for underprivileged children. Many boxes of Easter Eggs were handed to the Blouberg Rotary Club, who distributed the Easter Eggs to children in the informal settlements of the Blouberg area, as well as Malachi Place of Safety in Richwood. Chelsea Scholtz: who was selected to represent Western Province Action , U/15A division, at the Inter-Provincial Action Netball Tournament held from 21 to 24 March 2013 at Montague Gardens, Cape Town. Kyle Scholtz: who was selected to represent Western Province Action Netball, U/18 Mixed A division, at the Inter-Provincial Action Netball Tournament held in the Claremont arena from 25 to 28 March 2013. Kyle was also selected to represent South Africa in the U/18 mixed team at the Action Netball 2013 Tri-Nations series from 20 to 28 September 2013. Well done! Tyler September – who was selected to represent the Western Province U/16 and U/18 Ice Hockey Teams for the 2013 Inter-Provincial Tournament which took place in Cape Town, Grand West, during the June/July school holidays. 8

Dylan Stark: who received his South African Colours and was selected to the U/18 South African Baseball team which played against England in the International Test Series in Johannesburg in August. Megan Swartz – who has been awarded a bursary from The Yvonne Parfitt Bursary Trust to study at the next year. 44 students in South Africa applied and only 12 were given bursaries. Well done! Chantel Tittleton: who was selected for Western Province U/18 Squash. A sincere word of thanks must be addressed to all our educators and coaches for the dedication they show in training our learners.

I thank our parents most sincerely: your continued support and encouragement from the side lines on match days, often braving some very foul weather, is greatly appreciated. Please attend in even greater numbers in the future: support always impacts positively on a sportsman’s performance.

I extend our appreciation most particularly to our many sponsors for their unstinting support.

Sports Captains’ Seminar

On Tuesday, 16 April 2013, we held our 8th annual sports captains’ seminar. The aim of the event is to guide our future sports leaders and to equip our sports’ captains with leadership skills.

The seminar is open to all our captains, both boys and girls of all the teams in all the age groups for summer and winter sports – even our 1st Aid and Chess captains were there.

The learners were addressed by Mr Joey Salmans (Western Province Rugby Referee and Head of Sport at Boys’) and taken through some leadership training. The basic expectations of captaincy were also discussed.

Thank you to Mr Brink for his assistance and also to the learners for their contributions. Thank you also to the 51 captains/vice captains who were present on the day. The seminar was enjoyed by all.

Sports’ Dinner

On Thursday, 3 October, we held our annual sports dinner. Tribute was paid to the 1st boys’ and girls’ teams (summer and winter) for their efforts over the past year. Coaches and sponsors alike were thanked for their loyal service and support, without whom none of the extramural programme would be possible.

The learners were addressed by Vernon Philander - Protea Cricketer. They once again did us proud by being impeccably behaved and dressed and capturing the spirit of the occasion.

Congratulations to Kelly Hill and Gareth Pauls, our sportswoman and sportsman of the year.

A big thank you to the Governing Body for once again sponsoring the event which was enjoyed by all.

Summer Sports

Cricket

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Cricket is a very popular sport at Fairbairn College. The teams were faced with very tough opposition but are to be commended on their fighting spirit and will to win. Many of the matches were narrowly lost.

The U/15A’s managed a good win in their match against WP Cricket Club. Dylan Best the Captain of the U/15A’s has been selected to represent the first team in the second part of the season.

The teams are looking forward to Term 4.

Water Polo

Much time was spent on skills and fitness, resulting in our Boys and Girls showing a remarkable improvement in the water. Regardless of winning or losing, the Water Polo teams showed a lot of enthusiasm and commitment to the sport.

Swimming

The Inter House Gala took place at the beginning of this year, followed by 1 Interschool Gala on home ground and two away Gala’s. Our Swimming Team did us proud and faster times were recorded.

Tennis

Fairbairn has an enthusiastic number of Tennis players, who received excellent coaching during the season on our magnificent courts.

