Applewood Weekly Newsletter 29 September 2017
“The Illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”Alwin Toffler
On the weekend I had the privilege of attending the International Confederation of Principals Conference. The themes which emerged from the conference entitled, ‘Waves of Change’, were truly inspiring. Much of the popular study in education at the moment revolves around the changes in what we understand about the brain and the skills which will be required for success in the 21st century. The fact that the jobs many of our children will end up doing have not even been thought of is an amazing prospect. This new context of education means that we will need to radically transform our expectations. It means that the ability to communicate and adapt to change will become sought after traits. Our children will need to be able to work in teams, solve problems and have the ability to analyse and conceptualise. They will need to be able to reflect on and improve performance independently. The skills of creativity and innovation will be paramount to success. They will need to develop the ability to learn, unlearn and relearn as a matter of course. All of these attributes require true, deep learning; we are certainly in the most exciting of times in education. I am delighted at how many of these facets of learning are alive and well in our classrooms.
Sitting here, drafting this week’s newsletter, my thoughts drifted toward our visit from Mickelfield school on Wednesday afternoon. They seemed to find it particularly difficult to find our school and ended up touring the valley. This meant a good 30 minute wait, for our boys and girls, as well as a few parents who were in attendance. The opportunity was however not lost – Ms Louw arranged for our music students to perform. On the spur of the moment, they stood with all the confidence in the world and performed. I am not sure that there are many other schools who could arrange that at the drop of a hat. The Micklefield choir then performed and our choir reciprocated. What a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with a like-minded school. Applewood is indeed a very special place.
Last week the Somerset College Band made Applewood the first stop on their band tour. Our children were in awe of the talent displayed. Thank you to Professor Booysen for including us in his itinerary.
Wednesday night’s drama evening was a huge success. Thank you to Jaques van Jaarsveld who is responsible for drama in our school and well done to the boys and girls who performed with aplomb. The confident manner in which children performed was astounding.
Yesterday, at final assembly, a number of children were recognized for showing extraordinary effort in the classroom in the third term. Well done to those children. Such grit and determination is to be celebrated.
Last night Mrs Tuttleberg hosted the annual spring dance. Applewood children love this occasion and went all out to make it a very special evening. Thank you to Mrs T and her wonderful Grade 7 class for organising this function.
Please look out for the fourth term sports programme, a budget and fees letter from the Chairman of Council and the fourth term calendar, which will be emailed to you today. School opens on Monday, 16 October for a very short seven week term. Syncing the term calendar can sometimes be a real challenge. For this reason we have worked to make the calendar as complete as possible and do not anticipate any changes.
I would like to invite all parents who are interested in the building of a Swimming pool at Applewood to attend a meeting in our school hall on Wednesday, 18 October at 18:00. The meeting will involve a look at the scope of the project and address the way forward.
As part of an effort to raise funds for our swimming pool and, in the interests of developing an interest in mountain biking amongst our school, I will be undertaking the challenge of riding this year’s Wine2Whales (30 October - 1 November 2017). Mr Daz Muir will be my partner on this adventure. Watch this space for more news in this regard.
Please remember that the holiday club will run through the holiday from Monday next week. There are still spaces available should you want your children to attend.
It has been a wonderfully exciting third term. A great deal has been achieved in and out of the classroom. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our Applewood family a wonderful holiday period. May it be a peaceful and enriching rest before what promises to be a full and productive fourth term.
