From the new Principal 2017

Mr Michael Gates: BMedSc (Hons), MEd

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if someone remembers to turn on the light,” advises Albus Dumbledore in JK Rowling’s best-selling Harry Potter.

2017 was the year of light for me. One of the major reasons for returning to South Africa after 16 years in the UK was the South African sunlight and open blue sky.

Our Astro Turf lights have eventually been turned on! After months of waiting and negotiating, our Internet connection is now operating at the speed of light, allowing more teaching and learning opportunities from Cyberspace. Our National Senior Certifi cate results are light years ahead of others! We took fi rst place in South Africa in 2016 as the top public school.

Albert Einstein said, “We all know that light travels faster than sound. That’s why certain people appear bright until you hear them speak.” This is so true of the information which we gain from the Internet. I trust that, as we teach the girls responsibility online, parents will take charge of their daughters’ cyber activity to protect them from the aforementioned people so aptly identifi ed by Einstein.

It has been a great privilege to have met four of the previous Principals of Rustenburg Girls’ High School: Ms Josephine McIntyre, Ms Mary van Blerk, Dr Elizabeth Fullard and Ms Laura Bekker. It is so important to realise where we have been as a school to plan where we will be moving in the future. It was a sad moment when Ms McIntyre passed away earlier this year, coincidentally in the same week that the tree which was planted in the Centenary Quad in memory of her deceased husband also died. This was a cathartic lightbulb moment, realising that there is so much that connects us together, far beyond our understanding. This reinforces the theme of light; a tree uses light for the fundamental need of producing oxygen. create a safe framework within which greatness is achieved. It was therefore signifi cant that this year saw the revamping of the Code of Conduct in collaboration with all members of the community. In their exit questionnaire a number of our Matric girls mentioned the importance of this structure. It helped them feel safe and contained in their learning. It is my belief that good fi rm boundaries allow people to feel enclosed and provide an excellent space in which to have good fun, laugh at our own folly and learn from mistakes so that we can pick ourselves up and move on with pride.

As usual for a school there have been staff movements. I’d like to pay tribute to ladies such as Ms Anita Pretorius, Ms Lorraine Gardiner and Ms Ingrid Weideman who have given many years of their lives in growing your daughters, not only in their subjects, but also in life experiences outside the classroom. I am grateful for their contribution to our great school and wish each of them all the best in their future adventures.

Ms Avril Keller-Booysen gave many years of valued service to the Rustenburg Old Girls’ Union and this year passed the torch onto Ms Ruth Romburgh, in an Acting capacity, as ROGU enters a new era. We hope to have more contact and visits from past pupils and look forward to hearing how their foundations have taken them onto greatness.

May our school’s fast travelling light be true to what we learn and teach to all.