The Girls’ teams played hard matches against good opponents and did their best.

The Boys’ teams had mixed results, often playing against stronger teams, but always giving a good account of themselves.

Athletics

A successful Interhouse Athletics meeting took place on 31 January 2013 with Somerset being placed first. The Spirit Trophy went to Grey.

The G4 (Fairbairn College, Hoërskool President, Goodwood College, JG Meiring High School) meeting was hosted by Hoërskool President this year and took place at CPUT. Our Athletes enjoyed the encounter and two trophies were brought home.

Winter Sports

We invite all supporters to attend the first teams’ matches in particular, as these games are often played on Saturday mornings. During the winter season, there is always a wonderful atmosphere prevailing at home matches. The tuck shop at the Club House is open and does a roaring trade in coffee and “boerewors” rolls. Netball teams play their matches on Thursday afternoons and Squash matches are played on Fridays after school, at the school courts. All teams would appreciate your support.

Netball

We have 12 Netball teams at Fairbairn College. These girls are to be commended for their fighting spirit and commitment. Our 1st team ended the season with a very convincing win against President. Mixed results were recorded for all teams. 10

Girls’ Hockey

The College has a total of nine girls’ Hockey teams. The 1st team had mixed results this year due to injuries, but convincingly won their 1st game on our new astro against . All teams are improving their skills on the astro and we look forward to our astro being used extensively next year! We congratulate Robyn Pinder for once again being selected to the Western Province as well as the Northern Suburbs teams. Girls’ Squash

The girls’ Squash team has thrived this year under their new coach. The girls have given it their all and highlights include Chantel Tittleton’s inclusion in the Western Province U/18 Squash team and obtaining Colours in Squash and Nakita Croucamp and Danelle Philips obtaining scrolls.

Rugby

The highlight for the 1st team was their training session at the RPC Rugby Training Centre in Riebeeck West during the June holidays, with improved results thereafter. The U/16A side had an excellent first half of the season, winning four of their five matches but could not continue this trend during the second half of the season.

The Rugby teams, coaches and parents need to be thanked for their commitment to and support of the game.

Boys’ Hockey

The First team have played very well this year with pleasing results in league matches, eventually ending 4th on the log, a good improvement from last year’s 8th position. Special mention is made of Gareth Pauls who represented the College over the last four seasons, playing a staggering 91 matches, captaining the team in 21 of these and ending as the top goal scorer in three of his four seasons, with 42 goals. He and his fellow outgoing Matrics will be missed.

An improvement in the Hockey skills of all teams has been apparent with the U/14A Hockey boys playing to the finals of the Grass Hockey Tournament and being victorious. We are expecting great things for next year due to our new astro of which Fairbairn is very proud.

Boys’ Squash

This has been an up and down year with our 1st team doing fairly well, but the 2nd and 3rd teams have met with very strong opponents, often playing against 1st teams. All teams must be congratulated for their enthusiasm and dedication to the sport.

Chess

The Chess team was mostly made up of new players this year. Even though we have a practically new team, the players have shown dedication and enthusiasm. It was a season of pleasing results: playing 7 matches; winning 4, drew 1 and losing 2. A special thank you to Chester Green (captain) for all his hard work.

CULTURE

Spelling Competitions

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The quarterly Spelling Competition is becoming a hotly contested affair at Fairbairn. One can only imagine the positive impact this activity has on the vocabulary of our learners. Congratulations to the following classes for improving their literacy skills so successfully and attaining the sought- after FIRST place in the school:

1st Term: A1 2nd Term: D2

Read

Every Thursday all Fairbairnians enjoy reading a novel of their choice quietly during this 20-minute time slot. Many learners have been avid readers since discovering the joy of engaging with the printed word.

Academic Excursions

Senior Life Sciences learners found their visit to the University of Stellenbosch Medical Campus at Tygerberg most informative.

