From the Head's Desk
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
St Mary’s Matters If she believes in herself… she will fly. Volume 11, Issue 5, 10 June 2011 From the Head’s desk Simply extra-ordinary! Fr AW Paterson, Head of School There is strong rumour in the Paterson family that reflect a huge step up in standard as we move from four grumpiness sets in at 50! I don’t think I’m a “grumpy old to eight teams in the higher league. It is so pleasing to man” but I was grumpy on Thursday morning. Perhaps see girls who are proud of how they played after a the fact that winter had set in during the concert at game; girls who know they have done their best. Cornwall Hill College on 25 May, and the plethora of meetings that dominated my life in that week gave me On Friday evening I attended the feedback presentation some excuse. But I wasn’t grumpy for long. of our China Tour with St Alban’s. By now I have learned that when it comes to public presentation, NOTHING I attended the dress rehearsal of the Foundation Phase play, and those little ones turned my day into a broad gets in the way of our girls. I have no anxiety; I simply and sustained smile. I believe the performance was wait to be delighted. Superbly edited films had been even better on Friday evening. If so it must have been prepared. Where presentation was verbal, our girls breathtaking. For the first ten minutes I was simply knew how to make an impact. 谢谢你,我特别淑女 entranced. The rhythm, the confidence, the Xièxiè nǐ, wǒ tèbié shúnǚ. participation, the colours, the singing, the staging, the joy… it was incredible! Thank you my little angels. And then onto Saturday! Hundreds and hundreds of eager young hockey players crowded into DSG with But I must go back to Wednesday evening at Cornwall their supporters to play hundreds of games. There was Hill College. What a splendid evening! I was so proud of immaculate organisation, lots of food and refreshment, our orchestra, whose musicality, tempo, pitch and fantastic First Aid and lots of fun. The Junior School, polish were evident to all. They are improving every with help all over from the Senior School staff and time I hear them. The St Mary’s Singers stole the show. pupils, combined in a team effort which did us all The sheer quality of their sound entertained. It was the proud. This day started with the frost, long before best I have heard – something special happened that sunrise. Thank you to all those who made this day what evening! Thank you my fantastic ladies. it was. On Friday afternoon I watched the games taking place Perhaps I do occasionally get a touch grumpy, but at on our hockey fields. Against strong and robust teams, DSG it can’t last for long. we have the ability to dominate, and school results Pg 1 of 5 St Mary’s Matters JUNIOR SCHOOL Upcoming If I had my child to raise over again Mrs Barbi Craig, Principal: Junior School If I had my child to raise again, I’d finger paint more, and point the finger less. Junior School I’d do less correcting, and more connecting. I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes. Old Girls’ Big Walk I would care to know less, and know to care more. Wednesday 15 June. I’d take more hikes and fly more kites. 09:30 I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play. I’d run through more fields, and gaze at more stars. I’d do more hugging, and less tugging. We do hope that you are busy I would be firm less often, and affirm much more. helping your daughter collect I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later. sponsors for the Big Walk which I’d teach less about the love of power, will take place on Wednesday 15th And more about the power of love. June on the fields below the tennis It matters not whether my child is big or small; courts. Many prizes will be From this day forth, I’ll cherish it all. awarded, including the coveted prize of a school morning at the Reflecting on the amazing gift that our girls are to both their parents, movies for the class that raises and also to DSG; I am saddened when girls share with me how little the most money! time their parents spend with them. As you read this poem, please take it to heart. The time we have our girls in our homes is short, and Mrs Carol Viljoen very precious. Make lots of opportunities for quality fun times Grade 3 Teacher together. You all deserve it! Foundation Phase Patron teacher at Johannesburg College of Margaret retired 5 years ago and Education and began her teaching now mentors pre and primary career at Sunnyside School. After a schools in self evaluation for break