Myanmar NOW - အင္တာဗ်ဴး။ (မိုးမခ) ၾသဂုတ္ ၈၊ ၂၀၁၈
(Myanmar Now) Interviews Min Ko Naing Applewood Weekly Newsletter 4 August 2017
I came across the image above that caught my eye during the week. What I really admire about Einstein is his ability to make things simple. These life lessons make so much sense and could easily be applied to our very busy, everyday lives.
The holidays seem a distant memory already. I hope that you and your family had a wonderful holiday and that the first two weeks back have been good for you all. Welcome to the 3rd term. This term is traditionally the quiet term – is there really such a thing? As the days are already starting to lengthen, we look forward to a wonderfully exciting term.
I am very pleased to announce that our numbers have climbed from 167 at the beginning of the year to 184 presently. We have welcomed 10 new children and their families this term. Please do your best to get to know who they are and make them feel welcome. I will be meeting with parent representatives and other role players during the course of this term to discuss the growing of our school. I would like to aim to start with 200 children in 2018. This is a collective effort and I would welcome any suggestions in this regard.
You may have noticed some of the work that was completed during the holidays. I would like to thank Hendrik Steyn for the wonderful renovations he completed in the Pre-Primary. We look forward to being able to complete the development of an aftercare facility in the near future, once plans have been approved. Thank you to Stephan Beukes who tackled the drainage of our main field. A great deal of work was done to divert excess water to the sides of the field and move it into drains, thus preventing the field from becoming waterlogged. Mrs Kruger and the maintenance team worked pretty much through the holidays to secure the fencing around the Pre-Primary and enlarge the playing area for, in particular, the Apple Blossom class. I really appreciate the time and effort that so willingly goes into the development of our school from so many people.
A few things to look forward to this term:
• Cyber Bullying presentation by Diane Kilpin - 8 August at 17:30 (Aftercare available)
• Women's Day - 9 August
• A number of Rugby, Netball and Hockey fixtures
• U13 Rugby mini-tour to Ruens College - 25 August
• Inter-School’s cross country at Applewood - 1 September
• Inter-House sport and Boeresport – 16 September
• JP talent show – 14 September
• Senior Drama evening – 27 September
On the staffing front we look forward to a number of professional development opportunities this term. Mrs Roston attended a Junior Primary Development course at St Peter’s in Johannesburg on the weekend. On Friday afternoon seven of our teachers attended an IRB rugby coaching course – I just loved their enthusiasm and the manner in which they got stuck in. Two staff members will attend the Teach Conference in Grahamstown at the beginning of September. This conference is entitled ‘Courageous Conversations’ and looks at the many interesting challenges we face in education in South Africa today. A number of our teachers will attend a talk on ADHD in Somerset West. Some of our teachers will be attending a gross motor workshop at the ETAL Development centre. I will be hosting a Sports Indaba with the staff and one or two key role players to explore what we do in Sport at Applewood. The idea is to formulate a vision for Sport in the school making best use of our resources.
Applewood recognised Mandela Day on Thursday and Friday last week. Children got involved in peeling, cutting, blending and stirring of fresh ingredients to make some mouthwatering soup as well as sandwiches. Thank you to parents who supplied the ingredients to make this all possible. The soup and sandwiches was collected by Siphila Sonke and distributed to a number of very grateful recipients.
A great deal of investigation has, and continues to go into the building of a swimming pool at Applewood. We have a much clearer picture of what this entails and we are currently investigating the total cost of the project. Many folk have indicated that they would like to contribute financially to the building of such a resource and we have received a number of donations for which we are very appreciative. Currently this fund stands at around R750 000. I would like you to look out for the pool grid which will be posted outside the main office. This grid is a visual representation of funds raised for the swimming pool. You are welcome to contribute by purchasing a block on this grid ranging in value from R100 to R27 500. Once all the blocks are sold we would have raised an amount in excess of R4 500 000.
Our hockey teams enjoyed a wonderful fixture against Rhenish on Thursday. Our teams produced a very pleasing level of hockey and managed to secure a few good wins. It was great to see a large number of parents there to support. We look forward to the rugby and netball tournament at Curro Hermanus on Saturday.
Soup and sandwiches for Mandela Day for Siphila Sonke
Die prentjie hierbo het toevallig deur die loop van die week my oog gevang. Wat ek regtig van Einstein bewonder, is sy vermoë om alles so eenvoudig te maak. Hierdie lewenslesse maak soveel sin en kan maklik aanklank vind by ons besige, alledaagse lewens.
Die vakansie voel reeds soos ‘n langvergete gedagte. Ek hoop dat u en u familie ‘n wonderlike vakansie gehad het en dat die eerste week terug ‘n goeie een vir u almal was. Welkom by Kwartaal Drie. Hierdie kwartaal is oudergewoonte ‘n stil een – is daar regtig so iets? Soos die dae reeds begin langer raak, sien ons uit na ‘n wonderlike en opwindende kwartaal.
