2016
YEARBOOK
I hope you enjoy paging through the 2016 year book and sharing the memorable events in which you and your children have participated. Thank you to all the Staff, Children and Parents who make our Knysna Montessori so special. Every year we have celebrated the success of our Matric students. I have been at the school for twelve years now, and have had the privilege of teaching some of our 2016 Matrics in the 6-9 and Middle School phases. Sharing the growth and development of young people helps one to get to know them as individuals. It has been an honour to have played a part in their lives and to have accompanied them on their twelve year journey through the Knysna Montessori School. In tribute to their wonderful successs, I would like their story to shine...
The Knysna Montessori High School’s 2016 Matrics continued their outstanding record of a 100% pass rate, which has been achieved every year since KMS started writing IEB Matric exams in 2008.
KINA KEYSER
Knysna Montessori top student with 7 distinctions, average 90%, 4 subjects in top 1% in the country.
JO METELERKAMP
6 distinctions, average 86%, 1 subject in top 1% in the country.
CONTENTS
Knysna Montessori’s 2016 Matrics achieved an 87% Bachelor Degree pass rate, which allows candidates to study at university, and the whole group qualified to study at tertiary institutions.
is the only candidate from a Knysna school to feature on this list. In addition, Kina placed in the top 1% in the country for Afrikaans FAL, Geography, Life Sciences, and Life Orientation.
Montessori system of education. Small classes with individual attention, dedicated qualified staff and a close knit student group were all factors that contributed to this success.
Distinctions were achieved over a wide range of subjects by the group, and in particular Kina Keyser’s results were outstanding. Kina attained distinctions in English, Afrikaans FAL, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Geography, and Life Orientation - seven distinctions in all, and six of these distinctions were 90% plus!
Joining her with six distinctions is Johanna Metelerkamp (English, Afrikaans FAL, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Geography, and Life Orientation). Johanna also placed in the top 1% in the country for Life Orientation.
Knysna Montessori’s principal, Sonia Heaton, said she was very pleased with the results. She stated: “They show the effectiveness of the Montessori system of education, the self-discipline and confidence inculcated in the children from an early age, and the benefits of a high teacher-student ratio.”
These superb results have placed Kina on the Independent Exam Board (IEB) Commendable Achievement List (achieved within the top 5% of national learners in five subjects, plus compulsory over 80% for Life Orientation). Knysna Montessori High School is proud of the fact that Kina
KMS was excited to see how some candidates worked hard to improve their Preliminary results significantly and achieve very good Bachelor Degree passes. Academic Head John Vahey observed that these results were a reflection of the supportive environment and strong work ethic engendered through the
Heaton continued: “We have been delighted to hear of the outstanding achievements of our past Matrics at universities around the country, and wish the current group well with their future plans.” John Vahey (Academic Head) Alison Knox (Art Department)
04-06 Meet Our Staff
24-31 9-12 Years Environment
07-08 Awesome Parents
32-35 Hostel 2016
09-13 Pre-school Environment
36-49 12-15 Years Environment
15-23 6-9 Years Environment
50-61 12-15 Years Environment
MEET OUR STAFF
Ramas Mozodze
Lusanda Mhlakaza
Bryan Nowak
Claud Schmidt
Gladys Matthews
Winnie Somlothe
Johanna Phillips
Sonia Heaton
Dawn Walsh
Alison Knox
Nakkie Pretorius
Joy Diederichs
Anthony Campbell
Gerhard Claassen
Leonie Phillips
Bianca Botha
Leigh-Ann Campbell
Clare Clark
Del Dearmer
Diniel Weston
Monica Mqolombeni
Lindiwe Leve
Patricia Qakamfana
Nadia Ballan
Catherine Heaton
Taddy Beyleveld
Ronel Scholtz
Ilse Claassen
Norman Nyirenda
