Dear Parents
KINDNESS MONTH
On Monday we launched Kindness Month at the Prep; we all aspire to be kind always, but we can so easily not be, especially when things do not go our way, or we are upset about another’s action, or in a playground-school context, kindness can be seen as “soft” or “uncool”, regrettably.
We invited Suhayl Khalfey, last year’s College Head Boy, to address the boys on this subject; kindness was the theme of his parting address as Head of School at last year’s Matric Prizegiving. He told us his story. He arrived at Bishops in Grade 4 after the kindness of one of his father’s patients who had recommended Bishops to the family and Suhayl to Bishops. A new boy, first time at a boys only school, it took a while to settle, but the kindness of a few boys who befriended him made all the difference to him finding his feet and growing to love the school.
As he had exhorted his fellow matrics to live lives characterised by kindness, he explained to our boys what this meant to him and how kindness could look. We will continue this theme in Life Orientation and in Form classes over the next few weeks and next year we want to continue on the same trajectory from different angles. We have to empower our boys to be kind and give them the tools and language to focus on being kind when sometimes the nasty or spiteful appears easier or even justified.
Hopefully we as the adults, can model this, living as we do in a fast, robust and competitive world. Our boys are quick to pick up on any unkind comments we might make within earshot of them. As I have pointed out before, social media does not give them the best example, where so many of the -isms abound and are made to appear amusing and smart.
STAFF
We congratulate Laurelle Fry, currently Assistant House Director of Van der Bijl and Grade 3 class teacher, on her appointment as Head of Junior Prep at Western Province Prep. She takes up this post in January and we wish her well as she moves into senior management.
Cindy Anstey, who previously taught Grade 3 with us, and has been in Grade 2 for the last few years, will move back to Grade 3. We are currently advertising for a Grade 2 teacher.
Two other staff who will join us next year are Zuks Ncube in Grade 4, currently substituting between the Prep and Pre-Prep after a few years teaching in Japan, and Andrew Dunn who will take over a Grade 5 class. He is presently teaching at Somerset College after having spent a few years at Steyn City Prep School in Johannesburg. We will introduce them more formally at the start of next year.
DIWALI
We wish all our Hindu families a very happy celebration of Diwali over the weekend. May it be a special time with friends and family.
Kind regards
GREG BROWN
HEADMASTER |