Tygerberg Eisteddfod

This year we have once again entered many of our learners in the Tygerberg Eisteddfod. The College has many talented learners in the art of Music, Writing, Reading and Public Speaking and this is an ideal platform for them to practise their craft.

Cultural Evening

The Cultural Evening, held on 14 August, was a huge success as our learners engaged the audience with music, song, dance and even a dramatic item. The audience was entertained while being served a delicious 3-course meal.

Many thanks to all the performers, waiters, staff and the sound and lighting team, who helped make it a remarkable evening.

Special mention must be made of Mrs Howell, who has encouraged and developed passionate musicians at our school.

Music Department

We welcome Mrs Carol Howell as Head of Music in the second term and thank Mrs Ida Bruwer for her many years as Head of Music.

Choir

The Choir started the year on a high note at our Founders’ Day 2013, with a stirring rendition of Händel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”. This is a fine tradition that both Choir members and audience enjoy.

In March the annual Choir camp took place at Noordhoek, having lots of fun and practising for upcoming engagements.

Orchestra

The theme from “James Bond”, Katy Perry’s “Firework” and “La Paloma” are just some of the 12 pieces the orchestra learnt for the Cultural Evening on 14 August, which was a huge success. There are 15 pupils in this newly formed group, with instruments ranging from violins to saxophones, as well as the new drum kit.

Jazz Band

Every Thursday morning and afternoon one can hear the Jazz Band rehearsing in the hall. The pupils have mastered a number of songs and the art of improvising has also been mastered by a few of the members. The newly bought bass guitar and drumkit has been in full use. This group of talented musicians and singers made their debut at the Cultural Evening on 14 August and were received with much applause.

Wind Ensemble

It has been a fun and exciting year for the Fairbairn Wind Ensemble so far. The group has fourteen players, consisting of recorders and flutes. The repertoire consists mainly of pop music and the group is inching closer to becoming a tight unit. They were well received at our Cultural Evening.

Debating

The debating team had mixed results this year with Amy Rugan being nominated as Best Junior Speaker and Amy Hillier who from her Grade 8 year at Fairbairn College to her Matric year, this year, was nominated as Best Junior and Best Senior Speaker throughout her five years at Fairbairn.

Interact

Fairbairn College is particularly proud of this Society, which operates quietly and unobtrusively, but embodies true empathy and generosity of spirit. The members have supported the needy through various projects: the “Bread Tag” collection, which funds wheelchairs for needy persons; contributions and assistance to the “Stop Hunger” campaign; support and help at Old Age Homes; clothing for adults and babies, donation of buff folders/flip files for needy schools. Other projects tackled by our Interacters are too numerous to mention here.

Thank you to many of our learners and their parents for generous donations throughout the year.

Bi-annual Newspaper: The “Buzz”

All at Fairbairn always look forward to the publication of “Buzz”, and I would like to thank most particularly the Grade11-committee for their hard work in keeping us abreast of news and “goings- on” at the College!

Inter-house Competition

The “House”-system is very successful at the College. A variety of inter-house competitions have been held during the year. These included the annual Inter-house Athletics Competition, the Gala, Inter-house Rugby, Hockey, Netball and Squash, as well as an inter-house general knowledge quiz.

First Aid

Our First Aid team deserve to be thanked most especially for the vital service they render to all sportsmen and women at our school. They undergo intensive training and spend hours in 13 facilitating the sporting efforts of their peers and visiting opponents. They are known as “The Neon Green Brigade”.

Nathan Lind must be commended on his leadership and compassion, as our team’s captain.

PASTORAL AND DISCIPLINE

Annual School Logo and Theme

The College’s logo and theme for the year was “Value Fairbairn”. As a staff member, a parent or a learner at this esteemed College we appreciate and therefore “value” what Fairbairn has to offer. As the Fairbairn community, our aim for 2013 was to internalise how fortunate we are, jealously guard our ethos, traditions, and our heritage, thus ensuring that the College continues to achieve high standards in all we do: “Academics, Discipline, Sport and Culture.”