Rafael Nyirenda
Chris Scholtz
Diana Eksteen
Marne Nigrini
John Vahey
Peter Vieyra
Irene Charles
Portia Booi
...the teacher’s task is first to nourish and assist, to watch, encourage, guide, induce, rather than to interfere, prescribe, or restrict. Maria Montessori
AWESOME PARENTS
2-3 YEARS
PRE-SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
Jessica Vadas
Sazi Mlomo
Josef Heinen
Isabel Nassif
Ayia Marriott-Watson
Jorga Wood
Anna Platt
Mia Harris
Sophie Massow
Lazaro de Bruyn
Robert Bergstrom
Dylan Berman
Joey Keyser
Noh Berman
Marlene Jantjies
3-6 YEARS CLASS 1
3-6 YEARS CLASS 2
Ida Heinen
Eon Bruwer
Michaela Campbell
Tobias Matthes
Tokaro Marriott-Watson
Pia van Vuuren
Amy Campbell
Elizabeth Gouws
Lihlumelo Mfanekiso
Leo Murphy
Pierre Botha
Kristin Kruger
Michael Baker
Benjamin Schmidt
Noah Vertue
Clea de Bruyn
Olivia van Aswegen
John Pierre Kruger
Abbey Jones
Mukelwe Nyawo
Hosea Cupido
Auron Wentzell
Skyla Berman
Bianka Janse Van Rensburg
Annabel Regan-Du Toit
Kiera Lorenzo
Giulia Lutolf
Anothando Norani
Blake Sparks
Jean Steyn
Isabella Carr
Leo Ferguson
Dane Kirchmann
Hayden Sparks
Beverley Brownson
Modie Mbonde
Tatu Smurfit
Hilda Jantjies
“The unknown energy that can help humanity is that which lies hidden in the child.� Maria Montessori
6-9 ORALS Dear Parents It was a great pleasure to have your little ones in my classroom this year. We learned so many things together, and your children took pride in their work. Even though they would have grown without my help, it has been a pleasure and a privilege to see their personalities grow day by day and see how they have developed in their learning. We have laughed, played, studied, learned and enriched our lives during the year. In the first term we decided that we wanted to take part in charity work. We invited KAWS to our school and we gathered food supplies, blankets and toys for the animals, and we made scratching poles for the kittens. The second term we went to the Garden Route Trail Park. The children had a lot of fun. Parents were there to help the children who did not know how to ride a bike. In the third term we went to Acrobranch and did zip lining and team building activities - that was definitely the highlight of the year! We had our play in the fourth term in which the whole junior school took part - even parents and teachers showed their acting skills. Every year has its ups and downs, and one of our downs was Diana leaving us. We will miss her. Thank you to all the parents who supported us during the year. It is always much appreciated. Take care of your children, for they are so precious. With much love Nakkie
6-9 YEARS
Connor Cox
Max Walters
Tao Marriott-Watson
Shemene Conradie
Jody Brink
Nash Lederle
Hawken Lederle
Romeo Ballan
Mila Marris
Shaarl Marllot-Watson
Caitlin Campbell
Tyla Blignaut
Taylor Harris
Gita Hildebrand
Aiden Posthumus
Henri Gouws
Ziyaad Ormajee
Arthur Rudman
Luca Lutolf
Lennard Colins
Daniel Stassen
Max Fortes-Brookes
Tswelopele Moagi
Natalie Collins
Catherina van Heerden
Monique Eksteen
Dean Baker
Ethan Persello
Yamkela Mkefa
Chloe Price
Jessi Simon
Roy Frazor-Mackenzie
Jordan Stunden
Tamryn Jacobs
Diana Eksteen
Nakkie Pretorius
6-9 OUTING TO ACROBRANCH
JUNIOR SPORTS
9 -12 ENVIRONMENT 2016 was another successful year for the 9 – 12 Environment. The students excelled academically, culturally and in sport. We once again had finalists in the literary festival as well as numerous finalists in the Library week. Pieter Gouws had a short story published. Many of our students made it through to the second round of the AMISA challenge (Association for Mathematics Education of South Africa) with several achieving bronze and silver certificates. The play was a highlight of the year and the students were fantastic. With regards to sport we again celebrate a number of our students achieving SWD and provincial colours in a variety of disciplines. Congratulations 9 – 12’s on an excellent year. Bianca Botha Joy Diedericks Lusanda Mhlakaza
9-12 YEARS
Madison Walledge
Ethan Eksteen
Tainn Marriott Watson
Tylor Koen
Jordan Posthumus
Antonia Julies
Keigan Baldwin
