St Johns Preparatory School

St Johns Preparatory School Houghton Tel: 011 645 3100/ 087 550473 1 February 2013 Newsletter Number 1

From the Headmaster

Welcome back to all our boys, and an extra-special welcome to all Upper I boys, all new boys in other grades and to all our new staff - may your time at St Johns be long, and one of fulfillment and joy. On behalf of everyone at the Prep, I would like to congratulate Mr Cameron on his ordination as a Deacon last Saturday. Several of our staff members and parents had the privilege of attending this very special service at St Marys Cathedral. On Wednesday, I listened to Mr Cameron deliver his first sermon at the College Mass. He reminded the College boys and girls how fortunate they are to be part of a school with such a rich history. More importantly, he reminded them how privileged they are to be part of a church school and how significant that is and what it actually means. St Johns was founded by the Reverend John Darragh, the Rector of St Marys Church (now Cathedral) in 1898, when the city of Johannesburg was just 12 years old. In 1906, due to difficulties during the Anglo Boer War, St Johns was taken over by the Community of the Resurrection (an Anglo-Catholic order of missionary priests and lay brothers). In 1934, the Community of the Resurrection handed the school back over to the Diocese of Johannesburg and the Reverend Nobby Clarke was appointed as its headmaster. In 1954, Dean Yates became the first headmaster who was not a priest, although he was a lay minister. And so it can be stated that for the first 60 or so years, St Johns has been owned by the church as well as led by a priest and now, it seems the school has travelled the full circle. The Diocese still owns the school and we are extremely proud to have a Deacon leading us again many congratulations to you, Mr Cameron.

Reminders from the Diary

01/02 New Parents Tea Prep Immunisations UIII Eye Tests LIII & UIII English Assessments 04/02 Chess Matches 05/02 Parent Information Evening: Sex Education 08/02 LII & UII English Assessments LIII & UIII Maths Assessments 11/02 UIII Camp LIII Camp Chess Matches (Juniors) 12/02 Headmasters Assembly 15/02 LII & UII Maths Assessments 18/02 Chess Matches (Juniors) 19/02 Housemasters Assembly 21/02 HALF TERM

This made me wonder whether our Prep boys understand what it means to attend a faith-based school and what a privilege it is. In his book, Why not the Best Schools?, Brian Caldwell talks about Spiritual Capital, which he defines as the strength of moral purpose and the degree of coherence among values, beliefs and attitudes about life and learning (Caldwell, 2008:241). Faith-based schools can be seen to promote diversity as well as raise student achievement. But more than anything, I feel very blessed that the church provides the very foundation and structure for everything we do at St Johns and epitomises what community truly is.

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In every decision we make, we are guided by the church and its lessons and this has been so ever since our founders the Rev John Darragh and the Community of the Resurrection, built the solid foundations of this school over 115 years ago. Earlier this week. I became quite despondent when I discovered that some of the boys had a negative attitude towards what was being taught in their Divinity for Life lesson, and in fact, showed very little respect for our Chaplain. This was certainly not what our founders would have wanted. We are determined to continue making changes to ensure that our chapel services and our Divinity for Life curriculum remains relevant for our boys. However, any changes need to respect our rich history and Anglican traditions which have stood the test of time for 115 years. For example, this year, the Upper I boys will follow a programme before they are admitted to Communion at the end of Lower II. We are also examining ways of adapting our liturgy to make it more boy-friendly so that the boys may better understand its underlying message, no matter what faith or belief is actually practised at home. However, whilst we do respect all religions and we hope that all our boys and families do too, we are nevertheless an Anglican school and we do expect our boys to become fully involved in our Divinity for Life curriculum. I would encourage you all to speak to your sons about the significance of spirituality and to back your decision of sending them to a school like St Johns, knowing full well that it is an Anglican school, guided by a strong church compass. Our forefathers must have done something right over a century ago for this school to be what it is today and I believe it is our duty to ensure that it remains that way for generations to come. May I wish you all the very best for 2013.

