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16 April 2021

Dear Parents

What a wonderful array of smiling faces arrived on Tuesday morning for the start of our new term.  Thank you to all parents that ensured that their boys are neatly dressed with neat haircuts.

The Principal, in his newsletter at the end of the term, commented again on this issue and I think it is important to share it with you. As a school, from Grade N to matric, we share the same philosophy and values and address the issues he outlines in an age appropriate way throughout a boy’s career; in LO lessons, assemblies, Divinity, in fact in every contact situation in different ways.

 

At our final assembly of term, I spoke to the boys about the disciplinary process that plays out should something go wrong. While there is an understandable desire for people to be kept informed of process and consequence, that is not always possible in a school situation as we are dealing with minors. Whenever there is an issue to be dealt with, we will do so in an educational manner, keeping the best interests of the boys and the school at heart. We are fully aware that some may feel this “sweeps matters under a carpet”. I assure you nothing could be further from the truth. We will always deal with things we know about and incidents that come to our attention. But we will deal with them in a manner that respects the age of the boys involved and their emotional development. We must be very careful not to apply judgement normally reserved for an adult, developed brain, to that of a child still in development.

 

We have had a tough time this past week, as individuals and as members of the Bishops community as the spotlight fell on us again. I remain concerned at the ease with which matters were reported on in public without full knowledge of the real situation. We tried to keep parents informed as best we could given the circumstances, and assure them that this incident was not what it was made out to be. The boys have been dealt with as part of our disciplinary process and many valuable lessons learned by all.

 

Two main lessons stood out for me and I raised them with the boys at our final assembly today. Social media and the ease with which images and content can be shared is both a blessing and a curse. Our boys often battle to understand what is appropriate and what is not and forget, in the moment, that what they send to another can have far-reaching consequences – for them or for the other person. There is a permanence at play as well, as the content they post, share, like or comment upon is there forever. I urge all parents to talk to their children about their cyber responsibilities. We will be trying to get help for them in the form of experts in the field of cyber law but this remains a vital part of parenting – those difficult conversations we need to have.

 

The second lesson is more difficult and has to do with masculinity, sexual citizenship and responsibilities. Our world has an awful history of abuse, particularly of women, and we need to help our boys become better men. Men who respect women and their partners and respect the act of sex as one between consenting adults in a committed relationship, according to family values, tradition and acceptable practices. The criminal act of rape is abhorrent under every circumstance and our boys also need to understand what sexual consent is about – when “no” means “no”.

 

Part of this conversation is the respect our boys should show others - girls and women in particular. This includes names that girls are sometimes called, wolf-whistling, commenting on a girl’s clothing and so many other examples of completely unacceptable behaviour. This conversation is also one we as parents need to have with our children and I urge you to talk to your boy and teach him about how Good Men behave towards women as we work in partnership to help him.

I share the following words from Marge Kennedy which resonated with me, particularly as we deal with difficult moments as a community and within our families. 

“In truth a family is what you make it. It is made strong, not by the number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help family members create, by the memories you share, by the commitment of time, caring, and love you show to one another, and by the hopes for the future you have as individuals and as a unit.”


To our Muslim families, as you do abstinence every day of this holy month of Ramadaan, may  the spirit of faith, warmth, love and the power of togetherness be with you always. Ramadaan Kareem.


Kind regards


SHARLENE GROOM
HEAD: PRE-PREP

DIARY DATES
Monday 19 April
Staff Training Day
A gentle reminder - as per our previous newsletters, there will be no school on Monday.  Staff will attend Transformation training. Aftercare is available should you need to utilise this offer, please be sure to sign up via the email sent out yesterday so that we can be prepared for your son. Boys attending aftercare may wear civvies on Monday. There will be no afternoon sport activities - sport starts on Tuesday 20th
Monday 26 April and Tuesday 27 April

School Holiday and Freedom Day

School is closed on Monday 26 April and Tuesday 27 April is Freedom Day.  We wish you all a fabulous long weekend!