Jed Phillips
Lesedi Mabe
Eyethu Giba
Emmeline Price
Tyla Carr
Finn van Eeden
Tiffeny Meyer
Deandre Steyn
Luka Fortes
Pieter Gouws
Connor Johnston
Rayleen Phillips
Alison Marre
Ntidi Motimele
Luke Walters
Heath Baldwin
Hadassah Conradie
Kish-Chanta Conradie
Zinedine de Nil
Tahlia Stead
Brian Frazer-Mackenzie
Gabriel Classen
Kiska Hildebrand
Jam-Dera Glogauer
Emily Edkins
Andrea Collins
Hannah-Tay Grabe
Kibibi Kraaikamp
Bianca Botha
Emma Heinen
Isabel Lor
Ludwig Harms
Tyla-Shae Leech
Nalidi Leholo
Kaylin Jcaobs
Joy Diedericks
Lusanda Mhlakaza
9 -12 YEARS ENVIRONMENT
9 -12 YEARS MOMENTS
“The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.� Maria Montessori
HOSTEL 2016 The students had social free time in the afternoons straight after school, and they would spend their time socializing in the lounge area - playing pool, riding their bikes, playing a ball game on the court area, swimming in the summer season or just relaxing in their dormitories. The seniors would utilize this time to catch up on their internet gaming, as their device times are limited to 2 hours for seniors and 30 minutes for juniors. In the evenings after supper the children would spend two hours on prep, homework, or self study time with a tea break in between, before they would retire to their dormitories to get ready for bed.
2016 was a good year for the Knysna Montessori School hostel as we started the year at full capacity of 34 students, ranging from Grade 1 to Matric. Over weekends we would take on a much more relaxed approach aimed at providing the students with a home away from home vibe. We frequently went on outings to explore Knysna and the beautiful surroundings. We visited the Drift, Jubilee Creek, Diepwalle, Redberry Farm, Noetzie, The Big Tree, Goukamma, markets and beaches, to name just a few! Here we would embrace the public facilities and have a picnic, braai or even make a potpie. Hostel has helped us grow as individuals, and we have learned a great deal over the period of 2 years and 9 months of being hostel parents. We have grown on many levels and value the relationships we have built with the students over the years, but the time has come for us to move on with our personal lives. We thank Sonia for entrusting us with such an important part of the school. A special thank you to Clare who was there from the start to assist us. Thank you to Chris and Ronel, who joined us in the 2nd term, for their assistance and seeing us through to year end. We handed over to Matt and
Beverley Brownson as hostel parents and we wish them the best of luck for the years ahead. Lastly, well done to the Class of 2016 on their good matric results, especially to our boarders, Grant Shearer, Kei Concannon and Benjamin Joubert. Gerhard & Ilse Claassen
“One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.� Maria Montessori
HOSTEL FUN!
12-15 YEARS
Declan Page
Danial Peng
Lucas Savage
Rayne Westley Bryan Nowak
Keagan Kind
Kiran Marriot Watson
Esona Sibali
Ruben van der Merwe
Jared Hanbury
Candice Brink
Isabella Ludski
Nadia Beyleveld
Jack McNaught
Del Dearmer
Khia van der Meulen
Zeldine Schwark
Chloe Davis
Olivia dos Santos Serra
Arum Glogauer
Jack Ligeti
Aiden Carr
Lune Snyders
Florence Watson
Ratna Kalianji
Malaika Tlmba
Matsedi Mogale
Naledi Mabe
Carla Collins
Marta Heinen
Chanrmone Steyn
Matthew van Lier
Zoe Metelerkamp
Camryn Millar
Gabriel Henley
Robert Vargas
Thole Boikanyo
Luke van As
Oliver Price
Antoinette Kayembe
Jethro Stead
Jake Rubin
We have also been able to build two large composting bins where we scatter all the animal droppings and the waste from our veggie patch. Another new feature has been our earthworm farm, which is thriving with all our veggie cuttings. Our animal kingdom has also grown with the birth of three goats, one set of twins included! This year we raised two female calves for the first time so that at the end of the year they could be sent back to the farm to integrate into the dairy herd. In the past we have raised male calves for slaughter, but the new project means that we can still go and visit our calves for years to come.