Contact with other schools

Fairbairn College is still part of the Values Programme with other schools in the area. The main focus this year was making the “Values” more visible to the learners. To date, the following “Values” have been highlighted: Loyalty and Pride, Responsibility, Caring and Respect.

The “Values” to be addressed during the remainder of the year are Trustworthiness and Fairness.

Learner leadership

One of Fairbairn College’s oldest and strongest traditions is that of learner leadership. We regard the role of leadership as paramount, and continuously strive to cultivate leadership skills.

There are three specific areas in which the College offers the learners the opportunity to exercise leadership: Class Captains and Monitors, the Representative Council of Learners or the RCL Executive. This year has seen the introduction of a further innovation in this regard at the College. The Management Committees have been strengthened by the allocation of prefects to each “Manco”, thus empowering the learners to participate in the running of the school.

The Class Captain Seminar was successfully held at the College during Term 2.

The role of members of the Representative Council of Learners is as follows:

1. to act as grade representatives: essentially their role is that of communication between the grade and the Headmaster and providing feedback to the grade; 2. to uphold the ethos of Fairbairn College; 3. to make suggestions for and be involved in improvements in the school.

The responsibilities of the members of the RCL Executive are:

1. to support the Headmaster and his staff in maintaining the standards of the College; in this capacity they assist with the day-to-day administration of the College; 2. to act as guardians of College morale: in this capacity they lead the learner body by setting the example in deportment and involvement; looking after the concerns of their peers and 14

communicating these to the Headmaster or his delegates; and thinking creatively about the improvement of the quality of life at the College.

Grade 11- Seminar

The Grade 11’s enjoyed the evening held at the start of Term 3 to get together as a grade. We wish them all the best for the last term before they become the leaders at Fairbairn College.

The RCL Executive for 2014

The highly anticipated list of names was announced at a special assembly on Wednesday, 11 September 2013. The new RCL Executive members were invited to supper at the home of the Headmaster and Mrs Marchand. After supper, team building and problem solving was discussed.

A highly successful RCL Executive training camp was held on Friday and Saturday, 13 and 14 September. The incoming RCL Executive has, furthermore, had the opportunity to receive “in- house-training” by job shadowing the 2013 RCL Executive members.

The RCL Executive members will be formally inducted at the Valedictory Service, at which time they will take over the duties of the outgoing members. The names of the Head Prefects will be announced at the same time.

Matric Dance and Fashion Show

On Friday, 12 April, our Matric class of 2013 entered the magical and unexpected world of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. They were served by our wonderful Grade 11 ‘Oompa-Loompas’. The evening was a huge success. Thank you to the Grade 11’s for their hard work. The Grade 12’s looked very classy and stylish.

The Fashion Show of 2013 was a truly classy affair. The men looked dashing and the ladies were so elegant in their beautiful gowns. It was an absolute pleasure working with this group of Matrics and they really rose to the occasion and showcased their style.

Job Shadowing

All the Grade 11 learners were privileged to have enjoyed the Job Shadowing programme in the last week of Term 3. They were able to shadow a career, which they may possibly pursue after school and most learners enjoyed the invaluable experience, gaining knowledge in their fields of interest.

Community Service

For the fourth year running, Grade 10 learners participated in the “Community Service” programme. They had to secure their own places of service in the community and provide service to those less privileged. This project, run during the last week of Term 3, surely provides learners with the essential life skill of sensitising themselves to the needs of others.

Grade 9 Excursions

All Grade 9 learners visit the Drakenstein Lion Park and Chimp Haven, the Aquarium as well as Seal Island near at the end of the 3rd term. These excursions prove to be most 15 educational, expanding the horizons of our junior learners on a holistic level – even if seasickness en-route to and from Seal Island remains a very real threat!

