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THURSDAY 30 November 2023
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Dear Parents
SPOTLIGHT ON GRADE 1 AND 2 TEACHERS
I would like to introduce our dynamic Grade 1 and 2 teams to you.
Grade 1
Amy Fernandez - Amy will be our Grade Head for Grade 1 next year. Many of you may know Amy as mommy to Elijah and Christian, both Bishops Boys. Amy is married to Cole, loves the outdoors and is big on family and God. She has been teaching for the past 15 years.
Nazli Kingwill - Nazli has a son at university and is married to Grant, who has a son named Kyle. She loves mountain and seaside early morning walks, dabbling in the kitchen and gastronomical experiences. Naz is a valuable member of our Bishops team and has been teaching in Grades 1 & 2 for the past for 17 years.
Carron Merrick - has been at Bishops for 13 years. Carron started out in Grade R and has enjoyed many years now in Grade 1. She is an exercise junkie, with running and cross fit being her passion. She has a gorgeous son, Dylan who will be moving from the Prep to the College next year!
Grade 2
Liz Daames - Liz heads up the Grade 1 and 2 section, teaches one of our Grade 2 classes and has been at Bishops for a while. She has two daughters, Erin and Skye and is married to Lynton who you may have seen playing the keyboard at our Carols last year! Liz enjoys sunset picnics and snorkelling along our diverse coastline.
Melody Green - Mel will be our Grade head for Grade 2 next year and will move up from Grade R to teach a Grade 2 class next year. She has taught in the higher grades before so this is not new to her. Mel has a little princess, Anna and this year, her and Craig welcomed twins, Matthew and James to their family.
It seems strange to say that this will be the last newsletter I have to write! After 9 years at Bishops and over 250 newsletters, countless emails and many many meetings, it is time to say Goodbye. There is a quote that sums my time up perfectly “The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence; the past is a place of learning, not a place of living.”
Wishing you and your families a blessed, safe December holiday.
SHARLENE GROOM
HEAD: PRE-PREP
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DIARY DATES |
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Thursday 30 November @ 6pm |
Pre-Prep Carols Service - Memorial Chapel
This is a compulsory event for Pre-prep boys. Please make sure that boys are dropped AT THE PRE-PREP, NOT AT THE CHAPEL at 5.30pm. They will meet in their classrooms and be walked over to the chapel by their teachers. Guests must please then proceed to park on the College campus (security will direct you) and be seated in the chapel, ready to start the service at 6pm. After the service, boys will need to be collected from the lawn on the side of the chapel - this will be confirmed at the end of the service. |
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Thursday 30 November |
Last day of extra mural activities
This is the last day of extra mural activities for all boys. Aftercare will operate as usual until the 5th December. There will not be any aftercare on the last day of school. |
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Friday 1 December @ 11am |
Grade 2 Blessing of the Ties Ceremony
This event is for Grade 2 boys and parents in the Memorial Chapel. Tea will be served on the lawns after the service and boys may be collected from their teachers and taken home after the ceremony. |
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Wednesday 6 December |
School Closes for 2023
Closing times are on the online calendar for easy reference.
Grade N close at 10.45am; Grade R at 11:00am; Grade 1 at 11.15am and Grade 2 at 11.30am. Please collect your son quickly to allow the next group of parents to secure parking for an easy collection of boys. |
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TAKE NOTE |
Hamper contributions
An enormous Thank you to all parents for your hamper contributions! We have managed to secure 3 lovely huge hampers for our cleaning staff. There was also enough to put together a wonderful collection for both Mr Mthinsilana and Ms Baninzi, and then even more to make up some extra hampers for our garden staff and other security guards. This is accompanied by a cash gift, from the Civvies Day money. I can assure you they will all be having a lush Christmas! Thank you to Kate Bohm and her team who gave up their time to sort the hampers and package them, to make it easier for them to be transported home. |
Farewell
We bid farewell to Mrs Mandy Edwards who has been in Grade R while Mrs Green has been on maternity leave. Mandy has filled this role with dedication to her boys and has been a valuable member of our staff while she has been here. I am sure we will see Mandy around, filling in when staff are sick. We thank her sincerely for the amazing work she has done with our boys this year. |
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PRE-PREP PRAYER GROUP |
Message from Mr Tsotso
The Lord be with you.
As the year draws to an end and all that was set out for us has been done, will we now look forward to a time of rest and adjust ourselves for the birth of a Son named Emmanuel. We approach the beginning of the Christian calendar as we celebrate the season of Advent.
Advent: a season where we look forward to and anticipate the birth of our Savior, Jesus.
We give you thanks because the day of deliverance has dawned, and through Him all things will be made new, as he comes in power and triumph to judge the world.
