Combined Newsletters 15 June 2022

	DATE: 15-Jun-22
Combined Newsletters 15 June 2022

YOUTH DAY

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Investing In A Brighter Future

Whilst we are all aware of the general deterioration in the upkeep of our suburbs, Assumption Convent does what it can to ensure that our immediate environment is properly maintained. We believe that by having a zero tolerance for litter, weeds, graffiti and unauthorised posters, we can encourage our neighbours to also take pride in their community, and make more of an effort to keep our streets clean. Clean and well maintained streets also discourage criminal activity.
Furthermore, Assumption Convent has taken it upon itself to report and follow up on water leaks and non-functioning street lights. We are liaising with our neighbours opposite our school along Pandora and Mullins roads, and are encouraging them to keep their boundary walls neat and clean. Where requested, we are assisting them to repaint. Recently we repaired the pot holes along Mullins and Pandora Roads.

We do not have to accept mediocracy, we can make things better.

N Workman

Principal

SCHOOL BRANDED BLANKETS

School branded blankets are now available from Mrs Nienaber @ R220 each.

LINKS TO ACS

https://www.facebook.com/Assumption-Convent-School-490865964395871/

https://www.instagram.com/assumptionconvent/

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PLEASE FOLLOW US, LIKE OUR PAGES AND PLEASE SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY

HIGH SCHOOL RELIGION

Corpus Christi Sunday

This Sunday the church will celebrate The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.
We celebrate Corpus Christi by taking time to reflect on the presence of Jesus, especially in the Holy Eucharist. This mystery was introduced by Jesus through His ministry, and the Eucharist is a central part of the Christian faith.
We also take time to reflect on the mystery of the church as the Body of Christ. The church is called The Body of Christ because of the intimate communion Jesus shares with his followers. In the gospels, Jesus uses the metaphor of the church as His Body and he is the head. This is a powerful image that reminds us that even in our diversity, we are united in the body of Christ’s church.
On Corpus Christi Sunday, parishes celebrate with public Eucharistic processions and Adoration. The opportunity to worship Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is a call to us to pledge our undivided love for God and to offer ourselves for the service of others.

Corpus Christi is the feast day of Blessed Sacrament parish and we send the following greetings:

Sr Moloto

HIGH SCHOOL

Books for the MDC bookstall on Fun Day

If you have any unwanted books lying around at home, please consider donating them for a good cause. Please drop them off with Mrs Dunn at reception as soon as possible.

Ms Taffara

English Olympiad 2022

Simphiwe Mashabela entered the de Beers /SACEE English Olympiad and wrote a 3-hour paper on the 8th of March this year. We congratulate her achievement of a BRONZE AWARD (60-69%) certificate.

Ms Rivera

Music

Visit our music website and enrol your child for instrumental lessons. https://assumptionconventmusicdept.simplybook.me/v2/
We offer a variety of individual and group lessons from the violin, cello, voice, piano, guitar, saxophone and the flute. Meet our teachers and book your lesson today.

Ms Green

Making Our World Better
Project-Based Learning 2022

Racism, hate, climate change, human trafficking, pollution, mental health, gender-based violence, and poverty. These are all real-world problems identified by our Grade 9 pupils.

“Project-Based Learning, or PBL, is an instructional approach built upon learning activities and real tasks that have brought challenges for students to solve” (Goodman, 2010).

Over three days, our Grade 9 pupils completed a learning task surrounding the theoretical approach of project-based learning. Their task was to identify and solve real-world problems.
Our pupils were fully engaged and enthusiastically finding solutions to problems that have existed for centuries. Through collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking, they produced scalable solutions.

“You never change your life until you step out of your comfort zone; change begins at the end of your comfort zone” (Bennett, n.d.).Project-based learning encourages out-of-the-box thinking. They learnt skills, that many only learn once in the workforce, like conflict management and how to compromise. Our learners learnt to draw up group contracts before embarking on a unique Antarctic survival mission.

Their solutions were authenticated with research, expert feedback, and lots of planning. As a teacher, I most enjoyed the girls interviewing colleagues and older pupils. They expanded their perspectives and found a new understanding of their complex problems.

At the end of the three days, they had to complete a group presentation urging the UN and South African government to take a stand. They created a recyclable clothing line, a real-life mental-health organisation, run by students and presented through movement: educational inequality. Their solutions were promising and hopeful.

