004 Newsletter 2014 - Eunice High School

Principal‟s Newsletter 04/2014
27 June 2014
Dear Parents
Eunice seems to hibernate in June as the cold sets in and exams keep usually lively girls in study mode. Our
teachers, too, are lonely markers and moderators. The winter holidays will provide rest and reward. But allow me to
share the story of our term both for the record and for those boarder parents who appreciate the detail of the term‟s
highlights and the dates and deadlines of term three.
Eunice‟s 139th birthday was celebrated in style with a formal assembly which included: a meaningful candlelight
ceremony with all the school‟s stakeholders (including two small gentleman representing brother schools!);
Eunice‟s world class choir with, among others, their popular “ Rumour Has It‟; 14 Pre-Primary performers – all
daughters of Eunice old girls; Caroline Grace Brussouw‟s beautiful singing ( Matric 2004); first speaker: Dr Lyn
Goedhals ( Matric 1964) thanking her school for guiding her to live a life of significant service; Second Speaker:
Marti Molapo (Eunice‟s first Black headgirl, 1994) who holds a CA (SA) and is a Senior Manager at Anglo Gold
Ashanti who offered girls five clear life principles. For the second year we hosted a free Old Girls‟ Cocktail open to
husbands, too. This has proved to be a winner with an atmosphere of great camaraderie, nostalgia and school
pride. The Reunie Luncheon on the Saturday was enhanced by a very well received series of informal speeches by
representatives of the 1954, 1964, 1969, 1974, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999 and 2004 classes. Dit klink soos nag, maar
dit was heerlik! The Eunice Thanksgiving Service held at the St Andrew‟s Chapel (with its simple solemnity, striking
flags and magnificent acoustics) was an all-time Eunice highlight. The presence of the Drakensberg Boys‟ Choir
served both to add glamour and status to our service, and to confirm that our own choir, in its own right, needs to
stand back for no other in South Africa, What an occasion it was! All our celebrations required so much extra input.
Eunice extends much gratitude to Mrs June Norval and Mr Pat Uys; Mrs Mag Marais, Mrs Retha Visser and Mrs
Elza Vosloo as well as to Eunice‟s management and support staff at school and hostel. Mr Carl Pritchitt, Mr Louis
Botha, Mrs Wilmarie Swart and Mr Johannes Ntlokoa of Eunice House play such a key role in all our major
functions weekend after weekend. Hard but worthwhile service to our school.
Our Eunice Choir‟s acclaimed performance at our Thanksgiving Service at Saints with the Drakensberg Boys‟ Choir
has been detailed above. Since then the choir excelled at the Kunswedstryd held at Grey College last month. They
achieved the highest mark of the Eisteddfod – 96 % with 3 separate A ++ awards. The external adjudicator, Prof
Awie van Wyk, said it was the highest mark he had ever given. He made a point of coming to see me before he left
town to re-iterate his impressions of a choir he called world class. Last week the choir won GOLD at the Regional
APPLOUS Finals. They have won through to the National Finals in Pretoria (1 – 2 August) for the fourth year in a
row. The choir has an extensive repertoire and a regular performance schedule, including a slot with the
Bloemfontein Youth Orchestra at the Sand this week. Our staff and girls have invested so much time on a long
term, consistent basis with extra choir days and choir weekends to achieve a remarkable standard. Once the ATKV
finals are over, they‟ll get into Eurotour mode for their December highlight.
Eunice and Oranje are once again the only Free State schools included in FAIR LADY‟S TOP 25 SA PUBLIC
SCHOOLS. 16 of the 25 (64 %) are girls‟ schools with Affies, Grey (PE), Rondebosch and SACS the only boys‟
schools. The criteria include: the bachelor pass rate, the number of matrics who achieved 4 As or more, the
number of Gr 11s who progressed to Matric and the number of Gr 10s who received an A for Maths. Eunice‟s R15
600 annual fee compares so favourably with the country‟s top schools. By way of example the four boys‟ schools
named above have the following annual fees: R 26 760, R 34 560, R 34 300 and R 29 800. We need to celebrate
the national treasure we have in a Top 25 school and to support its many initiatives to maintain and develop
academic, behavioural and participation standards as well as displaying a total community commitment to school
fees. The above comparison of fees indicates with clarity that Eunice provides exceptional value based almost
entirely on the willingness of our expert and experienced teaching staff to go far beyond the call of duty.
