Dear Parents and Guardians

The Founder's Week has come and gone and what a celebration it has been! From our College Evensong, which was a joyous occasion of music and worship to the various OD activities and the Founders’ Assembly with the whole school, this was a chance to reflect and give grateful thanks for all we have at Bishops, while remembering our responsibility to keep building our future. My grateful thanks to all who made this week the special one that it was.

College Evensong

At the College Evensong, we were privileged to hear the premiere of Grant McLachlan’s anthem, Come shout with joy, composed especially for the 175th year. The words were written by Frank Barry and Archie Swanson, based on verses from the psalms. All three men are ODs from the Class of 1973 and were there to hear their work performed by the boys and a group of ODs who were part of the choir and brass band. This was indeed a magnificent piece of music, beautifully performed and my very grateful thanks go to those who made this possible. The singing of the boys in the hymns was a moment that will live long in the memories of those who were there as the roof of the Chapel was raised in joyful celebration. A wonderful moment indeed.

Activities

I had a chance to accompany our boys who went on tour to Gauteng – our rowers and three water polo teams – and managed to watch a number of them perform. It was good to see the Bishops’ colours flying high and my thanks to the staff who accompanied the boys and the boys themselves for their conduct both while competing and while representing their school away from the contest.

Our summer sports season comes to an end this week with matches against the ODs and preparations are in full swing for the upcoming winter season. Our Hockey and Rugby festival starts at the end of term and we wish our boys and coaches well for the event.

Our 175 Play Festival is coming up next week and we wish our thespians well for this celebration of drama and culture, such a vital part of our school programme.

Discipline

The subject of school discipline and general appearance has been debated at length in various meetings, including at PA meetings and, once again, we appeal to parents to support the school. We all have to take responsibility for the appearance of our boys and a boy should not leave home or get out of a car if his appearance does not comply with the school policy. It is simply unfair to expect the school to take action on its own. The school hair policy is simple and appears below:

Hair Policy  

All hair types and styles must be kept above the eyebrows, ears, and collar and so that it is always neat and tidy.  

• Hair should be tapered so that the difference between the length of the top and the sides is not excessive.
• No step cuts, cut patterns or lines, dyes, highlights, or extreme skin fades are permitted.
• A boy with a non-conforming hairstyle will have FIVE days to cut his hair. He must aim to fix it promptly, as he will not be permitted to represent the college at sport fixtures or cultural events until such time that his hair is deemed acceptable.

The first bullet point is often one of concern and boys are not permitted to have shaven sides and much longer hair on the top. While the interpretation of this rule is subjective, we know, we urge parents to err on the side of conservatism when sending their sons for a haircut. They are representing the school when they are in uniform, whether it is school uniform or in sport and they must comply with our regulations. Your support is essential in this regard and we ask that you help us with this matter.

Founder's Day

At the time of writing, we had yet to hold our Founders’ Assembly, but I hope that the combined gathering of the entire school from Grade N to Matric, with all staff, was a moment to remember. We used Table Mountain as a theme for the assembly, with a reading and my address referencing mountains as special places. I attach the words I shared with the school below.

Staff news

Mr Mark Mitchell will be stepping down as Director of Music after 24 years in the role to focus on the cultural programme at the school as Deputy Head of Culture, a role he has fulfilled in addition to being Director of Music for the past seven years.

This is part of the strategic planning to develop and build the cultural side of Bishops as one of our unique qualities.

The timing of this is appropriate now as we have vacant permanent posts due to retirement and we can use this opportunity to find a new Director of Music at no additional head count or cost to company. This position would report to Mr Mitchell as Deputy Head of Culture and he thus retains certain oversight of the music at Bishops while being able to focus more on the overall cultural programme.