The winning group has launched a new movement “Unity in Our Community,” on social media platforms that addresses hate and racism. These impactful art pieces, as seen in the image below, address real-world problems surrounding hate.

21st-century skills are vitally important to ensure their learning thrives beyond our Assumption school walls. Project-based learning boosts individual motivation toward academic success. This workshop, “Making Our World Better”, gave them the opportunity to practise skills like co-operation, emotional intelligence, tenacity, and organisational skills.



References
Bennett, R. T. (n.d.). Goodreads. Retrieved 06 14, 2022, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/comfort- zone#:~:text=%E2%80%9CYou%20never%20change%20your%20life,end%20of%20your%20comfort%20zone.%E2%80%9D&text=We%20have%20to%20be%20honest,stay%20in%20our%20comfort%20zone.%E2%80%9D

Goodman, .. (2010). Project-Based Learning. Educational Psychology. Retrieved 06 14, 2022, from https://www.fsmilitary.org/pdf/Project_Based_Learning.pdf

Ms Loring

HIGH SCHOOL SPORT

Congratulations to our U17 Netball Team

Our u17 netball team finished the season unbeaten and progressed to the district finals. Our team put in a superb performance against strong opposition, narrowly going down by 17 points to 15. We are very proud of what our u17 team has achieved this season, our sincere thanks also goes to their coach, Jessica Kitching who has done a phenomenal job.

This afternoon will be the final netball fixture, which will end a very successful season, parents and visitors are most welcome. Coffee and tea will be available from the canteen.

Mr Goeieman

ALUMNI

Cassandra Dunstan

My name is Cassandra Dunstan and I matriculated from Assumption Convent in 2012. I went on to major in Economics and graduated with a Masters in Economics from Wits University in 2018. Upon graduating, my Masters Research Paper was recognized in a United Nations Publication.

I am now an Economist at National Treasury and have been at the institution for 3 years. I am based in the Economic Policy division under the chief directorate of Modelling and Forecasting. Essentially, my team builds and maintains economic models and utilizes these models to produce economic forecasts. One of my responsibilities includes producing National Treasury's inflation forecast. I am proud to be a public servant and work for such an incredible institution. I am so fortunate to work with an incredible team who inspire me on a daily basis.

Assumption Convent gave me a solid foundation on which I have been able to build my career. A strong work ethic was instilled from early on and that same work ethic was utilized throughout my tertiary education studies and now in my career. Assumption Convent planted the seeds which allowed me to pursue my passion of Economics wholeheartedly.

FROM THE PRIMARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL'S DESK

Extra-Murals

There will be no Extra-murals from 14h00 for Gr 4 to 7 during Assessment Week (20 – 24 June 2022). Early morning extra lessons will continue as normal.

Parent Pop-In Day - 6 July 2022

The Primary School teachers and pupils are looking forward to welcoming their parents to the Parent Pop-In Day on the 6th of July at 07h00 to 08h30 or 14h00 to 16h00.

Parent teacher meetings have been the primary communication between parents and teachers for many years. The idea behind the Parent Pop-In is to include the child in the communication.
21st century learners need to be life-long, self-motivated and independent. When students lead conversations about their work, they take responsibility for it and learn to be in control of their own learning i.e. what and how they learn.

Learners choose selected work in all their subjects to show and discuss with their parents. In the selected pieces of work the girls have had to ask themselves why they have selected it, why they did well in it, why they are or are not proud of a particular end result. (i.e. synthesis their own learning or analyse their own results) They become part of deciding how or what to do to improve their own results.

This will encourage the girls to develop a responsible attitude to their own learning. They feel they have greater control of their academic progress. Parents, students and teachers are encouraged to have open honest dialogue. It is a student-centred philosophy where the emphasis is on the learners as a whole and does not only focus on formal assessments. Leaners are encouraged to build an open and honest relationship with their families concerning their progress. It also develops presentation and communication skills. Although teachers will be present in the classroom, they are there only to guide the leaners through their work with the parents.

The Parent Pop-In Day is not an opportunity to formally discuss your daughter’s progress individually. Once formal assessments have been completed and the mid-year report formalised, an invitation will be sent to arrange a meeting with a teacher or team of teachers to meet parents at a specific time if necessary. These more formal meetings will take place after midterm break.

