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THURSDAY 9 February 2023

Dear Parents

At last week’s assembly, I used one of the reports from a steward who had served Nelson Mandela on the luxury Blue Train. This came up in an E-tv documentary entitled “Dugu dugu” featuring the Blue Train. Among the people interviewed on this programme was the steward. 

He said the greatest moment of his life was when he was asked to be Mr Mandela’s personal steward for this memorable journey. “This has been the hallmark and fulfilment of my career. While I was serving Mr Mandela he made my work look very important. He talked to me as a person, not as a steward. He asked me about my parents, my wife and my kids. He listened keenly to what made me choose to work in the hospitality industry. He wanted to know what my views were on the future of South Africa. When he was leaving the train, Madiba said to me, ‘You are a wonderful host. Thank you very much for your great hospitality.’”

This fitted in exactly with our theme of manners being more than a good presentation of oneself, but rather an expression of noticing and respecting others around ourselves no matter their social status or role in an organisation.

At Monday Chapel Assembly the Principal addressed the boys. His theme was being a good man; explaining one can be born a boy, grow into a man, but being a good man is a question of choice. This tied in very well with what we are trying to inculcate in our boys: treating everyone as human beings with family, homes, happy and sad moments and difficulties.

So we speak to our boys continuously about greeting all on campus, not just teachers or visitors, but admin staff, cleaners, security guards, gardeners, maintenance staff and so on. These members of staff might work behind the scenes in some cases, but the cleaned classroom, the mowed field, the safe crossing across the road are made possible by people who need to be seen, acknowledged and treated with respect and friendliness.  It is so easy to take their service for granted.

We as adults also have to model this; how we treat a security guard when incorrectly parked, shop assistants, domestic staff and others, is absorbed by our boys and often copied.

Together we can produce good men.

All the best

Kind regards

GREG BROWN
HEADMASTER
DIARY Dates
Friday 10 February 2023 Sports Day

Time: 08h00 to 12h00
Venue: Lutgensvale
Please see further details under TAKE Note
Monday 13 February 2023 Grade 6 Camp

Dates: Monday 13 to Wednesday 15 February
Venue: Bonamanzi
Tuesday 14 February 2023

Grade 4P Camp

Dates: Tuesday 14 to Wednesday 15 February
Venue: High Noon

Wednesday 15 February 2023

Grade 4B Camp

Dates: Wednesday 15 to Thursday 16 February
Venue: High Noon

Grade 5 Camp

Dates: Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 February
Venue: Disakloof in Betty’s Bay

Thursday 16 February 2023 Grade 4S Camp

Dates: Thursday 16 to Friday 17 February
Venue: High Noon
Friday 17 February 2023

Mid-term Break

No afternoon or weekend sport

School closes at 13h20

TAKE Note

Sports Day

Sports Day takes place tomorrow (Friday10 February).

  • Boys must arrive in their house shirts, blue sports shorts, short socks and takkies
  • Boys to be dropped at the Prep at the normal time by 07h30.
  • No school books or iPads are to be brought to school.
  • Boys to bring a lunch box with food and a drink, no tuck shop available.
  • Please remember sunscreen.
  • All the boys will be participating, the exact event times will be sent out with the programme next week.
  • Parents are welcome to attend and support.
  • We will walk the boys down to Lutgensvale from the Prep and back again before the end of the school day.
  • School ends at the normal time of 13h20pm at the Prep.
  • Water polo matches continue as per calendar
  • No other extra-murals will take place after Sports Day.

Please click HERE for the programme.

Extra-murals next week

All information regarding next week's extra-mural programme will be sent out tomorrow. Some activities may be cancelled due to staff being away on camp.

Request from the Art Room

Art Teacher, Sue Johns, would really appreciate collections of the following items for the Art room:
Newspaper
2 litre ice cream containers
Circular polystyrene pizza bases
Green avocado dishes
500g margarine containers

If you can assist, please send to the art room with your son.

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VUSA Request
VUSA supports three ECD Centres in Langa with numeracy and language development programmes. On Tuesday mornings we run a structured programme at Dalukhanyo Creche with smaller groups of children and are calling for volunteers to assist from 11.30 – 12.15. A small group of volunteers has been established for this programme and we are looking for a few more to join the roster (so weekly commitment is not required). Activities will include puzzles, playdough, reading and games. Please contact Nikki Matthews (0794374276) or Aoife Doherty (0760522405) should you be interested in participating in this rewarding initiative.
NEWS
Long Service

 

Zetta Tieties and Stuart Scott were presented with long service awards at the end of last year. They have served Bishops for 35 and 30 years respectively, Zetta Tieties originally as 2nd cook in the kitchen and for the last 15 years as housekeeper of Stanmore House, looking after the staff; and Stuart Scott as music teacher and Assistant Housemaster at the College and for the last 20 years as Head of Music at the Prep. We cannot over-emphasise how much we appreciate their total dedication and sterling contribution to Bishops over the years.

Art News

 

Artists of the Week
The following Grade 3 boys were chosen as Artists of the week for their drawings of a Vase of Flowers. They were given large paper (A2 size) and these boys managed to fill their page confidently and drew with accuracy showing varied leaf and flower shapes. Please note that this is still a work in progress and they are still going develop their pictures further. Please click HERE to see all the artwork.

3B
Maximillien Barrault
Shikhar Dunsdon
Cei Rees
Abraham van Wyk
3P
Thomas Fourie
Finn Hersov
Josh Meiring
Nikhil Sam
3S
Tristan Antelme
Cruz Harris
Nate John
Pravar Naidoo

Well done to all!

Outreach
Nick Young, 2023 Head of Library, helped pack boxes for transport and donation to the McGregor Library. These books from our library which are no longer in circulation will be sorted and distributed to the outlying schools, creches and day care centres in the McGregor area. Pictured here is Ms Simons receiving them.
Water Polo
Well done to the under 11D water polo team for being team of the week and winning the Polo Panda for their great performance against Rondebosch on Friday.
    BISHOPS PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Fir Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700
Phone:+27 (21) 659 7222 | Fax: +27 (21) 659 7227