Final thoughts

I was sent the attached clip, on using AI in education which I found very interesting. It gave some insights into how AI can be used to enhance and supplement the learning process and it may give parents some help when guiding their children in using this tool.
https://www.ted.com/talks/sal_khan_how_ai_could_save_not_destroy_education

I wish our Muslim community well for the upcoming month of Ramadan and hope that this special time in the Islamic calendar is a meaningful one for you and your families.

Kind regards

Antony Reeler
Principal

Founder's Day Assembly

A warm welcome to you all to this special occasion of our 175th Founders Assembly. I welcome the boys from Grade N to 12, staff across the three campuses and special guests and thank you for being here as we unite as one school in the shadow of the iconic mountain that defines so much of our city of Cape Town.

Today we remember and acknowledge all those who went before us these past 175 years. Those who helped make Bishops what it is today as a place of learning and teaching for 4-year-olds to 18-year-olds. A place where we hope valuable lessons are learned, life skills acquired and honed and where lasting friendships are made. A place that we hope you want to return to when you leave because of its significance in your life.

The number 175 has significance as a milestone in the life of an organization. Just as we celebrate certain milestones in our own lives, turning 4 and going to school, turning 13 and starting the teenage years, turning 18 and becoming a legal adult, being able to obtain a driver’s license, turning 21 and celebrating that special occasion, so organisations such as ours focus on 25-year periods, this being our seventh such occasion.

The number 175 is said to be associated with a person who tends to be focused on establishing a secure foundation for the future. They are aware of the details that need to be done and how to do them to accomplish goals they have set for themselves. And their goals tend to be their own, rather than goals being pursued only because others expect them to do so.

Whether one believes this or not, I found the concept appealing and the idea of establishing one’s own set of goals one that resonated with me as we look ahead, building on the foundations of the past and trying to have a positive influence on our future.

So today, while we celebrate our birthday, our big birthday, we need to say thank you to all those who form part of our lives and who help us at our school – our parents, teachers, support staff and our brothers, from the youngest to the oldest. Each person influences us in some way and we influence others.

We have a life journey ahead of us, for some it will be a long journey. Others of us have less of a journey to travel but we all have that journey. Let us use our time on earth, no matter how long or how short, to do good for others, to say nice things about each other, to build others up, to make them feel better, to thank them and by doing so to make our school and our world a better place.

I began by placing us at the foot of a mountain. This mountain is a defining image for us as Capetonians and we see it today in all its glory. Mountains are places of permanence – they have been there for thousands of years and will be there for thousands more. There is comfort in their presence – there is stability. But mountains also signify challenges – we can climb them to exercise or to see better from higher up. And mountains can also be obstacles – we have to go over them or around them to get to the other side. Our Head of School chose the reading from Micah today, using a mountain as its central image.

Our first democratically elected President, Mr Mandela, used this image to famously say “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.”

Let us use this mountain as a source of comfort, of stability – a place we call home and apply that same feeling to our school. We, as a school, have not been here for as long as the mountain has, but we have been here a long time and will be here for a long time still. And just as Table Mountain means so much to our people, let us, as a community at Bishops, mean something special and significant to our broader community.

Additional Academic Award November 2023

Well done to Daniel Grobbelaar in Grade 11 who has been awarded an Academic Tie.

One Act Play Festival

Excitement is in the air as Bishops prepares to welcome you to a spectacular celebration of our 175-year anniversary! Join us at the eagerly anticipated One Act Play Festival, a dazzling event hosted by our dynamic Drama Department. This festival is not just a showcase of talent, but a tribute to the artistic spirit that has flourished within our college walls since 1849.

In the spirit of camaraderie, and to pay tribute to the young ladies who have tread the boards in our productions over the years, we are thrilled to collaborate with esteemed institutions such as Herschel Girls’ School, Rustenburg Girls' High School, and St Cyprian's School. Together, we will weave a tapestry of performances that transcend time, culture, and imagination.

The students, guided by the passion and dedication of their Drama Departments, are set to mesmerise audiences with a diverse range of one-act plays. This festival promises to be a cultural feast, highlighting the collaborative synergy among schools that share a commitment to fostering creativity and artistic expression.

