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THURSDAY 26 October 2023

Dear Parents

First and foremost, we extend our sincere gratitude to all the parents who joined us in supporting our TAG tournament this past Friday. We are sure you had a fabulous time, and your presence added a special touch to the event. Your support is invaluable, and it truly enhances our school's spirit. A big shout-out goes to our Parent Association, and in particular, we'd like to express our deep appreciation to Bronwyn Darne for her incredible efforts in organising the food trucks and the tuckshop for tournament. Her dedication and hard work played a vital role in making the event a success. We also want to recognise our outstanding teaching staff, with a special mention to Emily Venter, who managed the event with grace and efficiency. Your commitment to our students' well-rounded development is evident, and we thank you for your hard work. This week, our school family had the pleasure of welcoming the new Grade N and R boys for the 2024 academic year with a short Meet and Greet visit. The excitement was palpable, both from our eager students and our dedicated teachers. We look forward to a fabulous year ahead and can't wait to watch these young minds grow and thrive. Our Grade N and R boys are buzzing with anticipation as they rehearse for their upcoming Nativity Concert, promising an enchanting performance that you won't want to miss. Additionally, our Grade 1 and 2 boys are already filling the halls with beautiful singing as they prepare for our upcoming Carols service. We invite you all to join us for these festive events that showcase the talent and enthusiasm of our students. Once again, thank you for your continued support, involvement, and enthusiasm for our school community. It's the collective effort of parents, teachers, and students that makes our school such a vibrant and thriving place of learning. Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead.

Kind regards


SHARLENE GROOM
HEAD: PRE-PREP

DIARY DATES
Friday  27 October Civvies Day  (Bok dress or other)  

A gentle reminder that this civvies day collection is a cash donation towards our amazing cleaning staff and security.  Please speak to you r boys about who it is going to. These ladies and gentlemen work tirelessly to keep our school clean and safe!       
30th, 31st October and 1st November Grade 1 Outing to Kiddies Campus

Parents would have received a separate email with all the arrangements of this fun filled morning. 
Friday 03 November Grade 2 Outing (Ms Anstey's class)

We sadly had to postpone this shelter building outing due to bad weather. Ms Anstey's boys will now have a chance to experience what the other boys have been sharing about this fabulous outing!
Thursday 2 November @ 6pm Grade R - 1 Bridging the Gap meeting

Grade R parents would have received an invitation to this event. We hope to see as many there as possible. Please email Mrs van Zyl if you have any questions.
TAKE NOTE
Athletics

 

Monday evening saw our Athletics team venturing to Paarl Boys for the traditional annual Athletics day. Alongside several other schools from the Southern Suburbs, we united with the Bishops Prep team, relishing the opportunity to interact with the older boys. It marked the first time we engaged in a relay race around the field, and we exceeded expectations. Bringing back a haul of medals to the south, we return with a treasure trove of stories and memories to cherish. Kudos to all the boys for their exceptional achievements.

PRE-PREP PRAYER GROUP
Message from Mr Tsotso

The Lord be with you.

We took a moment to reflect on the gospel that speaks about how Zacchaeus was saved by God, and how God’s salvation and love is not reserved for a particular group of people but rather for all people. Having heard that Jesus was passing by and seeing him, Zacchaeus was saved and embraced by God despite everything that people knew about him.
And that’s the God that I would like for us all to know, a God that disregards how society and people choose to define us, but He rather embraces, loves, and saves us even in our imperfect state.
This is a powerful reminder of the inclusive and unconditional love of God. The story of Zacchaeus teaches us that no one is beyond the reach of God's love and salvation, regardless of their past actions or societal labels. It emphasizes the transformative power of encountering Jesus, and how such an encounter can lead to a change of heart and a desire to make amends.
Zacchaeus, a tax collector, short and small in stature,  was seen as a sinner and an outcast in the eyes of society. However, his determination to see Jesus pushed him to new heights, even to the point of climbing a tree which symbolizes the longing that many of us have for a deeper connection with the divine. It reminds us that God's love is accessible to all, and that when we seek Him with sincerity, we will experience His grace and forgiveness.
This story encourages us to look beyond external appearances and societal judgments, and to embrace the idea that God's love is offered freely to everyone. It's a message of hope and redemption, showing that no one is too far gone to be saved by the love of God.
May the love of our Almighty God embrace us as we rest in Him this coming weekend.

GENERAL INFO
Heroes Amongst Us
"On the 15th of October Mr Ncube ran a full Marathon but also rowed a full marathon on Erg straight after to raise funds for students who excel in academics and sport but cannot afford tertiary education. Great effort for a worthy cause and setting an example for our boys. To see his cause: click here
HIGHLIGHTS
Grade N

In Grade N this week we have loved the warmer weather. It has allowed the boys to explore the garden and participate in plenty of mud and water play. This is a favourite activity for the boys, and they are always happy to “wash” all the equipment during tidy up time. What helpful boys! We were surprised this week with an opportunity to have a ride in a wheelbarrow. The boys lined up patiently waiting their turn. What fun! To enhance our number recognition skills, we did our own number hopscotch; clever mathematicians! Have a super weekend boys.

Grade R

Much fun has been had this week in Grade R during our Castles theme.  The boys have been sharing all their knowledge on the subject and created their own castles using different materials.  The building of castles was a particular point of interest as the danger of enemies invading the structure sparked lots of conversations and ideas around what defence strategies they would use in the own construction.  Also, as Grade One is around the corner, we have been practising our letter and number writing skills and are making the best of our last few Muscle Mania sessions with Mrs Durham and Mrs Paul.

Grade 1

Grade 1 are going GREEN… On Friday, the boys proudly wore their green and gold to support the Springboks and then demonstrated their own developing skills in the Tag tournament. They brought their ’gees’ and sportsmanship to the game. Go Team Bishops! In the classroom they are becoming increasingly competent in working with money in preparation for Trading Day. We are encouraging all the boys to invest wisely in the future of our planet and GO GREEN with their trading day products. REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE are part of the entrepreneurial skills involved in this special event. It is exciting to see several boys who have green fingers and are growing their product, as well as finding environmentally novel ways to package it. In Art, the boys put their best foot forward in reducing their carbon footprint by producing creative puppets out of recyclables. On Monday, the boys attended their first Bishops Praise Service where they were treated to a wonderful sermon from Mr Smith regarding polishing up silverware. An analogy which reminded the boys to let their pure spirits shine and allow one another grace, and to share a bit of ‘Silvo’ when they notice that someone has lost their sparkle. Sevi bravely assisted Mr Smith on stage polishing up a silver spoon with the gusto only a Grade 1 boy can muster!

Grade 2

We had the privilege of starting this week in the Mallett  Centre with our annual Bishops Praise service. It was lovely to have Mr. Smith here to share with us. On Wednesday the Grade 2s had a chance to discuss bullying. We learned to identify a bully by using the acronym BOO which means Being mean, On purpose, Over and over again. The boys were given the necessary tools should they find themselves in a situation that involves bullying. In class, the boys have put their creative skills to good use as they designed cars during Literacy and their very own fruit/food stall during Art. It is always so interesting to see our boys express themselves and show their understanding in creative ways.

 

    BISHOPS PRE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Campground Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700
Phone +27 21 659 1037 | Fax: +27 21 659 1922