PS Newsletter No. 3 2014 ‘Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire.’ ~W.B. Yeats 27 March 2014 NOTES FROM THE OFFICE OF THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Head’s Message 1 Senior Primary phase 1/2 Foundation Phase 3 Learning Centre and Sports News 4 Communication 4 Gr 4— 4—7 Assessments 27th Mar— Mar—04 April Interschool Athletics 5 April Enjabulweni Day 12 April Grade 8 Open Entrance Tests 12 April Book Week 7—11 April Eisteddfod adjudication 9 April Eisteddfod evening 15 April valuable for our day-to-day programme. Thank you to the PTA and to the Enjabulweni community at large for their amazing support for the Enjabulweni Day on the 12th April. So much work has been done to put the FUN in the FUNdraising—to quote the chairman of our PTA, Mrs Tasmia Young. We need your help too. Please contact either a member of PTA or the office to offer your support in any way—we are hosting the Inter Schools Athletics here at school on Saturday. Support our team! The tradition of Grade 4 volcanoes erupting must rate as one of the highlights of the Grade 4 academic programme! Lots of fun and much learning about the change of state in Science. Learning and fun was the order of the day for the practical Science assessment in Grade 4 to 7. Thank you to our teachers for the careful planning thereof and for enabling the students to continue learning in a very practical enviThe 24 hour rule: if a parent, learner or ronment. teacher has a problem the 24 hour rule enAs the end of term approaches we are all sures that we provide solutions instead of conscious of the need to focus— allowing problems to fester. Discuss the assessments compiled and written, examiproblem with the first person in line, either nations to prepare for and then the allthe teacher or the Head of Department. If important document the Term 1 Report. after 24 hours no solution is in sight then Thank you to the staff and to parents for take this concern to the next level. If after their efforts in ensuring that standards are 24 hours there is no evidence of support met and that our children are given the please do not hesitate to contact me. Mrs best possible chance to reach their full poMagwaza will make an appointment as a tential. Parents are reminded that tests are matter of urgency. written regularly and should be signed and returned to school; homework notebooks Kind regards are tools of communication which are in- Mrs K. Thompson MOO POO RENTALS! For just E10 you can rent a one metre square piece of the bottom field on the 12th April. Once we have ‘rented’ all the plots, we will invite a Young moo to do its poo on the field of identified plots. If the moo does its thing on your plot you will win ten percent ( 10%) of the takings. We are renting 1690 plots. Send your E10 to the class teacher early in order to book the best plot. The class that rents the most plots receives a free civvies day. SUPPORT YOUR PTA TODAY! 1 senior Primary Phase News Good day to all parents and learners! The phrase above rings so true in our everyday lives as we watch the children grow through all the fun, challenges and daily experiences that take place. The excitement on their faces when they arrive at school and see their friends and throughout the course of the day as they learn many new exciting things; the laughter filled break times and enthusiasm to participate in their sporting activities at the end of the day! I have, during the course of the last two weeks, been reminded why I love my job so much, as I have watched the Grade 4’s explain and demonstrate their Volcano projects to their classmates and fellow learners. The excitement as the volcanos have erupted and the ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ fill the air and their faces are filled with pride for their achievements. Learning through play! This cannot be said without a big thank you to the parents who have played a major role in assisting their children through this process, beginning with their research, building and ending with very creative and interesting looking volcanos. Your continued involvement in your children’s lives is an invaluable time spent and I am sure, that much like myself, you enjoyed it too!! *Pictures of the children and their volcanoes will be posted on the website. BOOK WEEK Monday 7 April to Friday 11th April Monday is Pyjama day – Learners are allowed to come to school wearing their pyjamas and are required to bring a book to read! Friday is Book Character Dress-Up day – Learners are allowed to come dressed up as their favourite book character. Prizes for the best dressed! We would like to request that during the course of Book week that each Learner donates a book for the school Library. Their names will be put into the front of the book they donate. The Travelling Bookshop will be available to sell books to us during the course of this week. There are a variety of books sold and these come at a fraction of the cost that you would buy them for in a bookshop. You are welcome to either send your child/children with money to purchase a book for themselves or come and browse through and purchase books yourself. Remember – Books are lovely presents to give and receive too! th      2 Foundation Phase News We still need parents to volunteer as marshals for our Enjabulweni Day Cycle