As the curtains rise on this extraordinary event, we extend a warm invitation to witness the magic unfold on the Memorial Theatre stage. Booking opened on March 1st at Webtickets, and tickets, priced at R75.00, promise an evening of enchantment on the 14th and 15th of March at 19:30.

Don't miss out on this momentous occasion – the One Act Play Festival awaits your presence as we honour our past, revel in the present, and embrace the boundless future ahead!

https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1543815693

We look forward to hosting you!

African Relations Society

The African Relations Society tie is awarded to: Matthew Kriel (for loyalty and dedication to our society)

Music Certificates

The following music pupils achieved a distinction for their ABRSM exams at the end of last year.
Congratulations to:
John Dingley - Saxophone gr 5
Ben Doel - Flute gr 5
Kaleb Pillay - Theory gr 5
Joe Bolus - Piano gr 7
Justn Pillay - Piano gr 8

Rowing SA Champs

Bishops Rowing Club took part in SA Schools Champs this past weekend. As a club we are proud of the development we have seen over this season and the results speak to this.

First team:
9th place in the eight, 6th place in the coxed four, and 9th place in the coxless four.

U16's:
6th place in the eight and 5th place in the coxed and coxless four.

U15's:
Special congratulations to Ben Redfern for his exceptional performance, securing 4th place overall in the scull. Further age group results were:
8th place in the double, 3rd place in the coxed quad, and 2nd place in the Octuple!

U14's:
Placed 8th in the double, 3rd and 8th in the coxed quad, and 2nd place in the Octuple!

Big Ideas Project Lands on Campus

The Big Ideas group consisting of Aarav Desai, Cameron Macbeth and Chris Mclagan worked hard last year to get permission to trial an E-Waste drop off facility at Bishops. E-Waste is very problematic when it enters landfills, and it needs to be disposed of and recycled correctly, but many people are limited for options of where to do so. This group contacted the E-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA) and organised for one of their bins to be inserted onto the Bishops Campus. The bin is located next to the Woodlands Astro in the parking lot and it is open for drop off of all of your E-Waste.

175 Caps and Hats

Due to popular demand, we have ordered additional 175 caps and wide brim hats, which are now on sale.
Please purchase your cap or hat directly at the school shop.

Lost Property

It is a huge concern at the amount of clothes, gear and expensive sporting equipment accumulating in lost property.
All marked items are bagged and sent to the houses each week; however, a lot remains. Parents, please mark your sons’ clothes clearly with name, surname and house to avoid nameless items gathering. Please also encourage your sons to come to the lost property if they are missing anything.

We have excessive amounts of:
Cricket Helmets
Water polo Clothes
Blazers
Shoes 
Rain Jackets

Lost property times:

OPEN DAY:

Open Day for Parents 12pm to 3pm on Friday the 8th March.

Daily lost property times:
Monday to Friday
10am to 10:15am 
PLUS
Monday to Thursday
12:30 to 13:15

SPW Top Performers:

Congratulations to the top 3 performers in grades 8, 9 and 10 for the Sports Performance and Wellness testing. These boys were the best overall performers across each of the following tests: Grip Strength, Broad Jump, Seated Med Ball Push, 1-minute Push-ups, Illinois Agility, 40m Sprint & Beep Test. Well done!

Gr 8: Photo 1 (from left to right)
Yusuf Patel (Birt) (2nd))
Caleb Mentoor (School) (3rd)
Ibraheem Taliep (Kidd) (1st)

Gr 9: Photo 2  (from left to right)
Josh Gorgens (Founders) (3rd)
Andréa Mynhardt (Founders) (1st)
Caleb Clark (White) (2nd)

Gr 10: Photo 3  (from left to right)
Kyle Stirk (Gray) (1st)
Danny Newton (Birt) (2nd)
Oliver French (Mallett) (3rd)