In May we undertook a basic technology survey of our girls‟ access to and use of technology. 806 of the 866 girls
participated in the survey. The purpose of the survey is to inform our planning and our teaching. The intention is
also to provide benchmarks in order to set ourselves targets, e.g. the use of the Eunice Cloud and Eunice Public as
explained below.
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Only 6,5 % of our girls have no access to a PC, laptop or tablet at home.
•
Only 8 % of our girls do not have access to the internet at home
•
84 % of our girls have access to a printer at home.
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90 % of our girls have used the internet at school
•
35 % of our girls spend less than 30 min a day on social media
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37 % of our girls spend between 30 min – 60 min a day on social media
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28 % of our girls spend over an hour a day on social media
•
40 % of our girls own a Blackberry, 37 % own a Samsung
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68 % of our girls have used Eunice „Public‟ (academic and other school information
placed on a shared drive accessed from anywhere at school)
•
17 % of our girls have accessed the Eunice Cloud (information placed in the „cloud‟ and
accessed from anywhere [ password needed])
The new Eunice Digital Learning Centre taking shape on the two floors above the Library is almost roofed and now
ready for all the internal fitting and finishing. The main construction team: Hans Haasbroek (architect), Anthony
Porter (quantity surveyor), Eddie Arter (structural engineer), Willie Bouwer (electrical engineer) and Kotie van
Tonder( contractor) all have strong Eunice connections as current or past parents. Anthony‟s connection is even
stronger – he was a Eunice Old boy in the days the school allowed boys till Std 3.
Our term was full of quality opportunities: last weekend 20 girls and staff underwent an official First Aid course; our
Easter Assembly arranged by our staff ( Mrs Anmare Harris, Mrs Retha Visser, Mrs Elza Vosloo and Miss
Martinette van Jaarsveld) served to bring home the significance of the national religious long weekend; our full staff
delved deeper into the strategy, practice and assessment of 21st century teaching and learning skills in a course
provided free of charge by Microsoft‟s Academic Programme Manager in SA, Angela Shaerer; Mrs Marthie de Wet
took our staff through a bread baking exercise as a team building activity; our Consumer Studies Department, led
by Mrs June Norval and Mrs de Wet hosted an Anchor Yeast Week at Eunice aimed at both our own students and
at a range of FS schools; our Physical Science Department, led by Mrs Karin Kok and Mrs Kerryn Lombard,
conducted the practical component of the Matric work for a township school using all our own Matrics as peer
tutors; the Science girls ( Mianzé Swart, Nicole Gomes, J‟Mari Kloppers, Reechelle van der Walt, Monica van der
Walt, Chané Massey, Elsa Oosthuizen and Micah Dimaculangan) participated in the SAICE Bridge Building and
Mintek Quiz initiatives.
The Rotary Careers Day is hosted each year at Eunice for both our Grade 11s and a range of neighbouring
schools. Arranged by the Bloemfontein/ Raadzaal Rotary Clubs with the local assistance of Mrs Claudette Botha,
Dr Don Paine and Mr Leon van Rensburg, the project brings 45 career professionals to Eunice with the girls getting
face to face input in three careers of their choice. It‟s a logistical challenge but a very valuable service to our girls.
Our Grade 10s are in Work Experience Project mode this week – another very practical, personal component of the
career choice process.
Mr Leon van Rensburg and I spent three days at the SA Girls‟ Schools‟ Heads conference in Johannesburg last
month in the company of 125 heads and deputies. Each day was hosted by a different independent school –
Kingsmead, Roedean and St Mary‟s (Waverley). The wealth of facilities was impressive. There was a valuable
focus on teenage and curriculum issues, on key private and government sector initiatives and a memorable
presentation on leadership for our times by Empowerdex Chairman, Vuyo Jack. Mrs Mag Marais, whose Christmas
Market product selection work in Bloemfontein and in Cape Town had already demanded three days of teaching
time, was not prepared to lose another three days and preferred to act as principal in my absence.