OCCUPATIONS
“The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.� Maria Montessori 2016 has been a great year in the occupation area. The farmyard has grown with the addition of two new tunnels and a larger rabbit proof garden area. In addition to this, all the trees and shrubs that were planted last year have started to grow really nicely. We have also included a new raised bed nursery area that is used to grow succulents for our beautiful handmade concrete pots.
The paving business has really been busy, and the students have worked hard churning out eight pavers four days a week to improve the stalls at the Friday Market. As summer arrived, the veggie garden really flourished and we have a nice variety of vegetables and herbs to sell, and enjoy in the hostel kitchen. Another great project has been our heirloom seed initiative which has seen us start to produce all our own seeds for our veggie garden. The wood chopping group are always busy either making firewood for summer braais, or firewood to fight off the winter chill. So what do we have planned for 2017? We would like to see the first of our new tunnels start with our koi fish breeding program. As we learn the ropes we will extend this into our second tunnel or perhaps diversify into aquaponics. We are also planning to extend our veggie garden into the bush area to the left of the farmyard. Here we plan to erect a shade cloth tunnel where we will be able to grow more veggies for selling, and seed as well as a cut flower area. There are also plans to move the technology class from behind the pool to this area so that all the occupations are closer together. For tech next year, we are planning to make more benches and baboon proof dustbins for the school as well as the Friday Market. We will also be learning wood turning skills on our three lathes and we will start to produce some basic furniture items. During the school holidays we are aiming to remodel the wood chopping area and to move the paving group to a new area that is closer to the main gravel stockpile. We will also be planting a hedge along the boundary fence between the farmyard and Narnia Village. Anthony Campbell
The entrance to the Farmyard sporting a new look handmade concrete pots with beautiful succulents from our nursery.
Rose and Eugenia cuttings in trays waiting for the roots to grow.
Our cucumbers starting to take shape, as they grow past the two leaf stage. Beans and tomatoes will be ready soon as well.
Zoe training and trimming our climbing roses that we grew from cuttings. These are old root stock which we found in the forests around the school.
Heirloom onion seed production taking shape as we experiment and learn along the way.
The veggie gardens are enjoying the warm humid weather. We have spinach, kale, beans, strawberries, blackberries, onions, lettuce and much more.
The wood chopping team has their work cut out for them!! This is a great project as we not only produce great fire wood, but we are also able to stimulate good business skills, coordination skills, and we are removing alien trees from the area around the school.
The goats also play their part in helping keep the alien vegetation in check. Each day after their enclosure has been cleaned, fresh alien branches are place in their area to be enjoyed by them.
Every morning the veggies in our tunnels are lovingly watered! We hope that soon these new tunnels will be home to our fish farm.