Patrick Lees Headmaster

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Dear Patrick It is with great pride that the Sue Lubbe and Friends Trophy has to be handed to a school that has gone the extra mile and your school has been nominated as a finalist for this trophy we will be in touch as soon as we have had our first board meeting for the year and the board nominates the school. The 3 top schools have been nominated but now it is up to the board to make their final choice! Congratulations and Sue Lubbe and friends are proud to be connected to your school. Also a very special thank you to your shoe box project and the parcels that we received from your school! It was received with such jubilation and a tear or two! The main homes that received parcels were Huis Talje in Bela Bela a home for the disabled that are mainly abandoned! It was given to the children that were not profoundly disabled and could enjoy the parcels! We also handed a few to learners of various schools that I have been working with as individual families that are so desperate where both parents have lost their jobs and the children would have had a very bleak festive season if it had not been that the parcels were given to their children and through collections of food during the festive season we were able to make a huge difference to individual families with food too!

Well done to St. Johns College, you guys are awesome!

Much love and respect.

Sue Lubbe.

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From the Eagles study...

Getting organised
Being organised is possibly one of the most valuable gifts you can give yourself and your son. When your brain is organised, it is not struggling to keep track of many, many small details and so can focus more on the important aspects of school, like getting homework done properly, focusing in class, effectively planning a project or speech. Knowing things are packed, written down or already done allows the brain to be calm. A calm brain ensures your son has a happy day! There are two main areas to being organised: Outer or external organisation This involves time management, making check lists, packing bags the night before and always being aware of what is to come (the bigger picture). The Lower and Upper IIs have been busy for the last two weeks getting to grips with calendars. They have been shown how to display three months at a time, each month filled in with important academic dates (in red), afternoon sport (in blue), other extra murals such as music or karate (in green) and birthdays, sleep overs and other fun things in any other colour they like. The boys know it is a work in progress, and that some things will change. They understand they need to add items or cross out items as life runs its course. But the two most important rules are to display three months at a time, and the academic dates (assessments, project due dates, speech to be done) are written in red. The Upper and Lower IIIs will be starting this course next week. Please display these calendars where you and your son can see them every day. Inner or internal organisation The other aspect of being organised is to be able to deal effectively with the information given to you internal organisation; your thoughts. The younger boys have already been introduced to Thinking Maps, and the older boys will be covering these in detail soon. There are many different kinds of maps, each one designed to help organise the information according to what is needed. The boys will be introduced to all of them. These are to be viewed as tools for thinking, and, as such, should be flexible. Not all of them will suit all boys, but if each boy understands how he thinks, he will be able to decide which maps suit him best. There are many, many other kinds of frameworks, mind maps and tables out there to choose from, but the ones being used now have been proven to be extremely effective. It is a start *****

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Ollie the Organised Octopus has been used to help keep organisation top of mind with the boys. When things get out of hand, ask your son what Ollie might do he will find an answer! No one is perfect, and no one has a perfect system. However, making a start in one small area, such as displaying calendars, is a huge step towards becoming organised. Being disorganised leads to high levels of anxiety, and this, in turn, can lead to all sorts of behavioural problems. It is also not a habit that may come easily to many of us. Like all good things in life, it needs hard work and commitment. So, at the start of the year, when our thoughts often turn to making new resolutions, to trying to do something differently or to trying to improve our life style, I challenge you to take up the quest of Being Organised!

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Prep Reading Challenge 2013

This year we are trying something different with reading in the Prep for LIIs - UIIIs. The boys have been set a challenge to read a large variety of literary genres and participate in a number of reading-related activities. With every book they read and activity completed successfully, they will gain points for themselves and for their class. Below is a copy of what each boy has been given to help him with this challenge. Please encourage him to read, but allow him to make the choice as to what he reads. The emphasis is more on the reading and its enjoyment, rather than the competition i.e. he doesnt have to read a 500 page book that he is not enjoying just to get the points. Rather let him read many short books, if he enjoys them, and eventually he will come up with the points. Please contact me if you have any queries. Nicky Sulter 011 645 3119 sulter@stjohnscollege.co.za

Prep Reading Challenge 2013! Name: _______________________ Challenge Class: _____________ Possible points

