Grade 10 Drama students performing in their exam work.

Ms Human

ALUMNI

Alumni Farewell Breakfast

On Saturday morning some Alumni ladies got together for a reunion breakfast to say farewell to Mr Workman. Many special school days stories were shared, and the massive impact Mr Workman has had on the lives of all those who attended was celebrated.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Congratulations

To the Negussie family (Soliana Gr 4) on the new addition to their family - a little baby boy.

Grade 4 – 7 Assessment Week

The Grade 4 to 7 classes will be writing their final assessments from, 21 November until Friday 25 November. The assessment timetables have been handed out and are available on the school app.

There will be no extra-murals for the senior primary school during the assessment week. School will be closing at 13h00 from Monday, 21 November, to allow the girls the opportunity to go home early to study. However, should you not be able to collect your daughter at 13h00, there will be teachers available from 13h00 to 14h00 to supervise study sessions in the classrooms.
All girls not collected by 14h15 will be signed into Waiting Class. Waiting Class ends at 16h00, any girls not collected by 16h00 will be signed into Aftercare. 
Parents are encouraged to support their daughters while they are preparing for their assessments. 

Primary School Celebration of Achievement

All parents are invited to attend our end of year Celebration of Achievement. Once a year we celebrate the progress that our girls have made throughout the year.
The Junior Primary School (Grade 1 – 3) will have their celebration on 5 December at 08h00 in the Neville Workman Hall. 
The Senior Primary School (Gr 4 – 7) will have their celebration on 6 December at 08h00 in the Neville Workman Hall.
Girls may go home with their parents after the proceedings. Teachers will be at school until 13h00 for all girls who remain at school. Waiting Class is from 13h00 to 15h00 and then girls will be signed into Aftercare.
School officially ends for all girls on 7 December at 11h00. 

Chantal Van Wyk
Primary School Principal

PRIMARY SCHOOL RELIGION

Exhaustion and God

“We all grow tired eventually; it happens to everyone. Even the sun, at the close of autumn, is no longer a morning person.”
― Joyce Rachelle, author, and Christian poet.

Most of us know what the phrase ‘burn out’ means. It happens to us when we take on too much, commit to too many things, and the duties and tasks we once enjoyed simply become too much, the pile of everything that needs to be done becomes too high and we feel overwhelmed. It is not that we intend to over commit or overwhelm ourselves. Many of our commitments and responsibilities are good. We want our children to have an excellent education, we want them to enjoy sport, we want them to grow spiritually. So, we work hard, we drive them up and down to sporting events and extra murals, we provide financially, we clean, cook, grocery shop, help with homework, attend meetings, meet work deadlines, help out elderly parents, sort out family issues, referee sibling fights, go to church….it sometimes seems as if we are just keeping our heads above the water. And then some other challenge comes along, a retrenchment, a sickness in the family, an incident at school. It can be draining. It seems like there is no end in sight. 

Often, we rely too much on ourselves and don’t ask others for help. This is where self-care is so important. This does not only imply looking after your body, health, nutrition, and sleep, but means taking the time to have coffee with a friend, soak in a bath, go for a family hike or read that book everyone has been raving about. We need to take time to enjoy what God has blessed us with. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30 The heavy burdens we so often feel can be eased by staying in tune with God and the direction He intends for our lives. It means praying to Him about the hustle and bustle in our lives and our hectic schedules, it means asking Him to guide us in self-care and learning to know that His strength will help us every day, even when we are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. 

 
At this time of the year everyone is tired, parents, teachers, and our children. Our girls lead busy lives too, but with the stress of exams and learning, it is important for us to guide them into healthy study patterns in order to avoid exhaustion. It is good to set challenging goals for our children, but they need to be realistic. During this exam time, it is positive to set healthy schedules that include stress-relieving and fun activities. Just as dad needs his round of golf to unwind, and mom needs her book club with friends, so too do our girls need space to just be, whether it is walking the dog or chatting to a friend online. 

As busy as we are in life, and believe you me I know busy, it is important as role models, teachers and parents to set good examples of looking after ourselves so that we don’t burnout and showing our children the blessing of moderation in all things – work, play and studying.  There is an old hymn that says, “We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.” We need to remind ourselves and our children that we are not alone, God is with us always, even when we are stressing about an exam or a disgruntled employee or a demanding family member. This is the time of the year when we, by the grace of God, finish our commitments and keep moving forward and ask God for strength. Then it is time to take a breather, pray for spiritual refreshment and not put any thing extra on the calendar.

     

Parent’s Prayer for Exams
Heavenly Father,
Your peace is an unfailing anchor from the anxiety and stress that comes with exams. Beyond the place of understanding Your peace stands out and that is my earnest desire for my child during the exam period. All my fears I lay before you, at the foot of the cross, I have come to place them that you might take absolute control. In Your Holy name, Amen
 

Mrs Bondonno