AMENITIES

Grounds and Buildings

Sports fields and courts are improved regularly, and the maintenance of our facilities is kept up. We regularly receive compliments on our well-maintained buildings and grounds. This is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the Estate Manager, the Caretaker and the Grounds Staff. It has, for a long time, been our boast that we have the finest facilities in the Western Cape for the lowest fees.

Campus Development – AstroTurf

Both our Boys’ and Girls’ hockey teams, totalling 17 teams, played in the premier league of the Province. Three times a week the Boys’ and Girls’ first teams travelled to UCT or Hartleyvale to practice and play matches on astro turf. This arrangement incurred costs of travelling and the actual rental of astro turf time.

Many schools in the Southern Suburbs have their own astro turfs. Recently more and more schools in the northern suburbs are following suit by constructing an astro turf; for example, Fairmont, Stellenberg, DF Malan, and the Settlers, to name a few. The result is that not only first teams play on astro. The College was therefore at an enormous disadvantage when all our teams were scheduled to play against one of the schools having their own astro turf.

The College’s Governing Body investigated the construction of such an asset. Discussion with architects, quantity surveyors, builders, financial institutions and the Western Cape Education Department was concluded and the parent body supported the venture. The servicing of the interest of a loan required for the construction, equated to an increase in school fees of R 120.00 per month. Construction of the astro turf at Fairbairn has immensely enhanced the College’s superb facilities.

It is with great anticipation and excitement that we observed the building process of our new Hockey Astro.

Finally, with pride, we celebrated the official opening of the Astro on 3 August 2013 at the Fairbairn College/The Settlers High School Derby Day. The Opening Ceremony was attended by invited guests as well as parents and learners, followed by a match between our 1st boys’ team vs The Settlers 1st boys’ team. Thereafter, refreshments were served to invited guests as well as staff of both schools.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The IT Department is very proud to announce that the last eight classrooms have been equipped with data projectors. This means that every classroom in the school has a computer, internet access and data projector.

Whiteboards

Two more classrooms (those of Mrs Saayman and Miss Meyer), have received an Interactive Whiteboard System.

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The staff receive training on an ongoing basis.

Parent Communication

The SMS-Web was updated at the beginning of the year. If parents have not received an SMS from the school, or if parents are not sure that the correct cell phone number has been supplied, please forward the correct number, parent’s name, learner’s name and class to Mrs Combrink. Parents are reminded to contact the school immediately if cell phone numbers change, in order to keep receiving SMS messages and to keep the database up to date. We are proud of our communicative link: the School Communicator. Our website and Facebook- page contain interesting information about daily events at the College.

Note the College’s addresses:

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.fairbairncollege.com Facebook: ww.facebook.com/fairbairncollege School Communicator: follow the link from the College web and download.

FINANCES

Big Walk

The College has annually embarked on this fundraising exercise since its inauguration. As explained at the annual Parent’s Budget meeting, the funds raised by the Big Walk are part of the College’s income, a saving for you the fee payer, to finance the annual expenditure. Over the years, where possible, these funds have been used to finance budgeted capital expenditure like the squash courts, club house, 6 additional tennis courts, develop three hockey and three rugby fields, school buses, a swimming pool, additional classrooms, palisade fencing, erect the undercover walkway, resurface of the tennis and netball courts, heat the swimming pool, further interactive whiteboard technology and the purchase of 40 new computers for one of the computer laboratories. The installation of our first computer centre in 1998 was also made possible by funds raised during the Big Walk. This year, the funds are being used for retiling the second floor passage in the school building and the Astro Turf.

In 2013, the Governing Body budgeted for an income of R360 000 from the Big Walk. If the Big Walk initiative is not supported, school fees would have to be increased by R360 per learner for this year.

The College’s theme for 2013 is “Value Fairbairn”. Our theme was most prevalent during the Big Walk fundraiser, even taking the present economic climate into account. A hearty thank you is expressed to learners and parents for their tremendous support. Mr Hanekom is congratulated on a superbly organised “Surf Walk”, from Melkbos to Blouberg.