Read ALL the books in one/two/three series. E.g. Wimpy Kid 2 points per book or Points awarded for level of difficulty and num- Lord of the Rings 10 points per book ber of books. Read five non-fiction books, one of which is a biography or autobiography, on any topic that interests you Read ten magazines on a sport or hobby that interest you Watch five movies based on a fiction book 2 for ea book up to 150pp 10 for ea book over 150pp 2 points ea 1 point ea

Read three books from which a movie has been 5 points ea made Read five +++ graphic novels or comics 2 points ea

Read at least three classic novels (see the list 15 points ea on \\tutu\prep)

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2 points ea 10 points ea 15 points 5 points ea

Read five picture books Read two novels by a South African writer Read an Afrikaans or isiZulu book or magazine Once you have completed the above, keep reading lots of books of your own choice. They also count.

Write a book review for the school newsletter see\\tutu\prep Library Reading Templates for guidelines Write an acrostic poem on one of the characters in your book - see\\tutu\prep Library Reading Templates Write a pithy post-it note review for a book and stick it on the cover for others to see Bring your membership card from the Public Library Create your own book cover for a book see\\tutu\prep Library Reading Templates Recommend a book or series of books to your friend Ask one of the teachers or your parents about their favourite book(s) now and when they were growing up Write a book/movie review, comparing the pros and cons of the book versus the movie (\\tutu\prep) Give a friend a book or e-book voucher for his birthday Donate one of your favourite books to the library on your birthday Read a passage from a book that you have found meaningful. Explain why you chose that passage Give a talk at assembly to persuade boys to read a book you have enjoyed RULES:

15 points

10 points

5 points 10 points + fizz pop 15 points 2 points (if they read it) 15 points 15 points 5 points 5 points 10 points 20 points

The Challenge runs from the beginning of the Christmas holidays 2012 until the end of October 2013 all books read during that time will qualify. NB: 50 bonus points for completing ALL the activities above You cannot use the same book(s) for different categories There will be prizes for winning classes each term and for the winning reader of the year. All the templates and recommended book lists for these are on\\tutu\prep under Library Reading Templates

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SPORTS CAPTAINS - EASTER TERM 2013

Basketball Captain Thami Nondo Vice Mike Ontong Chess Captain Brendan Thomas Vice Hraklis Papageorgiou Cricket Captain Shaun Jacobs Vice Ethan Chilvers Golf Captain - Bradley Dunbar Swimming Captain Stefano Cavalieri Vice A Simon Shelton Vice B Luca Allasio Waterpolo To be announced later in the term

4CTea 2013
For Settling In So Well At Their New School Deckland Nichols Liam Petersen Kgosi Mashugane

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58 Millboum Road Bertrams 2094 POBox 16612 Doornfontein 2028 Tel: ( O 1 l ) 614 -3245

A Home to Heal Abused Women and their Children

Little Saints of Bethany

Fax: (011) 624 - 2647

13th December 2012 ST JOHNS PREPARATORY SCHOOL Attention : Dave Odgers Dear Dave and Karen, On behalf of all our beautiful little children and their mums, I would like to thank you very much for the very thoughtful and beautiful gifts for all the children and their mums. Thank you for making Christmas so special for them. Please convey our gratitude to all the mums and children who contributed towards this magnificent donation. Thank you for making Christmas so memorable for all our residents. It is only care and kindness such as yours that we are able to make Bethany a place people can really call Home. Presently we have 24 children and 26 women in our Home and the joy of watching the women fulfill their dreams is just so rewarding. It is quite amazing that no matter how hopeless and helpless people feel when they arrive, we can always find their potential and talent, and work from there. What has become very obvious to us is that everyone, no matter how uneducated and emotionally destroyed, has a talent. It is such a privilege to be able to do this work and bring about a sense of self worth. It is only ongoing support and kindness such as yours that enables us to meet all the needs in our Home. Thank you for making a difference. From all of us at Bethany we wish you and your families a very blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with love, peace, joy and happiness. God bless you all. Best wishes, Bridget Edwards Manager
Bethany is run by the Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic Churches and the Family of God Community
Vision: To create a caring environment in which abused women and their children find healing through Gods love

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Notices
iCare
Whilst we hope and anticipate that all boys will feel able to approach their teachers or a member of staff should they feel that something is wrong, we understand that this will not always be the case. Some boys may feel unsure of how to approach a staff member or unsure of what they should say. For this reason we are continuing to use the iCare box, which is now located in Mrs Powells office. We also have an electronic version where boys can contact the Pastoral Care Team at iCare@stjohnscollege.co.za. The Pastoral Care team is hoping that the boys make use of these initiatives to highlight anything that they CARE about at St Johns Prep.

