Dear Parents

Thank you to all those parents that have offered to take on the role of class reps this year. Most class reps have or will establish WhatsApp groups which can be very useful, but they can also be problematic and place unrealistic expectations on the class reps and sometimes put them in a difficult position when inappropriate comments or subjects are raised. Listed below are a few guidelines to ensure that the group remains positive and useful.

1. Please keep all conversation polite and respectful.
2. It should be used for school-related information and updates only.
3. Please do not use it when the message is relevant for one individual only.
4. No teacher, parent or boy should be discussed on the group.
5. Where you need to complain about something please contact the relevant teacher directly or the class rep individually for advice.
6. Use the WhatsApp groups only for what is necessary and relevant, not for debates nor to confirm a rumour you have heard and please not for promotional or marketing material.
7. Homework and “what’s in the test?” are not for the group – our boys know, and if they don’t, they need to find out. If parents double check with each other we take the responsibility away from the boys and so disempower them.
8. Class reps have been asked to moderate the group, so if necessary, they will stop a certain discussion or ask a parent to remove a post.

Please remember that your key source of information is the weekly newsletter and the website for sport timetables and further information.
Please support your class rep and make your relationship as a group of class parents a happy and enriching one.

Thank you so much to all those parents who popped in to our Coffee Connections to find out more about how they can help. I will put clip boards and explanations out near the hall on Tuesday morning for you to have a look and to add your name to anything that you would be keen to assist with. I will move these boards down to the Grade 1 and 2 area near reception on Friday, when parents can pop in and sign up.  There are so many options so I have decided to "unpack" two areas a week  in the newsletter to see if you may be interested in any of them.

Flowers in our foyer are always a lovely way to welcome people to our school.  Parents are asked for a bunch/arrangement or even a pretty pot plant that we can put in our reception area.  When there are many people on our roster, it works out that it would be one bunch perhaps once a term.  If you would be happy to be included on this roster and provide a nice bunch of flowers on the odd Monday morning, please contact Babalwa on bmanyela@bishops.org.za so that she can put your name on the list.  Once we have all the names, we will try and find a willing mum to manage the roster and just send a little reminder each week.

Book covering - our library books are always in need of contact covers both for new and some older books.  If you would like to cover some books for us, we would be ever so grateful.  I will leave a set of 10 books in a box, with the contact to cover them with, at reception.  If you would be willing to do so, you may pick up a box of books to take home, cover them and return them to school.  This is an enormous help to keep the books in the library and to keep them in circulation for longer.  I think there are some mums who would like to come and cover books at school, in the library and if this is what you would prefer, please drop me an email and I will set up a group and arrange a time to do so. 

Wishing you all a wonderful, peaceful weekend. Our lovely cleaning lady Funiwe celebrates her birthday today and we wish her a wonderful day.

Kind regards

SHARLENE GROOM
HEADMISTRESS

Walking of dogs on campus has become a major problem because unfortunately our experience is that very few of the owners clean up after them. This has become a major health and hygiene risk, especially in the area around the Pre-Prep. Please note that no dog walking will be permitted on the main school campus in future (except by those who reside on the campus), dog owners can still walk their dogs on Lutgensvale if they have a key to the gate. Please do pick up your dog litter there as well and put it in a packet which is provided.

Mrs Marileen Harrod

Mrs Marileen Harrod who has served in the capacity of Learning Support Co-ordinator at the Prep and Pre-Prep, has shifted roles in the school so we will not see her around our campus too often.  Mrs Harrod has taken over a role at the BSU, working with College boys and parents.  Mrs Juante da Trapani, who was also involved with our boys as Councillor both at Prep and Pre-Prep has taken over the role of Learning Support Co-ordinator and Counsellor of only Pre-Prep boys.  This allows Juante to be based here at the Pre-Prep, giving us more access to her expertise and for her to focus only on the Pre-Prep and not be split over two campus'.

We wish to thank Mrs Harrod for her years of dedicated service to our parents, boys and staff. She was always available to support us at very short notice and gave far more than she was ever expected to. Her attention to detail, professional manner and innovative thinking were just some of her many fabulous qualities.  We certainly miss her smile around our side of the school, but it is nice to know that she is still on campus and that the College boys are in very capable hands! Mrs da Trapani does indeed have big shoes to fill but she is doing so very capably!

To pray and actually mean ‘thy Kingdom come,’ we must also be able to say my kingdoms go.
I love this quote above by Richard Rohr as he reflects and draws our attention to Jesus and God's Kingdom. Many of us are familiar with the words in the Lords Prayer. I wonder how often we've said these words? When I tried to think of a way of counting it, it became impossible. They’re words many still say several times a week as part of their daily prayer rhythm. When we think about how often we have said the Lord’s Prayer in school, in church, I'm sure it adds to many.
As I reflect on the movements and shifts of the past week at Prep and Pre-Prep I think of the spaces where God's Kingdom was most visible. As a school we meet for moments of prayer and worship as a community and invite to boys to ponder on God and the words and actions of Jesus through Bible stories and Divinity lessons. It is our hope that through these interactions the boys would get a glimpse of the Kingdom of God and grow in their faith.
For us and where we find ourselves may this prayer become visible in the spaces we navigate through, conversation we engage in and people we meet.

Blessings
Jeremy Smith
Bishops Youth Pastor

Winter