Team Building Tournament
Year 4 students enjoyed a lovely morning of team building to end the term. Coach Fabein from FP Sports and his team of professional coaches organised some fun activities for the classes to complete in a Round Robin competition. The students had a great time and Mrs du Plessis’ class won the challenge overall.
We would like to thank our wonderful team of coaches for the care and support that they show our students every day. We look forward to a well-deserved holiday and to come back refreshed and ready in Term 4.
Yvette Fourie
Year 4 Teacher
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From the Principal’s Desk, 17 June 2021
Dear Parents
This may be a long newsletter but contains very important information.
NON-ACADEMIC DAY – THURSDAY, 24 June
Our students have worked hard these last six months and we have decided they deserve some fun on the second-last day of the term. Please find the relevant details for Foundation Phase, KS 1, KS 2 and the High School for Thursday, 24 June.
Foundation Phase:
Foundation Phase students must dress up in any colour of the rainbow. They will participate in creative activities that will take place both indoors and outdoors. Students may be collected from 13:30.
Key Stage 1:
Key Stage 1 students must dress up in any colour of the rainbow. They will participate in art and science activities and a scavenger hunt. Key Stage 1 students may be collected from 13:30.
Key Stage 2:
Key Stage 2 will be holding a Games Day. Students may come to school wearing civvies and will spend the day playing a variety of games in their classrooms. The Games Day will end at 14:00.
High School:
High school students will participate in an Inter-house Winter Olympics. Students need to dress in civvies that correspond to their house colours (Bodiam: green; Leeds: blue; Windsor: red). There are a variety of games in which they can participate. Some games will require students to bring supplies (e.g., tape or scissors) so students should take note of ‘required materials’ when signing up for an event. House points will be awarded to the leading house in each event, as well as the best-dressed house and the house that displays the most spirit. High school students may leave from 13:30.
The Matrics will be selling cupcakes on the day. Students from all phases are encouraged to bring money to support them.
Please note that Covid-19 protocols will be adhered to at all times.
YEAR 6 & 7 PARENT EVENING
We are currently planning a parent information evening for Year 6 & 7 parents and students. This will take place early in the 3rd term. We will communicate details soon.
2022 SCHOOL CALENDAR
This will be circulated to parents by the end of the week. I trust it will help when planning your holidays – Covid dependant, of course.
COVID-19
Let me assure you that all necessary protocols are followed at school, i.e.. wearing masks, sanitizing and social distancing. As the 3rd wave takes hold in the Western Cape, we are on high alert and will do everything possible to ensure our community stays healthy.
Our school term ends next Friday, 25th June and Term 2 work has, mostly, been concluded. We have some other academic and fun activities planned for the remainder of the term and this requires the presence of students at the school.
Before school resumes for Term 3 on Tuesday 20th July, we will make an informed decision regarding online classes. Should the 3rd wave be of such a nature that it poses a risk for our school community, we will not hesitate to consider online classes after discussions with the Board and sister schools.
We will communicate this to parents during the last week of the holidays (12th – 16th July).
Please be assured that the school will do everything in our power to minimize the risks at school.
Thank you for understanding and working with us to fight Covid and the winter colds.
STAFF CHANGES
The following staff changes will come in effect at the beginning of Term 3:
Mr Julian Harrison has a change of title and will now be the title of Cambridge Examinations Administrator.
Mrs Carmen de Villiers has been appointed as High School Coordinator (Year 7 – 12).
Mrs Katherine Nel has been appointed as Key Stage 2 Coordinator (Year 3 – 6).
Ms Yvette Fourie has been appointed as Year 4 teacher in the place of Mrs Marlize Keyser.
Mr Louis Marais has been appointed as Year 7 & 8 Maths and Science teacher in the place of Ms Tayla Shergold-Smith.
Ms Michellene Williams has been appointed as IGCSE and AS/A Level English teacher in the place of Ms Alice Pryor.
Mrs Sheila Marais takes on the portfolios of SRC (High School) and Discipline (Whole School).
FEATURE PHOTO
Our main newsletter photograph features Mrs Avril Lai Wing. Mrs Lai Wing is our Administration Secretary at school.
Avril started at BIS on 1 March 2019. She was born in Cape Town and is the third youngest of 7 children. She recently celebrated 23 years of marriage with the love of her life, Brent. They have 2 wonderful children, Tamika 22 who’s an internationally certified PRO make-up artist and Mikhail 15, an enthusiastic soccer player who dreams of going pro one day. Avril worked in the corporate industry for many years, one of it being advertising where she worked in reception but also did voiceovers and jingles for ads. However, she always had a desire to work with children and was fortunate to be granted an opportunity to work in the first collaboration school in Cape Town as a remedial support assistant teacher for 3 years before joining BIS as the Administration Secretary.
5 facts about Avril:
- She is a motivational speaker at events, specifically women’s events like church high teas, ladies’ retreats, couples retreats and youth camps, but her absolute favourite is doing stand-up comedy emceeing at events.
- She loves entering competitions and has won quite a few over the years which included 2 big ones. The 1st being Brent and herself being the first runner ups of a SA Bridal Couple of the Year competition shortly after they got married and the winner of the Volvo V40 T3 Sport Pack in the KFM Pumped up for summer competition in Nov 2013.
- Avril and two of her sisters have been an acapella trio since their childhood and have performed at many events over the years. She has also directed church youth choirs and young adult choirs.
- Avril loves camping and the outdoors, especially nature reserves and off-roading.
- She screams blue murder when someone scares her but has the warped desire to explore a ghost house one day!
WEEKLY THOUGHT: Our Reaction to Others’ Actions
“When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inward and examine ourselves.” – Gustave Courbet
Our actions are so often influenced by how we view the actions of others. Courbet understood this and provided some valuable advice in the quote above.
He describes two scenarios in life:
Firstly, when we see a man of worth – an individual of exemplary character – we should make it our mission to equal him. But if we’re very honest with ourselves, this usually isn’t our first thought when we come across someone walking the “straight and narrow” road of integrity and truth. Instead of wanting to imitate such a person, we often look for something they do wrong, or at the very least, remark that we “can’t live up to such standards”. Courbet encourages us to react in a positive manner towards someone displaying positive attributes.
In the second (and perhaps more common) scenario, Courbet states that, when we see a man with a contrary – flawed and perverted – character, we should first look inward and examine ourselves. Do you find this difficult? I know I do! If we’re like most people, the first thing we want to do is to immediately correct someone acting in the wrong way. Courbet, on the other hand, advises us to first examine ourselves. He understood something of human nature that few people do – the fact that the character flaws we so easily spot in others are the very flaws we battle with most ourselves.
In this second, more challenging, scenario, we’re encouraged to react in a positive manner again, even when confronted with someone else’s flawed character. We are to use these instances as mirrors to examine ourselves.
May we consider this French painter’s advice in each of our interactions with others in the week ahead and see if we can apply it. By doing so, we will most certainly continue to grow and develop as individuals.
Let’s always consider Courbet’s advice when working with each other in Prepaid24 and when working with our clients. If we do, we will gain far more than we could possibly imagine.
Have a fruitful weekend and stay warm.
Andre
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