The aim is to provide the boys with an alternative avenue to voice their feelings around whatever may be on their minds. This extends beyond the reporting of just peer difficulties (such as bullying) the aim is to further enhance the quality of the St Johns experience. All notes placed in the box or sent via email will be treated confidentially and actions instituted where possible.

We ask that you encourage your son to make use of the iCare initiative so that we can make his day all that he hopes it can be. Hugo Meirim meirim@stjohnscollege.co.za

AFRIKAANS TUITION Is your son struggling to communicate in Afrikaans or having difficulty mastering the basics of the language (oral or written)? I am qualified to assist in both of the above areas and would be available to provide the necessary tuition between 15:00 and 18:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at St Johns Preparatory. Tuition will be provided on either a one-to-one basis or in group situations, lessons will last for an hour. Progress will be regularly monitored and pupils will be expected to perform certain tasks and complete basic written assignments. Tuition fees for individual lessons are R250 per hour and R150 per hour for group sessions. Should you be interested in the above, my contact details are as follows: Graham Carroll Tel : 011 534 1224 Fax : 011 534 1225 Cell : 076 858 9420 E-mail : carroll@stjohnscollege.co.za

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Notices
Art club and extra classes
From the beginning of next term, Mr Poco is starting an Art Club (for LIII and UIII boys) and extra art classes for junior boys. Senior boys are encouraged to join the Art Club on Tuesdays from 14h00 -15h00 or Thursdays from 15h00-16h00. Juniors may arrange extra art lessons with Mr Poco at alternative times and on alternative days. We hope to see the senior boys joining the Art Club to create various exciting art works with mediums they do not normally use in class, such as print making, photography, oil painting and many more. This will be a fantastic opportunity for any boy who wishes to develop his art skills. For further information e-mail Bruno Poco on poco@stjohnscollege.co.za

Italian Language Lessons

Small age appropriate classes and individual tuition offered outside school hours at St Johns. Experienced mother-tongue graduate teacher using communicative method of conversation, maintaining cultural ties for solid IEB foundation. Contact Lisabetta on 082 682 2859 or Lisabetta@iafrica.com

EXTRA MATHS LESSONS

Lower III & Upper III boys in Mrs De Langes classroom Every Thursday 14h00 - 15h00 (Teacher recommendation only)

St Johns College Shop New opening times from 28th January 2013
Tuesday and Thursday: 7am to 3pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 10am to 3pm For stationery and labels, as well as all your sports clothes, jerseys, bags and socks

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OUR STRENGTHS

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Once upon a time, the animals decided that they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the new world, so they organized a school. They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer, all of the animals took all of the subjects. The duck was excellent at swimming. In fact, he was better than his instructor. However, he made only passing marks in flying and was very poor at running. Since he was so slow in running, he had to drop his swimming class and do extra running. This caused his webbed feet to become badly worn, meaning that he dropped to an average mark in swimming. Fortunately, average was acceptable, therefore nobody worried about it - except the duck. The rabbit started at the top of the class in running, but developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because he had so much makeup work to do in swimming. The squirrel was excellent in climbing, but he encountered constant frustration in flying class because his teacher insisted that he start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He developed cramps from overexertion, so he ended up with a C in climbing and a D in running. The eagle was a real problem student and was severely disciplined for being a non-conformist. In climbing class, he beat all of the others to the top, but insisted on using his own way of getting there! The principle here is that we each have our own strengths and need to be working hard to maximize them, not handicap our potential by becoming good at something that isnt natural for us.

Author Unknown