Our second term started long before the first day with three holiday sports tours in Gauteng which required high
quality planning and organisation. Two early defeats against top teams seriously compromised our chances of
retaining our title at the St Andrew‟s Girls School (Senderwood) Netball Festival in Johannesburg. It was a pleasure
for me to see quite a few of our first team matches in the company of a loyal team of travelling parents. One of
those parents, Mr Wilhelm Kloppers, father of our netball captain, J‟Mari, has been responsible for the manufacture
and donation of the new „parents‟ netball stand, visible from road. Much of the steel was sourced from the old
Ramblers‟ Club stand demolished to make way for current developments.
The St Mary‟s Festival, SA‟s most prestigious girls‟ hockey tournament was a wonderful occasion for a large group
of travelling supporters from Bloemfontein‟s two main rival hockey schools. We had some fantastic matches on our
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way to the fourth day‟s semis and finals including excellent victories over Maritzburg Girls‟ High, Brescia, Bloemhof,
Somerset House, Paarl Gym, Durban Girls‟ High and Waterkloof. St Mary‟s (Kloof) had held Oranje to a 0 – 0 draw,
yet we were 3 – 0 up against them within 8 minutes and we won 4 – 0. The final – a world class hockey spectacle
in front of a packed crowd – went to extra time and penalties with Oranje clinching the title with the last penalty.
Both Pietie Coetzee and Ros Howell, national hockey icons, told me it was the best schoolgirl hockey match they
had ever seen.
Our U/16As, chaperoned by Mr Leon van Rensburg and one of our parents, Mrs Michelle Erasmus, attended the
Menlo Park Hockey festival. They played excellent hockey to reach the final of the tournament eventually losing 1 –
2 to Hoërskool Pietersburg. They had enjoyed superb victories over Waterkloof, Pretoria High School for Girls,
Garsfontein, HTS Middelburg and hosts Menlo Park. They beat Waterkloof 4 – 2 in the 3rd /4th play-off.
As a season opener, Eunice hosted its own national U/16 hockey and netball festival which attracted schools such
as Clarendon, Collegiate, PHSG, St Mary‟s Waverley, Durban Girls College, St Andrews (JHB) and Jim Fouche.
Sincere thanks to Ms Maryka Holtshauzen, Mr Ferdi van Wijk, Mrs Ellen Meyer and Mr Stefan van Schalkwyk for
making this Eunice tournament such a success.
During the week-long, long weekend, Eunice‟s first sports teams travelled to Port Elizabeth for the 15th National
Girls‟ Schools‟ Sports and Cultural Festival hosted by Girls‟ Collegiate. The stylish opening Ceremony, staged in an
elaborate marquee erected within a quadrangle four times the size of ours, will remain memorable, not for
speeches and an entertaining and energetic dance compilation, but for the storm which slowly but surely split the
tent join and dropped a ton of water onto only the principals in the front rows.25 Schools participated with Eunice
as an always respected top performer in every discipline. We came 2nd in the hockey after another Eunice/ Oranje
final in a major national tournament, 3rd in the netball, 3rd in the tennis, 3rd in the squash, 2nd in the chess, 6th in
the debating. In the drama section Bianca Dell won the award for Most Memorable Performance and Marthinique
de Bruin for Most Dedicated Actress. The festival included a creative arts programme which incorporated a range
of unique NMMU outreach initiatives within the city centre. Our school‟s contingent led by Mr Ferdi van Wijk,
endured two bus breakdowns in Cradock – one which required a 12 hour overnight stop. I had gone on to Cape
Town so I was relieved to have Mr van Wijk to manage and protect our very valuable cargo under difficult
circumstances.
