Dear Parents

SPOTLIGHT ON GRADE R TEACHERS AND ASSISTANTS

At Bishops Pre-Prep, we are fortunate to have a remarkable team of Grade R teachers who are dedicated to nurturing young minds and creating a positive learning environment for our students. Let's meet these exceptional educators:
Mrs. Carmen Van Zyl (HOD of Grade N and R). Mrs. Van Zyl is a seasoned educator with over two decades of teaching experience, all of which she has dedicated to Bishops. Her classroom is the first room after you pass the hall. Mrs Van Zyl loves art and enjoys spending time in Art Club, exploring her creative side. She is flamboyant, fun and full of energy for the young ones. Carmen is a mother to six-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and is married to Geoffrey and despite 2021 being a challenging year regarding her health, we are grateful for her recovery. Mrs. Van Zyl’s boys say they have tons of fun in her class, after all, she has ‘fun’ in her name, and makes her classroom an engaging and dynamic learning environment.
Mrs. Emily Venter (Grade Head – Grade R). Mrs. Venter is another experienced Grade R teacher at Bishops School, having almost 2 decades of teaching experience. She grew up on a honey farm in the Swellendam district and is married to Jarred. In addition to Mrs. Venter's teaching duties, she has been instrumental in the success of the Tag rugby program this year. Her quiet demeanour hides a mischievous side and a wonderful sense of humour. Mrs. Venter is also known for her talent in writing beautiful poems and loves the outdoors and walking her dog Bentley in her free time.
Mrs. Siophan Van Der Westhuizen With over a decade of teaching experience, Mrs. Van Der Westhuizen is no stranger to Grade R education and will be joining our Grade R team (moving from Grade N). She brings a wealth of knowledge to her classroom. Mrs. Van Der Westhuizen is not only an excellent teacher but also a wife to Shane and loving mother to her little boy, Nate. In her free time, she enjoys staying active and has a passion for CrossFit and hopes to get back into running after entering the Two Oceans half marathon for 2024! Mrs. Van Der Westhuizen has a special talent for teaching many Grade N boys how to capture their creative achievements through ‘eye’ photography, ensuring they can cherish their memories. If you have had a little boy in Grade N before, I am sure they will show you how to do this!

Regardless of which Grade R teacher your child is fortunate to have, you can be confident that they are in for an amazing and enriching year at Bishops School. These dedicated educators go above and beyond to ensure that each student's potential is nurtured, and their educational journey is filled with inspiration and growth. The wonderful teaching assistants in Grade R who will be there to support this amazing team are: Mrs Charmaine Adams who recently married Tyrone and sings with a voice of an angel, Ms Nolovuyo Tandwa, our fit and energetic senior citizen who has given decades of service to the Preschool and Ms Kelly Kortjie who has just welcomed little Kellian and is navigating her new journey in motherhood! Trust me, your boys are in good care! 

🎄 Christmas Hamper Collection Donations can be dropped off in the pre-prep foyer by Tuesday 28th Nov. Please see grade donation suggestions attached to the previous newsletter. Please could we have one volunteer from each class to assist with packaging of the hampers on Wed 29th Nov at 8am in the foyer, thank you 🎄  Wishing each and every family a wonderful, happy weekend. There will be one final Newsletter for 2023,  next week.

Kind regards

SHARLENE GROOM
HEAD: PRE-PREP

Dear Heavenly Father,
As we gathered this week for the Nativity, and will again for the Carols Service next week, it is with the spirit of joy and celebration that we come before you with hearts full of gratitude for the precious gift of your Son, Jesus Christ. We embark on a journey through the story of His humble birth, a story that has touched hearts for generations.
Lord, bless each child who is taking part in these services. May their innocent hearts shine with the purity of the Christmas message. Grant them the confidence to share this story with love, enthusiasm, and joy. Let your spirit guide their words and actions, so that they may convey the profound meaning of Christ's birth in a way that is both simple, yet profound.
Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary and Joseph the carpenter, remind us of how you call us to humble ourselves before you, gracious Lord. Grant that we may understand that you can use the lowly and imperfect because it pleases you, so teach us to never stray from your grace but draw us closer to you by our humility. Born in a manger on a pile of hay, you make certain we see that our beginning and where we come from matters little, compared to where you can take us and may use us.
We thank you for the teachers, parents, and all those who have worked hard to prepare and organise this service. May their efforts be a reflection of the love and dedication that surround these little ones as they share the story of the manger, the shepherds, and the angels. Accept accordingly our singing and prayers as we acknowledge your unending and immeasurable love for us, that for us you would incarnate yourself and sacrifice your Son to be with us,  so, may we always find peace knowing that you are in all places that you never leave our side.
As we witness this portrayal of the birth of Jesus, may our own hearts be reminded of the true reason for the season. May the message of hope, peace, and love that accompanied the birth of Jesus resonate in the hearts of all those present. Help us to carry this message beyond these walls and into our lives, spreading the light of Christ wherever we go.
In Jesus' name, we pray.
Amen.

Last Friday the tents, bags and cooler bags were packed in anticipation for the long awaited Father and Son Campout!
The boys were so excited to have a mass playdate and some of the highlights of the evening were (Moms look away now!): 
"My favourite part was staying up until 1 o'clock in the morning!"
"I loved making smores and also we had a pillow fight!"
"I loved eating all the food. Me and my dad were very tired in the morning!"
"I loved playing cricket and soccer and being neighbours with my best friend."
Thank you to Mr Abraham Van Wyk for being our liaison dad, and to Dr Mark Stodel for being our doctor on call.

The Grade N teachers are so proud of the joyous moments from our recent nativity concert, where our little superstars, angelic angels, and watchful shepherds stole the spotlight with their beautiful voices. We hope you enjoyed their heartwarming performance as much as we did.
In class, we've been measuring everything from small objects to big surprises. Learning is hands-on and exciting! Our Nativity has taken up much of our time so we will confine to experiment next week too.
Additionally, with the festive season upon us, the classrooms have transformed into a creative haven. The little hands in Grade N have eagerly begun crafting delightful Christmas art which will be brought home at the end of the year. 

And just like that, our end of year Nativity Play is done.  What a wonderful display of Christmas cheer, super hard work and great excitement from the boys.  Thank you to everyone who came to see their beloved boys, and we know that you are as proud of your sons as we are.  Today they were treated with a juice ice bite, and were so thrilled to have a ‘Thank you’ for all their hard work.  As the days roll on to the end, we hold onto our memories of our precious boys, knowing how much they have grown throughout this year, and how much we will miss them!

With a busy last few weeks of the year we are still managing to fit in some fun between all that is going on at school. The boys couldn't stop talking about the Fathers and Son Campout, so they put their words onto paper to share their favourite moments. In Art Club some boys finished off their Origami jumping frogs and illustrated a tiny gallery of gratitude for where they are in their lives at present. We are still learning about Natural Disasters and Mrs Fraser's class got started with their class projects this week. The boys were put into groups and are all working together with such great team spirit to make their posters look beautiful. We are preparing all the ties for the boys' Blessing of the Tie Ceremony next week. There are some wonderful surprises in store for parents and teachers on this special occasion.