MARS 2016 Mars has proven to be a popular sporting activity amongst both the boys and the girls. Getting wet cold and dirty and being lost from time to time does not seem to affect the student’s enthusiasm in any way. 2016 has been a year of building blocks. We have tried to include all the different disciplines that are needed and to practice them under different conditions. We have paddled in the sea both on open water and in the waves, the lagoon and rivers. We have run and run a lot. We have ridden mountain bikes and crawled through the mud. Climbed hills and jumped off bridges all in preparation for what is to come 2017!! 2017 will see a bit shift in the Mars group. Firstly it will be a little longer so that we can fit in more variety and tasks. The students will need to be committed with the correct kit and the right attitude. For the first time we will include a backup crew that will take care of the athletes and their kit as they complete the challenges. 2017 promises to be a tough and challenging year for those students who take on Mars, but at the same time it will be rewarding and life changing as they push themselves harder than they ever imagined. Anthony Campbell
SPUR EDEN MTB LEAGUE
MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
FAMILY CAMP 2016
“Growth comes from activity, not from intellectual understanding.” Maria Montessori
15-18 ENVIRONMENT HIGH SCHOOL We started the school year with a bang with two new teachers in the High School phase, Nadia Ballan and Nandie Spangenberg. Within a few weeks the staff attended various National and Regional conferences in Cape Town and Johannesburg, held by the IEB annually to assist teachers to upgrade their skills. This has always helped immensely to keep our teachers up to date with current requirements and to ensure that we maintain a quality education for the students. These measures showed their worth when we received the Matric results for 2015. We had expected a solid showing, but were thrilled by the fact that all the candidates achieved a university pass. A 100% university pass is unusual, in fact Knysna Montessori was the only school in the Southern Cape region since the inception of the new curriculum in 2008 to achieve this, and we were congratulated officially by the IEB for this accomplishment.
We had a good year under the leadership of Head Girl Zoë Hahn and Head Boy Oz Campbell. Zoë worked very hard in attaining the highest award in the Scouting Movement, and received her Springbok Colours. The High School hosted another successful Performing Arts Evening, sharing the bill with the Middle School’s Shakespeare production. It was an entertaining evening spearheaded by High School students, particularly those who participated in the Drama Club. The programme included scripted plays and improvised theatre sports, all student-motivated. Under the able guidance of Anthony Campbell and Marlett Watson, the Grade 11s went on a Leadership Course on the Orange River, which tested and expanded their abilities in leadership, fitness, survival, and as team players. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all, and will be part of a continuing programme.
PHOTO CREDITS: Alfred Lor, Jenny Metelerkamp, Russell Gammon and parents.
As is customary each year, students participated in both the English Olympiad, as well as the IeBT Maths exam. All the Grade 11s were sent out to job shadow in the 4th Term, which gave them a few days experience in various fields. This presented an opportunity to have a taste of the working world, thus enabling them to make better future study and career choices. The Knysna Montessori Interact Club, headed by Tinashe Mazodze and supported by the Knysna Rotary Club, was actively involved in a number of community-based projects, which were very successful. In line with Department of Education directives, the High School has increased the number of sports offered,
under the capable direction of Tarryn Edkins and her team of able coaches. In 2017 a Physical Education Life Orientation component will be added as part of the daily timetable. Although Knysna Montessori is a small school, we compete with many local schools on a regular basis. In particular, the KMS 1st XI Boy’s Soccer team played an exciting brand of soccer, and had some good results. Nicholas Botes was awarded Southern Cape colours for Angling, and CobanDean Suttie was selected for the Western Cape Canoe Polo team, and is in line to be chosen for the national team to tour overseas. Thank you to Barbara Shearer and Ramas Mazodze for stepping in to replace Nandie in the second half of the year.
15-18 YEARS
Tomiko Fairweather
Johana Metelerkamp
Gemma Persello
Heather Metelerkamp
Azukiwe Seti
Oz Campbell
Benjamin Joubert
Courtney Meyer
Christopher Watson
Liam Rissik
Allison Brennan
Casey Davis
Zoe Hahn
Coban-Dean Suttie
Liam van Eden
Tana Gammon
Joshua Allen
Ben Normand
Tinashe Mazodze
Kito van Gastel
Ross Gammon
JJ Roses-Agoro
Rico Snyders
Bianka Brink
Simon Christian
Thomas Edwards
Tristan Middleton
Grant Shearer
Alex Patz
Basanda Madikane
Khumo Chikala
Leah Gibbins
Jade Hahn
Michael dos Santos Serra
Dylan Hawley
Kina Keyser
Kei Concannon
Chant Messina
Sam Mortazavi
Robyn Watson
Nicholas Botes
Nikki Mortazavi
Monene Motimele
John Vahey
15 - 18 PERFORMANCE EVENING PHOTOS
MAKING MEMORIES
“Play is the work of the child.� Maria Montessori
“Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.” Maria Montessori