The Pretoria Derby, held on the same weekend Grey played Selborne, attracted many parents. We hosted 360
visitors who overnighted at Maselspoort, the Road Lodge and City Lodge. This Derby, started in 1997, offers our C,
D and E teams a quality opportunity against a school similar in standard and outlook. Not really in size though as
PHSG has 1 500 girls. Hosting them for Friday lunch, supper and a Saturday lunch pack, as well as a staff function,
is a challenge our willing and experienced staff ( under the leadership of Mrs June Norval, Mr Carl Pritchitt and Mr
Louis Botha) manage with distinction. Mrs Penny McNair, headmistress of Pretoria retires in July after a long and
fruitful association with Eunice. It was a good Eunice day as reflected by the following scores: Netball: U/19 A: 42 –
10; U/19 B: 21 – 5; U/19 C: 15 – 2; U/19 D: 7 – 5; U/17 A: 11 – 5; U/16 A: 12 – 11; U/16 B: 6 – 4; U/16 C: 9 – 11;
U/15 A: 18 – 15; U/15 B: 4 – 15; U/15 C: 10 – 5; U/14 A: 11 – 17; U/14 B: 11 – 10; U/14 C 6 – 14. Hockey: 1st
team: 3 – 0; Colts: 4 – 0; Grasshoppers: 2 – 0; U/18 D: 4 – 1; U/16 A: 4 – 0; U/16 B: 0 – 1; U/16 C: 2 – 0; U/16 D: 0
– 1; U/16 E: 3 – 2; U/14 A 4 – 1; U/14 B: 3 – 0; U/14 C: 1 – 0. Tennis: 16 – 2. Squash: 21 – 3. Chess: 7 – 4.
Debating: Senior debate – Eunice; Junior debate: PHSG. Public Speaking: Senior speaker – PHSG; Junior speaker
– Eunice, Unprepared speaker – Eunice beat PHSG by 1 point. Cross country: 1. Megan Gerber – 16:06 – PHSG;
2.Tristan Rees – 16:45 – PHSG; 3. Jody York 17:20 EHS; 4. Ashleigh Connell – 17:56 – PHSG; 5. Lexi Botha 18:41 – PHSG; 6.Lufuno Sigwadi – 18:59 – PHSG.
46 Eunice hockey girls have been included in Southern Free State teams which will participate in regional and
national tournaments this holiday. This is a big honour for our girls who have continued with provincial practices
right through exams. Their travels reflect the real costs of a major tour and put into perspective the tremendous
efforts we make as a school to make Eunice tours and derbies affordable for parents. Our sincere thanks in this
regard to Mr Pat Uys, our Financial Manager, and to those Eunice personalities who play their part in hosting
Eunice festivals which lay the foundation for sports funding. Our own local squash, chess and hockey tournaments
which keep our holiday hotel full, provide a financial buffer in arranging Eunice tours. During the coming holidays
Eunice House will host the National U/13 and U/18 B Hockey Tournaments as well as the SA Junior Chess
Championships.
SFS Hockey U/ 18 A team: Chané Hartel, Heraldine Olin, Marizen Marais, Jessica Charles, Ashleigh Datnow,
Candice Calder (reserve), Ilzené Benade (reserve). SFS U/18 B: Candice Calder, Kari Benade, Abigail van
Rooyen, Ilzené Benade, Tiniel van Niekerk, Zinia Viljoen, Sissy Pieterse, Shanay Solomon, Erin Grant (reserve),
Megan York (reserve). SFS U/18 C: Erin Grant, Megan York, Elani van Coller, Salome Wessels, Diane Butler. U/16
A and B squad: Nicole Kruger, Elduné Viljoen, Elzahn Naude, Casey-Jean Botha, Bonolo Lechoane, Anke
Badenhorst, Kayla Barker, Kananelo Ramangalo, Neo Ngubane, Wiané Grobler. U/16 C: Jodi Vermeulen, AneScha Erasmus, Monzelle Erasmus, Kirsten Datnow. U/14 A and B squad: Melindi Reinecke, Katherine van der
Merwe, Natasha Slater, Andrea Barker, Robyn York, Emerentia Wagner, Izané Louw, Adlé Coetsee, Yonique
Josephus, Michelle Dykman, Allison Fortuin, Shazné Harvey, Theané le Grange.
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Congratulations to our netball star Kylin Fourie who gained selection to the FS Schools U/18 A Team while Lulama
Khosa and Thato Mokhahle have been included in the U/19 FS Team. Girls selected for the FS U/16 Cheetah
Netball Team are: Lothabo Khasake, Hanti Britz and Oarabetsi Moloabi. Megan Roux was selected as reserve.