Annual Catholic Schools Gathering

On Saturday 11 June, the Catholic Schools Office hosted its annual gathering which took place at Sacred Heart College. The morning began with Mass celebrated by Fr Solomon Mphela OFM, who is the Vicar for Education in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg.
Awards for Long Service to Catholic Education were given to the educators who have faithfully served in Catholic Schools in Johannesburg and Pretoria. From our school we congratulate:
Kirsty Knipe, Jheanne de Rijk, Mary Mdlalose, Ellaine Moeketsi, and Lesley Ritky.
In the second part of the programme, Sr Biddy-Rose Tiernan shared about the history of Catholic Education in South Africa, especially from the context of her new book. The last session consisted of presentations from various Catholic schools about how they are living out the directive statements from the recommendations made at the Catholic Schools Congress of 2019.
Representatives from three Assumption schools were present: ourselves, Maryvale College and Assumption Convent Primary School (Pretoria North).

Chantal Van Wyk
Primary School Principal

PRIMARY SCHOOL RELIGION

The Christian weather forecast goes like this, “God reigns and the Son shines, so expect showers of Blessings.” The weather is going to be the talk of the town this week, as the South African Weather Service has warned of a significant drop in temperature, and even as I am typing this, I can feel the change in the air. It is going to be icy cold, around 12 degrees for Wednesday and Thursday. When I was younger, Father Hogan, the parish priest here at the Blessed Sacrament Church in the 1980’s, used to come around to our house at least once a month for dinner, and he would always speak about the weather, in particular telling us children that we should always be careful about what we prayed for when we pray about the weather. He would go on to tell us that he once prayed to God to ease the drought in parts of the country, only to have 15 inches of rain fall in 24 hours, resulting in a mudslide that destroyed part of his home. He would always add that he should have prayed that God would relieve the drought gradually. It reminded me of a humorous story I once read, about being aware of what you pray for.

There was a husband who forgot his wife’s birthday. She was very upset and angry, and she told him the only way he could redeem himself was to get her a really nice gift, something she had always wanted and prayed for. She added she wanted to see it sitting in the driveway the next day and that she expected it would go from zero to two hundred in 6 seconds! The next day she went out, only to find a gift wrapped box, not the car she was hoping and praying for. She opened it up and found a bathroom scale!
It is a funny story but it reminds us to think carefully before we pray for things. There is nothing wrong with praying for things we want, or to be healed or helped. Even Jesus prayed to His Father saying, “Lord, if possible, take this cup from me. ”Luke 22:42. What we need to remember is that like Jesus, we should pray and submit all requests to God’s will, but this can be really difficult at times. Jesus said, “If You are willing, take this cup from me. Not my will but Yours be done. ” God knows us better than we even know ourselves. In times of confusion, fear or pain, as difficult as it can be, we need to take a deep breath and with humble hearts say to our Lord, “Even in the midst of chaos, anxiety and pain, I trust You and I trust You know my deepest need.” We only see part of the picture, God sees the whole situation.

Every one of us has our own struggles and challenges, and God knows each and every one of them. During the next freezing cold days, let us think of those less fortunate than ourselves, those who struggle with homelessness, little income, violence and poverty. There is a lovely proverb that goes, “When the weather is hot, keep a cool mind. When the weather is cold, keep a warm heart.” Let us have warm hearts to help those who are cold and hungry, and remember our countless blessings.

Prayer for the Homeless and Less Fortunate
Precious Holy Spirit, we come to You with broken hearts for all our brothers and sisters in Christ who are living with no security, no shelter, and no safety from the outside world. Please be with all the men, women, and children in our world who are homeless. Give them extra warmth, peace, and guidance like only heaven can send. Let angels hold them, ease their worries, and provide opportunities for a better life. Give them hope where there is no hope and provide wisdom as they work through their trials. Amen Last Saturday Sacred Heart College hosted the Annual Catholic Schools gathering for Johannesburg and Pretoria Catholic schools. Holy Mass was celebrated by Father Solly Mphela and the guest speaker was Sister Biddy Rose Tiernan who spoke about the journey Catholic Schools in our country have embarked on. There were interesting discussions and sharing on how Catholic Schools are living by their ethos, and the challenges they face. Long Service certificates were awarded to staff who have served in Catholic Schools for 20 years or more.