Ek was die afgelope naweek bevoorreg genoeg om die Internasionale Konfederasie van Skoolhoofde Konferensie by te woon. Die tema was voortgespruit het uit hierdie konferensie genaamd, “Winde van Verandering”, was ‘n ware inspirasie. Die draaipunt van baie huidige studies rondom die onderwys handel oor wat ons oor die brein verstaan en die vaardighede wat ons nodig het om suksesvol te wees in die 21ste eeu. Die feit dat so baie van ons kinders eendag werk sal moet verrig wat nog nie eens aan gedink is nie, is ‘n ongelooflike vooruitsig. Hierdie nuwe konteks in die onderwys betken dat ons, ons verwagtinge rondom die onderwys radikaal sal moet aanpas. Dit beteken dat die vermoë om te kan kommunikeer en te kan aanpas by verandering gesogte eienskappe sal word. Ons kinders sal moet leer om as ‘n span saam te werk, probleme op te los en die vermoë openbaar om te kan ontleed en konseptualiseer. Hulle sal moet kan reflekteer en onafhanklike aanpassings moet kan maak t.o.v. hul prestasie. Hulle sal die vermoë om te kan leer, verleer en oorleer moet ontwikkel. Al hierdie eienskappe verlang ware, intensiewe leer; ons is waarlik in een van die opwindendste tye in die onderwys. Ek is verjeug om te sien hoe baie van hierdie fasette is te vinde in ons klaskamers.
Terwyl ek hier sit, besig om hierdie week se nuusbrief saam te stel, het my gedagtes na Mickelfield se besoek op Woensdagmiddag gedwaal. Hulle het dit glo baie moeilik gevind om ons skool te vind en op die ou end ‘n toer deur ons vallei gevat. Dit het ‘n goeie 30 minute wag, vir ons seuns en meisies asook ‘n paar van ons ouers, te weeg gebring. Die geleentheid was egter nie verlore nie – Me. Louw het dit bewerkstellig dat van ons musiekkinders optree. Op die ingewing van die oomblik het hulle met al die selfvertroue in die wêreld opgetree. Ek is nie so seker dat daar so baie skole is wat dít op die ingewing van die oomblik kan regkry nie. Die Micklefield koor het daarna opgetree waarna ons dit met ons eie optrede ge-ewenaar het. Wat ‘n wonderlike geleentheid om saam met ‘n skool met ‘n soortgelyke denkwyse te werk. Applewood is inderdaad ‘n baie spesiale plek.
Verlede week het die Somerset College Orkes Applewood hulle eerste stop op hulle orkestoer gemaak. Ons kinders was stomgeslaan oor die talent wat ten toon gestel is. Ons dank aan Professor Booysen vir die insluit van Applewood in hulle reisplan.
Woensdagaand se drama-aand was ‘n reuse sukses. Dankie aan Jaques van Jaarsveld wie verantwoordelik is vir die drama in ons skool en welgedaan aan ons seuns en dogters wie met soveel selvertroue deelgeneem het.
Gister, tydens die finale saalbyeenkoms, het ‘n goeie aantal kinders erkenning ontvang vir die buitengewone pogings wat hulle gedurende die derde kwartaal aangewend het. Welgedaan aan daardie kinders. Sulke uithou- en deursettingsvermoë moet gevier word.
Gisteraand het Mev. Tuttleberg die Lentedans aangebied. Applewood se kinders is mal oor hierdie aangeleentheid en het alles in hulle vermoë gedoen om dit ‘n baie spesiale aand te maak. Dankie aan Mev. Tuttleberg en haar wonderlike groep Graad Sewes vir die reël van hierdie funksie.
Wees asseblief op die uitkyk vir die vierde kwartaal se sportprogram, ‘n brief deur die Voorsitter van die Raad oor die begroting en fooie en die vierdie kwartaal se kalender, wat vandag per epos aan u gestuur sal word. Skool heropen op Maandag, 16 Oktober vir ‘n baie kort sewe week lange kwartaal. Om die kwartaal se kalender te laat balanseer kan soms ‘n groot uitdaging wees. Vir hierdie rede het ons gepoog om die kalender so volledig as moontlik te maak en verwag ons nie enige veranderinge nie.
Ek nooi alle ouers wat belangstel in die bou van ‘n swembad by Applewood om op Woensdag, 18 Oktober om 18:00 ‘n vergadering in ons skoolsaal by te woon. Tydens hierdie vergadering sal die omvang van die projek en ‘n weg vorentoe aangespreek word.