It is clear that Eunice‟s sports calendar which includes many national festivals is demanding in financial and
organisational ways. The professional management of our extra mural programme is a Eunice priority. Our two
deputy principals feature prominently in this regard with Mr Leon van Rensburg managing our sport by working
closely with Heads of Sport and staff and Mrs Mag Marais providing the professional management of our choir and
of all our school and sports uniforms. They both have other major responsibilities such as school discipline and
Mathematics teaching (Mr van Rensburg) and Christmas Market and Afrikaans teaching (Mrs Marais). It was
therefore a real blessing to re-acquire the services of Mr Stefan van Schalkwyk, our Sports Organiser, who had left
us at the end of February to take up a position as Manager of the Free State Rugby Union. We had decided not to
advertise his position at that stage. It was a fortunate decision as Mr van Schalkwyk found that his passion,
expertise and experience in the school sports environment was his preferred professional calling. He was back in
his Eunice office on the first of May with all Eunice stakeholders thrilled at his return. Miss Maryka Holtzhausen, our
joint head sports organiser led her provincial Crinums to the national title recently and, last week, led the Proteas to
a series netball victory over Scotland in Cape Town. We are truly fortunate to have such respected and competent
sports leadership. This is clearly evident in all Eunice local events and national tours.
On 1 – 2 August our sports girls (basically all team players) will travel to East London by bus to play Clarendon
Girls High School. Earlier this term we hosted Pretoria High School for Girls. We‟ll travel there in May 2015. It is
important to note that the cost of this Clarendon tour for over 300 girls will be R 750 payable on the first Friday of
term (25 July). Collecting this amount from so many girls is a major undertaking. Parents are asked to prepare in
advance for this derby tour which is a highlight for our girls. Our sports, chess, debating and public speaking teams
will be without our choir girls who will travel to Pretoria the same week for the national ATKV APPLOUS finals.
A very lucky group of 45 Eunice girls leaves on Monday, 30 June for their long awaited European adventure. This is
Mr Francois and Mrs Mag Marais‟ 9th tour – all on the same tried and tested highly educational itinerary. They fly
via London to Rome and on to Assisi, Florence, Pisa, Venice, Chamonix and Paris before heading back to London
on Eurostar. Their magical tour includes so many extras including the Vatican, Collosseum, Roman Forum, Gucci
Museum, glass factory, gondola ride, La Bravent, Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Euro Disney, the Houses of Parliament,
London Dungeon, Globe Theatre and the London Eye. Extra special are a performance of Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory and the Warner Bros Studio in London where the Harry Potter films were made. Bon Voyage
girls. I hope you appreciate this extraordinary privilege. The girls will be accompanied by Mrs June Norval, Mrs
Marthie de Wet and Mrs Rozanne Botha.
On Monday, Mrs Caroline Dibeco will retire from her lifetime‟s service at Eunice. In order to celebrate that service I
quote from my 2010 Closing Function Speech. “This evening I have invited Mrs Caroline Dibeco to distribute our
prizes. With 43 years of unbroken service Mrs Dibeco is Eunice‟s longest serving employee. She is not a teacher
but a member of our support staff who, over the years, has fulfilled various cleaning, cooking and laundry duties
both at Eunice and Eunice House. It may be a little unusual to have Mrs Dibeco as our guest of honour at an
academic function, but I want to highlight the role of our support staff to our community and I want each and every
one of them to feel that their service indirectly contributes to the excellence our girls receive. I want them to feel
that their life‟s work creates opportunities for our girls to become successful. Not a single one of our school or
hostel workers joined the strike last month and that says something about their commitment to this place. Caroline,
you‟ve always regarded these girls as your girls. Thank you for a lifetime of service to Eunice. Tonight you can
shake their hands on behalf of Eunice.”
I enjoyed many personal highlights this term including a final South African Girls‟ Schools Heads‟ conference
hosted in Johannesburg; a final visit to speak to Eunice Old Girls in Cape Town; and a six day private trip to
Germany to attend the wedding of special family friends. Eunice House will not be empty and quiet this holiday.
Enjoy having your daughters with you, especially boarder parents. I‟ll be preparing final presentations and
speeches in front of my daily TV dose of World Cup and Wimbledon matches. Thank you to all girls, staff and
parents for your input this term.
Please remember the R 750 Clarendon Derby (1 – 2 August) fee payable on 25 July.
Paul Cassar
Headmaster
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