At Christmas, Christ is revealed to us and the incarnate God in flesh comes to dwell amongst us and share in our humanity.
We give thanks for there is a God who is present with us, who took our nature upon himself, and was born of the Virgin Mary. Through this we understand that He will forever continue to exist; not just as a Deity but as the One living in each one of us.
The season of Epiphany will begin soon after the Advent season where we celebrate Jesus showing up in different spaces and communities to reveal the wonders of God.
Epiphany: Jesus continually revealing Himself and His divine glory to all mankind.
I pray that God will reveal himself to you all in unique ways over the holiday season. May it be a time when we encounter the born Jesus in those around us, our family, and friends.
During this time may we be beacons of hope and love May we be the incarnate image of God to the people we encounter as we share in the excitement of this season. Always remember that we are the hands and feet of God to all.
Blessed Christmas to you all and a safe holiday. |
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GENERAL INFO |
| VUSA |
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The VUSA Christmas Party at Lutgensvale, hosted by the incredible Bishops Grade 6 & 7 families, was a magical celebration that left 180 VUSA and 40 Bishops Boys brimming with joy. The carefully planned fun activities, from a festive craft table to face painting, a jumping castle and an exciting rocket ship adventure, created an atmosphere of pure delight. A heartfelt thank you to Charles Traill, whose slushy business added a cool touch to the day, and to generous donors like Blaauwberg Meat Specialities, ensuring the children feasted on delicious boerie rolls and decadent donuts for dessert. Shoprite's thoughtful gesture of treating the children to bags of yummy treats and Christmas hats added an extra sparkle. The beautifully decorated gift bags, expertly crafted by Grade 5, were incredible and sincere appreciation goes to Sue Johns for coordinating this effort. Special thanks to the Darne family, Prep PA, Crazy Store, Bishops, and Banjopro for their contributions. Thank you also to Kim Stevens, Cema Hendricks, Fika Madubela and Brendan Fogarty and all the parents who donated, helped pack gift bags and volunteered their time to assist on the day. Please view THIS short video of this incredibly special day.
In another heartwarming display of generosity and the true spirit of Christmas, the ECD Angels concluded their year of weekly volunteering at Dalukhanyo creche on Tuesday morning. Freedom baked Christmas biscuits, which our creche children decorated. Special thanks to the Turck family for making homemade playdough packs for each child for the holidays. Thank you also to Aoife Doherty and Bryony Bryce for driving this special initiative and to all the special parents who have given up so much time and care for our children. . |
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HIGHLIGHTS |
| Grade N |
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As the school year winds down, Grade N boys are soaking up the holiday spirit in their own lively way. The classrooms are buzzing with laughter and glitter as the boys’ dive into Christmas-themed activities, making these final days truly special. The eagerly anticipated Sensory day will be taking place tomorrow and lots of messy fun is in store. Please ensure boys arrive in civvies/swimming costumes with a towel and a spare change of clothing. As Grade N wraps up, the boys are not only closing a chapter but also embracing the spirit of togetherness, creativity, and joy. |
| Grade R |
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| Grade R has been a buzz with science experiments, last and this week. We are so grateful to have a big field outside to contain all the spills! The boys have loved beginning to explore some of the scientific reasons why reactions occur. They also did their best to fully excavate the sandpit one playtime and with great team work they almost got there. Elves have begun appearing on shelves and other interesting places causing much wonder and delight. The Christmas season is in full swing and the count down has begun! |
| Grade 1 |
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It was heartwarming to see some old faces visit the Pre-Prep this week. Our Grade 6 students collaborated with our Grade 1 boys to create moveable objects from recyclables. This fun activity not only promoted sustainability but also fostered a sense of camaraderie between different grades. The week concluded with the Grade 1 students enjoying their final swimming lesson, enjoying relay races and water games. Thank you to our wonderful coaches who developed our swimming strokes throughout the first and last terms. |
| Grade 2 |
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We have had such a busy week rehearsing for the various functions to be held at the end of term. A highlight for all was singing to Mrs Groom during Monday’s assembly and presenting her with the gifts so carefully prepared by the boys. The drama boys prepared a lovely poem to say to Mrs Groom too. We congratulate all our musicians and choir boys who, with the help of Mrs Swanich, put on an outstanding concert for parents on Monday night. They even had to rehearse on a Saturday morning to prepare for the evening. There was lots of excitement as the Grade 2’s swam in various fun races at the last class swimming lesson. We wrote to Santa and the elves came to visit our classes and had great fun at Art Club making Christmas stockings. Rehearsals for our Carol service and Tie Ceremony continue, and we all look forward to celebrating at these fantastic events. |
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BISHOPS PRE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Campground Road, Rondebosch,
Cape Town, 7700
Phone +27 21 659 1037 | Fax: +27 21 659 1922 |
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