TAKE NOTE
Monday - no school
As you are aware, the whole staff will be embarking on Transformation Training at Bishops.  There will be no school but those who would like to take the opportunity to use our Aftercare, please contact Mrs Catherine Rheeder to sign up. We will run from 7.30am to 5pm as usual and there will be no cost for this service.
Coffee@ the Mitre
This morning we hosted the first of our focused coffee mornings, trying to accommodate some face to face time with parents and some staff.  Today was the first grade N group.  Thank you to those that came along to share some good coffee, a chat and a chance to get to know one another better.  We will be having various focused invited groups of new parents so please look out for your invitation and diarise your particular date.  The next group will be on Tuesday so the grade N group that have the invitation for the 20 April, we look forward to seeing you there.
Sport
We have sent out the new sign up sheets for sport for the term as well as some information around sport in general from Mrs Anstey so please be sure to keep a note of which sport you have signed your son up for. Extra murals will commence on Tuesday 20th April. If you still need to purchase a tag rugby t-shirt (grade 1 and 2 boys) or some hockey socks, stick, shin guards and gum guard, please be sure to do so this weekend. Hats and sunblock are essential please.
 
PRE-PREP PRAYER GROUP
Message from our Youth Pastor

 

The Lord be with you,

In our school community, as well as in our lives outside of school, we all have a responsibility to make others feel welcome, when we greet friends, family and teachers, as well as new pupils and new staff members.

 

Although we must still be careful and socially distance with each other to stay safe, we can show kindness and make others feel welcome just by using our hands, feet, ears, eyes and mouth. We can use our hands to show friendship with people, simply by waving or giving someone a thumbs up, we can use our feet to walk over to someone and ask them how they are (from a safe distance!), and we can use our mouth to smile and speak kind words to them. We can also use our eyes to spot those who may be feeling unhappy, and we can use our ears to listen to them and offer help.

 

To all our Muslim friends, parents and colleagues we would like to extend our well wishes as you embark on your journey of devotion during Ramadan. May God bless your path with knowledge and light that will help to enlighten your heart! May this Ramadan fill your heart with peace, harmony, and joy. I wish you to be protected and blessed by the Almighty.

 


GENERAL INFO
Second Hand Shop

Sasha Rivera and Julie Breslin volunteer at the Second Hand Uniform shop two mornings every week  (Tuesday/Thursday 7:30-8:30am).

 

There has been demand for smaller sized items (Rain Jackets 4-5yrs and small long sleeved khaki shirts).

Should you have any gently worn second hand uniforms or sports kit that you would like to donate or resell at the shop, kindly have your washed items in a bag (clearly marked with your sons name and surname) dropped with Babs in the Pre-Prep Foyer.

 

 Please contact Julie or Sasha directly should you have further queries.

Julie (julie@morganwest.com)

Sasha (sejrivera@gmail.com)

 

For those parents that purchase items from the Second Hand Uniform shop, please be sure to change the name in the item as often we cannot return lost items to the rightful owners as the name is often of a boy now in the College :)

Gr 2 Music lesson

The Grade 2’s had an out of the ordinary music lesson today with Mr Scott from the Prep school.

He showed them some new instruments and chatted to them about what to expect at the Prep in the music department next year.

All the boys came back with big smiles and had a fantastic time!

HIGHLIGHTS
Coffee at the Mitre
Please pop along to support this initiative, enjoy some good coffee and a chance to meet and connect.
Easter Egg deliveries
I promised to update you on where our Easter Eggs were delivered to:  Little Brinks, Saartjue Baartman, Sisters Incorporated, Meals on Wheels, Oak Haven old age home, Erica Place, Kleinmond Child Welfare, Athwood Primary, St Johans Roman Catholic Primary School. Thank you all so very much for your kind donations!
    BISHOPS PRE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Campground Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700
Phone +27 21 659 1037 | Fax: +27 21 659 1922