The Big Walk of 2013 was, like all the years before, a huge success. We are extremely proud of our learners and parents who, in a short space of time, are able to collect such a large sum of money. The state of the economy does not make our job any easier, but Fairbairn learners seem to be oblivious to that “little” problem.

We took to the white beach sands at Kreeftebaai on Friday, 15 March to honour our promise to the contributors to walk 10km. The weather and the tides played along perfectly and our learners enjoyed their outing tremendously. We have perfected the art of leaving the beaches and the parking area in a better condition than we found it. 17

The top class positions were as follows:

BEST JUNIOR CLASSES BEST SENIOR CLASSES Average Average Class Total Class Total Per learner Per learner D1 B5 3rd R17 020.94 R500.62 3rd Mr Pienaar R28 748.25 R898.38 Mr Mellett

D2 B1 2nd R19 467.65 R526.15 2nd Mrs R31 507.68 R1 086.47 Mr Lawson Steenekamp A1 E1 1st Mrs De R26 268.70 R750.53 1st Mrs R43 550.10 R1 360.94 Wet Garrett

I would like to single out the following individuals for their outstanding contributions:

5th position: Samantha Gay R 4 570.10 4th position: Daniel Bugg R 4 800.00 3rd position: Sachin Naidoo R 5 398.00 2nd position: Brandon de Jager R 5 650.00 1st position: Kelly Hill R 6 583.00

Headmaster’s Contribution: R27 377.42

Total amount raised: R475 707.07

We extend our thanks to the learners, staff, parents and in particular these sponsors: Mr and Mrs Alves (Snack-a-tac), Mr Jewell at Peninsula Beverages and Mr Amien (Quality Beverages) for their generous sponsorships. Each learner received a cooldrink and a packet of chips at the end of the walk.

School Fees

We were pleased by the number of parents who took advantage of the 10 percent discount offered by paying their School Fees in full by 31 January 2013. This represents a considerable saving to them, while providing the College with a healthy cash flow at the start of the year. The posting of monthly statements has resulted in regular and consistent payment of school fees during the year. We extend a special thank you to Mrs Ridley and Mrs Vorster, who are responsible for sending out statements and collecting the school fees.

We wish to thank the parents for their regular payment of school fees in these tough economic times.

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Budget

The 2014 Budget will be presented to the parents on Thursday, 24 October 2013 in the Thomas Pringle Seminar Room at our school. Please make every effort to attend. As always, your Governing Body is committed to giving you the “best value for money”.

If the budget is approved, a letter will be sent to all parents explaining the fee structure for 2014.

In conclusion

Fairbairn College is such a sought-after high school that we cannot cope with the demand for Grade 8 placements. More than 500 applications have been received from parents who wish to enrol their children with us in 2014. 210 learners have been accepted for next year and letters have been sent to those families whose applications were unsuccessful.

The Governing Body extends its congratulations to all the Fairbairn learners for the spirit in which they enter school activities.

Our Headmaster, Mr Marchand, has just completed his 11th year at the College. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his devotion to the College and his dedication in maintaining the exceptional standards and exemplary values that we have come to expect at Fairbairn. Having worked very closely with him, I assure you that the College is in excellent hands and that you and I can face the challenges of the future with confidence.

I would also like to thank the deputy headmasters, the senior management team, the academic staff, the secretarial staff, the estate manager, the caretaker and the grounds staff for their loyalty and dedication and lastly, but not least, the role played by the RCL Executives who made the educators’ lives that much easier, by the supportive work and tasks they do.

I extend a special word of thanks to the members of the Governing Body. Thank you for the support you have given me, as Chairman, and for all that you do to further the interests of the College.

To all the parents who have supported us in our various endeavours, I extend my heartiest appreciation.

Veritas et Integritas.

Mr P Bresler GOVERNING BODY CHAIRMAN

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