As deel van ons pogings om fondse in te samel vir ons swembad en, in belang van die ontwikkeling van ‘n belangstelling in bergfietsry in ons skool, sal ek poog om hierdie jaar se Wine2Whales te ry (30 Oktober - 1 November). Mnr. Daz Muir sal my fietsrymaat wees tydens hierdie avontuur. Hou gerus hierdie spasie dop vir nog nuus in hierdie verband.
Onthou asseblief dat die Vakansieklub van volgende week en Maandag af regdeur die vakansie sal plaasvind. Daar is nog plek beskikbaar indien u, u kind sou wou laat deelneem.
Dit was waarlik ‘n wonderlike en opwindende derde kwartaal. Baie is binne en buite die klaskamers vermag. Ek wil van hierdie geleentheid gebruik maak om ons hele Applewood-familie ‘n wonderlike vakansietyd toe te wens. Mag dit ‘n vreedsame en verrykende tydperk van rus wees, voor wat beloof om ‘n vol en produktiewe vierde kwartaal te wees.
Apple Blossoms practising fine motor skills and learning about shapes
Number stories and problem solving
Learning letter sound H
Outdoor play in Pre-Primary
Grade 2 Outing Cape Town Science Centre
Random Act of Kindness. Making soup for the Senior Phase.
"Dollar a Day Project"
The Grade 4's were challenged to spend R10 on food for the day. Sophia Fitzhenry decided to share her food with a worker from Shoprite.
Grade 4's after their local cleanup in Oudebrug Weg.
GRADE 6 CEDERBERG CAMP
The Gade 6’s set off last Tuesday morning with the Cape Leopard Trust to the Cederberg. After five hours of driving we reached the camp in the Cederberg. We started with team activities. We learnt about the endemic animals to the Cederberg and more about the leopards. On Wednesday we had a lovely hike to a Ceder tree, followed by a quick swim in a natural pool. After the hike we visited a 530 million year old fossil site where everyone found at least two fossils. At Truitjies Kraal and Stadsaal Caves we found amazing rock art and then climbed in caves and went through tunnels.
The hike to Disa Pool was the best experience of the camp. The crazy children swam in the freezing cold water. The evenings were filled with star gazing and scorpion hunting. “Go buy Omo, what? Omo “ is all the teachers heard after the guides taught us the song. After all the fun we had to say goodbye to the Cederberg, it was an amazing experience that we will never forget!
By: Emma and Amber
Somerset College at Applewood
On the 22nd of September we were very fortunate to have Somerset College at Applewood. We were the first stop on their tour and their Jazz band captivated our children. They explained the different sections of the orchestra which was very informative and we were very proud to see two former Applewood students in the Orchestra - William Moodie (Grade 11) and Aninke Burger(Grade 10).
INVASION OF THE TRANSFORMERS AND AVENGERS
A few Transformers and Avengers have invaded our school library - all in the name of reading!
As part of this term's Club-L Read Adventure Challenge, our current Avengers (Top Readers) were assigned to change other Grade 4 to 7 children into Transformers (Upcoming Top Readers). This presented quite a challenge as they had to find the assigned players, find out what their reading interests were and help them to find just the right books to get them off the mark and playing - not to mention continuously encouraging them to finish reading their books!
Well done to our wonderful Avengers: Ciaran Simpson, Kara Smith, Fiona Boome, Amelia Kilpin and Emma Beukes for helping the following children to transform their reading to the level of Transformers: Quinn O'Keefe Easton, Abigail Henderson, Daniël van Wyk, Ankia Venter and Sebastian du Toit.
A very special congratulations to the following children for taking it one superhero leap further and reading to the level of Avengers (Top Readers): Hermann Cloete, Imanuela Manuel, Amber Mudge and Jeremy Young.
Watch out for more Applewood children transforming into avid readers - they will be landing straight after the holiday!
Reminder to please look at the school calendar on the school website for updates and to sync it with your mobile device on a regular basis.
Situated on Oak Valley – known for picturesque scenes. R6500 pm incl. water.