races on Saturday the 12th April. Each class is in need of at least two volunteering parents for this duty (not every parent is made to ride a bicycleJ). Among the things you will need to do as a marshal are: aiding the little ones who just cannot go any further on their bikes, fetching the injured ones and taking them to a first aid point etc. Please, please volunteer yourself as a marshal to your child’s class teacher. We use the envelope system at school for any money sent to your class teacher for all the little bits. Please label the envelope with your child’s name and what the money is for. Birthdays: Please send cupcakes and allow your child to wear civvies on his/her birthday. Afternoon activities: Please ensure that your child has packed his/her sports kit for the day/s that he/she is participating in an activity. There are far too many children without the correct clothing and they will be sitting detention on their third offence. Eisteddfod Adjudication: Our Eisteddfod adjudication is happening on the 9th April. Please continue practising with your child so that they can do their best! Thank you to those parents who have donated a book/books to our classroom reading corners. If you have not already donated a book, please donate at least one book to your child’s class reading corner for the year. Some children have brought their own puzzles to school, to use for the year and I would like to encourage all parents to send a puzzle to be used by your child for the year. PTA COMMITTEE: PARENT REPRESENTATIVES: TEACHER REPRESENTATIVES Chairman: Mrs Tasmia Young 7695 7024 Mrs Renata Johnston 7813 3773 Vice Chairman: Mrs Catrien Potgieter 7614 3621 Mrs Sharon Pieterse 7605 5955 Treasurer: Mrs Leeann Young 7604 5093 Mr Craig Mhlanga 7621 4847 Assistant Treasurer: Shaun Carmichael 7603 3800 Mrs Doreen Mdluli 7605 3346 Secretary: Mrs Janine Thomas: 7608 5554 Mrs Kathy Thompson 7607 7057 Facilitator: Mr Bruce Larkan 7602 4163 Members: Mr Dean Johnston 7606 0098; Mrs Gcabsie Dlamini; Ms Nonhlanhla Mkhaliphi 7628 3250; Ms Gillian Fruhwith 7626 9873 URGENT: BOOK YOUR STALLS WITH ANY PTA MEMBER FOR THE 12TH APRIL NOW! 3 Learning Centre News We are on the web: www.enjabulweni.ac.sz Contact the school Phone: 2505 - 3152/5690 Fax: 2505 - 5675 E-mail: [email protected] PO Box 518 Manzini Communication Parents are encouraged to keep the channels of communication open. Our doors are always open; teachers, Heads of Department and the Head of School are available for consultation as and when necessary. A call to Mrs Magwaza, the school secretary, is all that is needed to make an appointment at a convenient time for the teacher concerned. E-mail Mrs Pieterse at: [email protected] Mrs Johnston at: [email protected] Mrs Thompson [email protected] Student’s Yoga Offered with over 10 years experience:  Ballet teacher  Yoga instructor  Fitness coach On the 2nd of April we celebrate World Autism Day. Autism is a condition that affects the way a child responds to the world around him. The child’s social communication and interaction is affected. The child also presents with restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour. At the Learning Centre we have children that have Autism. To celebrate this day the Enjabulweni staff and Learning Centre children came to school clad in blue. Light blue is the official colour for autism. Our therapists were invited to attend the World Autism Awareness Day held at St Joseph’s Mission School where the theme was,” I love someone with autism”. The Learning Centre class went on a trip to Mantenga Cultural Village, where flyers about autism have been distributed by them. The children learnt a lot about the Swazi Culture whilst the Mantenga Villagers learnt a lot about autism. It was an enlightening day for all! Sports News Welcome to the last stretch of the term. We have our Inter Schools Athletics Day on Saturday, 5 April. This will be held at Enjabulweni and starts at 09:00 and will finish at 15:00, with athletes being required to be at school no later than 08:15. We would really like to encourage anybody that can to come and support our athletes on Saturday, it is always so nice to hear the encouragement from the stands. Our PTA will be selling refreshments and the day is set to be an exciting one. Our Extra Mural Timetable continues as it is until the 10 April, with our Inter House Cricket taking place on Tuesday, 8 April and Inter House Rounders taking place on 9 April. We have a number of private classes hosted at Enjabulweni for your convenience. Karate takes place on a Monday from 3pm to 4pm in our hall. There is Stepsync on a Friday afternoon at 13:00 in our hall and we have a new activity that we are trying to introduce on a Wednesday afternoon at 3pm in the hall. Benefits: This is rope jumping, the children are taught many skills and have a great deal Teaches focus, relieves stress, of fun at the same time. Anyone who is interested can contact Mr Bhekive increased flexibility, weight loss, Makhanya at 7661 7167 for more information. tones the body, improves strength and great coWe look forward to the continuing support of our parents at our sporting ordination! functions this term. Our sporting motto this term is: DO YOUR BEST TO BE YOUR BEST. For ages 8 and above E130.00/month Contact: 76124922 Email: [email protected] 4