to start a family she became a membership of the Independent Founder Teacher at Lynnwood Ridge Schools’ Association. She is enjoying Primary School where she taught Gr. her retirement and has many 1 for 17 years. interests. A special highlight is visiting family ‐ especially She was then seconded to Foundation Phase Patron grandchildren – in other parts of the Bronkhortspruit Primary as principal. Margaret Rudolph country and world. She spent a brief period in the She is proud to be the patron of the Margaret Rudolph was born in Gauteng Department of Education Foundation Phase at St Mary’s DSG Pretoria and educated at Eastern before resigning to enter the and looks forward to a long Suburbs Nursery School, Brooklyn Independent School sector as association with the school. School and Pretoria High School for Founder Principal of Woodhill Mrs Alta van Os Girls. She qualified as a Junior Work College’s Foundation Phase. HOD: Foundation Phase Pg 2 of 5 St Mary’s Matters Choose to live a happy life Marthé Pienaar, Counselling Centre Democritus, (about 460-370 BC) said: “Happiness resides not in possessions and not in gold, the feeling of happiness dwells in the soul.” And Aristotle said: “ To live happily is an inward power of the soul.” A positive attitude leads to happiness and success and can change your whole life. If you look at the bright side of life, your whole life becomes filled with light. This light affects not only you and the way you look at the world, but also your whole environment and the people around you. If it is strong enough, it becomes contagious. A positive attitude will help you to cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and negative thinking. If you adopt it as a way of life, it will bring constructive changes into your life, and makes it happier, brighter and more successful. - Choose to be happy by looking at the bright side of life. - Choose to be and stay optimistic. - Find reasons to smile more often. - Have faith in yourself and in God. - Contemplate upon the futility of negative thinking and worries. - Associate yourself with happy people; read inspiring quotes and stories and repeat affirmations that inspire and motivate you. PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION A fun-filled bingo evening was held on Friday, 13 May 2011. The Parents’ Association would like to express a heartfelt thanks to the following sponsors for their generous contributions towards the prizes for the bingo evening. Makro Woolworths Brooklyn Bidvest La Spiga Deli Palladium Hair Bernheim Wines Vienna Jewellers Dermalogica Congratulations to all the winners of these fantastic prizes. Pg 3 of 5 St Mary’s Matters New books @ the LibraryCompiled by Mrs K. Snyman – Assistant Librarian. Grade 1 & 2 • The sandwich swap, by Queen Rania Al Abdullah – A heartwarming story about cross‐cultural tolerance. • Forget me not: friendship blossoms, by Michael Broad – A baby elephant is desperate to make friends, but doesn’t fit in anywhere. Will he find a friend? Grade 3 & 4 • Amy Wild, Animal talker, by Diana Kimpton – Amy can talk to animals! Join her on her adventures where she helps animals in trouble. • Anna Hibiscus, by Atinuke – Anna loves living in warm Africa, but she dreams of seeing snow. Grade 5‐7 • Girlfriends series, by Jean Ure – Four friends are sticking together through the ups and downs of friendship. Senior School • Good fortune, by Noni Carter – Ayanna is kidnapped from her African village and sold into slavery. She escapes and desperately tries to find a better life. • Echoes of love, by Rosie Rushton – A twenty‐first century love story based on Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Afrikaans teenage reads • Virus, by Jaco Jacobs – A strange virus spreads through the world and soon chaos erupts everywhere. Seventeen year old Jake tries to flee the city – will he survive? • Onderwêreld, by Fanie Viljoen – Two boys from a private school get drawn into the world of computer hacking. Then one of them disappears. Will the other one be able to find him? Images from: Kalahari.net [online]. 2011. Available from: http://www.kalahari.net/. [Accessed: 3 Jun 2011] Amazon [online]. 2011. Available from: http://www.amazon.com. [Accessed: 3 Jun 2011] Graffitibooks [online]. 2011. Available from: http://www.graffitibooks.co.za . [Accessed: 3 June 2011] If any parent/ guardian wishes to apply for financial assistance for school fees in 2012’ Foundation Bursary Applications Forms are available from the office of the Head’s PA, Mrs. Pippa Marais. These forms must be returned by 15 July.