Ek is verjeug om te kan aankondig dat ons getalle van die begin van die jaar tot nou van 167 na 184 geklim het. Ons het hierdie kwartaal reeds 10 nuwe kinders en hulle gesinne hier verwelkom. Wend asseblief ‘n spesiale poging aan om te weet wie hulle is en hulle te laat welkom voel. Ek sal gedurende die kwartaal met ouerverteenwoordigers en ander rolspelers ontmoet om die groei van ons skool te bespreek. My mikpunt is om 2018 met 200 kinders af te skop. Hierdie is ‘n gemeenskaplike poging en ek verwelkom enige voorstelle in hierdie verband.
U mag dalk opgelet het dat daar werk gedurende die vakansie verrig is. Ek wil graag vir Hendrik Steyn bedank vir die pragtige aanbouings wat hy by die Pre-Primêr voltooi het. Ons sien daarna uit om in ‘n posisie te wees om ook die bou van ‘n nasorg fasiliteit in die nabye toekoms te kan voltooi, sodra die bouplanne goedgekeur is. Dankie aan Stephan Beukes wie die dreinering op ons hoof sportveld aangepak het. Baie werk is gedoen om oortollige water weg te keer na die kante van die veld binne-in dreine in en sodoende te voorkom dat die veld deurdrenk raak. Mev. Kruger en haar onderhoudspan het ook die grootste deel van die vakansie gewerk om die Pre-Primêr se omheining te vergroot en sodoende die speelarae, vir veral die Apple Blossoms, te vergroot. Ek waardeer werklik die tyd en moeite wat so vrywilliglik deur so baie mense aan die ontwikkeling van ons skool afgestaan word.
‘n Paar dinge om hierdie kwartaal na uit te sien:
• Afknouery in Kuberruimtes aangebied deur Diane Kilpin – 8 Augustus (nasorg)
• Nasionale Vrouedag - 9 Augustus
• ‘n Aantal Rugby, Netbal en Hokkie wedstryde
• O/13 Rugby mini-toer na Ruens College – 25 Augustus
• Inter-Skole Landloop by Applewood – 1 September
• Inter-Huis sport en Boeresport – 16 September
• JP Talentaand – 14 September
• Senior Drama-aand – 27 September
Op die gebied van personeel het ons hierdie kwartaal ‘n hele aantal professionele ontwikkelingsgeleenthede om na uit te sien. Mev. Rostron het die afgelope naweek ‘n Junior Primêre Onwikkelingskursus by St Peter’s in Johannesburg bygewoon. Op Vrydagmiddag het sewe van ons onderwysers ‘n IRB rugby afrigtingskursus bygewoon – ek was mal oor die entoesiasme en wyse waarop almal net ingespring het. Twee personeellede sal aan die begin van September die “Teach Conference” in Grahamstad bywoon. Hierdie konferensie is getiteld “Courageous Conversations” en kyk na die baie interessante uitdagings wat ons huidiglik in Suid-Afrikaanse onderrig in die gesig staar. ‘n Klompie van ons onderwysers sal die praatjie oor ADHD in Somerset-Wes bywoon. Sommige van ons onderwysers sal grootspierontwikkelings- werkswinkel by die Et Al Ontwikkelingsentrum bywoon. Ek sal ‘n Sport Indaba met die personeel en een of twee sleutel rolspelers hou om dit wat ons in Applewood Sport doen verder te verken. Die idee is om, deur ons hulpbronne optimaal te benut, ‘n visie vir Sport in die skool te formuleer.
Applewood het verlede Donderdag erkenning aan Mandela Dag gegee. Die kinders het betrokke geraak by die afskil, opsny, verpulping en roer van vars bestanddele om watertand-lekker soppe en toebroodjies te maak. Dankie aan die ouers wie die bestanddele voorsien het om dit moontlik te maak. Die sop en toebroodjies is deur Siphila Sonke afgehaal en aan ‘n hele klompie verdienstelike en baie dankbare partye uitgedeel.
Geweldig baie navorsing het reeds, en sal steeds afgestaan word aan die bou van die swembad by Applewood. Ons het ‘n baie duideliker prentjie van wat dit behels en ons is tans in die proses om die totale koste van die projek te bepaal. Baie mense het aangedui dat hulle finansieel tot die bou van so ‘n hulpbron wil bydra en ons het reeds ‘n hele klompie donasies ontvang waarvoor ons baie dankbaar is. Die fonds staan tans by nagenoeg R750 000. Ek wil u aanmoedig om op die uitkyk te wees vir die swembadrooster wat buitekant die hoof kantoor opgesit sal word. Hierdie rooster is ‘n visuele voorstelling van die fondse wat vir die swembad ingesamel is. U is baie welkom om by te dra deur ‘n blok ter waarde van R100 tot en met R27 500 te koop. Teen die tyd wat al die blokke verkoop is, sal ons nagenoeg R4 500 000 ingesamel het.
Ons sien uit na Saterdag se rugby en netbaltoernooi by Curro Hermanus.
Geniet ‘n fantastiese week.
Grade 3 Veggie Garden
The Grade 3's had a good harvest of cabbage and their carrots are almost ready.
Pre-Primary children having fun and loving the tractor!
Busy Bees learning all about Dinosaurs!
Client references in Elgin available