Mrs Bondonno

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Grade 3: Healthy Eating

To end off our theme of Healthy Eating, the Grade 3 girls made their own smoothies.

Ms Faulha

Afrikaans Grade 7: Bordspeletjies

The Grade 7 girls designed unique Afrikaans board games to help them revise a variety of components for their upcoming examination. As part of their group project, they had to include an interesting name and rules for their game, all equipment needed, a variety of questions with answers, and a storage container.
During the Afrikaans lessons this week, they had the opportunity to test each group’s board game.

Mrs Swanepoel

Grade 7: Leadership

Two of our Grade 7 girls, Kayleen Van Houwelingen and Alessandra Barecchia received their Silver Leadership Badges today. They have been working on their leadership program and have successfully met all the criteria to qualify for their badges. Well done ladies!!

Mrs Elliott

PRIMARY SCHOOL EXTRA-MURALS

Hockey

Kit requirements:

1. We can supply the hockey stick and ball (but you can buy it if you want - please label them).
2. Girls will need navy blue school hockey socks with an anchor on them (from Esquires), if they don’t have them in stock, you can have any plain navy-blue socks (same navy blue as school socks).
3. Shin pads.
4. Gum guard (your choice but as a school, we encourage all girls to get gum guards).

Practices:

1. There will be NO hockey practice for Grade 4 – 7 hockey girls during the week of exams (20 June – 24 June).

Hockey Fixtures

Grade 4 – 7 Extra-murals during exams

There will be no extra murals for the Grade 4 – 7 learners during their exam week.

Grade 4 – 7 Inter-house Netball

The inter-house netball will take place on Wednesday, 6 July, from 08h15 – 09h41. The girls must wear their sports skorts and their house t-shirts. The team lists will be placed outside the Sports Office for the girls to have a look and know their teams and game times for the day.

Private Tennis Coaching at Assumption

Our new tennis coach, Kent Joubert, is now offering private lessons. These lessons will be held at our school courts. Please contact Coach Kent for further information: 079 506 6846

Swimming Club at Assumption

We are excited to promote the new swimming club that will be running from the Assumption School pool during the summer months and from Planet Fitness Bedfordview during the winter months. The club offers swimming sessions for all levels and all ages. This is a private activity, and all queries must be sent directly to the club itself. Please contact the below numbers for more information.

Swim Waves: Janine – 076 585 1509
Raven Aquatics: Eden – 083 566 5114

Ms Tennant

BABY STEPS 2 ASSUMPTION

Wishing our Superhero Dads, a very Happy Father’s Day for the 19 June – Photos to follow in next week’s newsletter.
“TO THE WORLD YOU ARE A DAD, BUT TO YOUR FAMILY YOU ARE THE WORLD.

WE NOW OFFER

PORTUGUESE LESSONS

We now offer Portuguese Lessons.
“The limits of my language are the limits of my world”
-Ludwig Wittgenstein-

New Banking Details

Please forward POP to bs2assumption@outlook.com for prompt allocation

Photo's

Extra Clothes

No toys to School

Please ensure your children are at school by 8am sharp as learning starts taking place. It can be dissruptive to the class if children arrive late, and they also miss crucial learning. Thank you for your understanding in this regard.
If your child is sick, has a fever or a runny nose and cough please do all possible to keep them at home until they are well so we do not spread germs. With COVID we cannot be too careful and need to take extra precaution. Thank you for your patience and understanding in this regard.
The school provides all meals and snacks, please do not send in any food unless arranged with Chantal due to severe allergies etc.
Please do not send your children to school with toys from home. This can cause conflict amongst the children, and we unfortunately cannot be held liable if the toy is lost or broken.
Please make sure you log onto our school app. – PROSUM – babysteps2assumption (one word) should you need any assistance please contact your school manager - Chantal.
This app will help keep you updated and connected with all the happening of the school and important dates to remember. You will also be able to view our daily photos there.
Please note our banking details have changed – please ensure updated your end.
Kindly note school fees are due on or before the 1st of every month. For prompt allocation, please forward POP to bs2assumption@outlook.com