Dear Parents

Grandparents: Our Guides Through Wonderland

As we prepare to celebrate Grandparents' Day tomorrow, inspired by the enchanting world of Alice in Wonderland, we celebrate the extraordinary role grandparents play in the lives of our boys. Much like Alice’s journey through a land of curiosity and wonder, our boys embark on their own adventures each day. Grandparents, with their wisdom and patience, become the gentle guides who help them navigate these paths. They offer stories that spark imagination, lessons that build resilience, and a steady presence that reassures young hearts.

In the whimsical world of Wonderland, Alice learns from each character she meets — the White Rabbit teaches urgency, the Cheshire Cat offers perspective, and the Queen of Hearts challenges her courage. In much the same way, grandparents gift our boys with values that shape their character. They model integrity through honesty, empathy through kindness, and respect through their lived experiences. Their tales of “when I was your age” are not just nostalgic; they are bridges connecting generations, instilling a sense of belonging and continuity.

We hold dear the values of integrity, empathy, respect, and togetherness. Grandparents embody these values daily, showing our boys that true strength lies in gentleness, and wisdom often comes wrapped in love. Tomorrow’s performances, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, are not only a celebration of imagination but also a tribute to the grandparents who enrich our community. 

Thank you to Mrs Swanich and Mrs Band and all our teachers, teacher assistants and interns for the support and care of our boys. Your patience and encouragement have helped our boys grow and learn. Thank you for the hard work you put in every day.

We would like to wish a happy birthday to Mrs Krewu on the 10th August and Ms Brukman on the16 August.

Kind regards

TARYN BAIN
HEAD: PRE-PREP

Grandparent's Day

Please click here for the Grandparent's Day schedule.

Public Holiday - Women's Day

Happy Women's Day to all the women in our community. Thank you for your strength, nurture, and care.

Theme: Choosing Joy

This week, we reflect on joy, one of the beautiful Fruits of the Spirit.
Children often find joy so naturally, in playing with a friend, discovering something new, laughing together, or simply enjoying the excitement of the day. These little moments remind us that joy is one of God’s wonderful gifts.

The Bible encourages us: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Our Christian understanding of joy is deeper than simply being happy when everything goes our way. Joy comes from knowing that we are loved by God, known by God, and never alone.
This is something we can begin nurturing in our children from a very young age. We can teach them to notice the good around them, to be thankful, to celebrate the happiness of others, and to look for something to be grateful for even when a day has not gone quite as they hoped.

Perhaps around the dinner table this week, ask your child a simple question: “What brought you joy today?” Their answer may surprise you and may remind all of us to notice the small blessings we so easily overlook.
May our homes and our school continue to be places filled with gratitude, kindness, laughter and the deep joy that comes from knowing God is with us.

Join the VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge

The Pre-Prep staff have signed up a bike for the VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge, a special event supporting a cause that is close to the heart of the Bishops community.
If you would like to support the staff team’s fundraising efforts, please donate to the One Hour Wonders team here.

We would also love Pre-Prep parents to join the fun by entering a team of their own. Teams may include up to 24 riders, with just one rule: the bike must keep moving for the full 24 hours!

If cycling is not your thing, gather a team for our first-ever potjie competition. There will be great prizes and a surprise celebrity judge choosing the winning potjie.
Not participating? Please still come down to Piley Rees Field on 4 and 5 September to support the riders and enjoy the event. There will be loads of entertainment for the children, food stalls, a bar for adults and plenty of gees.
Whether you cycle, cook, donate or come along to support, we would love to see the Pre-Prep community getting involved.
Find out more and register here.

Our Grade Ns have had a busy and exciting week learning all about insects and practising our songs for Grandparents’ Day. The boys have loved discovering fascinating facts about the tiny creatures in our world while working hard to prepare for their special performance. This week we also spoke about Togetherness - the letter T in our Mitre. Please continue to encourage these conversations at home.  On Thursday, we had our own dress rehearsal, and as an added treat, we were invited to watch the Grade 1 and Grade 2 dress rehearsal in the theatre. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the performance and were inspired by the older children. We are all looking forward to welcoming our grandparents for what promises to be a very special celebration! Enjoy a lovely long weekend with your precious boys. 

Over the past couple of weeks, our Grade R boys have been enjoying learning all about our beautiful country, South Africa, and our incredible city, Cape Town.

As part of our Mandela Day celebrations, we spoke about the importance of kindness, compassion and helping others. The boys proudly donated pairs of socks, showing that even a small act of generosity can make a big difference. They also had great fun designing their own colourful Mandela shirts before drawing portraits of Mr Mandela wearing them.

We explored South Africa’s national symbols and learnt about what they represent, helping us to appreciate the rich heritage and diversity of our country. Our discussions then took us to our very own city of Cape Town, where we discovered some of its famous landmarks and natural beauty. The boys loved chatting about why people from all over the world travel here to experience everything our beautiful city has to offer.

Alongside all of this exciting learning, we have been working very hard at practising for Grandparents’ Day. The boys have put so much enthusiasm into preparing for this special occasion and have been counting down the days with great excitement. It was such a joy to welcome our wonderful grandparents and special guests to school today, and we hope they enjoyed celebrating this memorable morning with us as much as we did!

This week, the Grade 2 boys learned the "oa" sound and enjoyed applying their learning in class activities. They also had great fun creating tangram boats, showing creativity and problem-solving skills.
The boys have been busily preparing for our upcoming Grandparents' Day celebrations. Their projects have included making clocks, creating beautiful keyhole-themed artwork, designing amazing hats, and writing imaginative pieces about what life might be like when they are grandparents.
During break times, the boys have continued to make the most of the outdoors. They have especially enjoyed building, digging, and exploring in the sandpit, where teamwork, creativity, and active play are on full display.