THE PULSE
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The High School newsletter of Sacred Heart College
Issue 1 19 January 2016
IN THIS ISSUE Matric class of 2015: Our top achievers Sacred Heart College teachers visit Harvard University The Leadership Learner Council of 2016 are announced Music at Sacred Heart College Soccer stars in the making The newly elected heads of the Learnership Leader Council 2016: [from left]: Jeremy Crouch, Cassidy Wood, Masego Mafata and Daniel O’Sullivan-Hewlett
From the principal’s desk Dear parents, guardians and learners A warm welcome to all of you. We look forward to spending a happy and productive year with you. Our term got off to an early but exciting start with the Learner Leadership Council training camp in the second week of January, followed by staff workshops and a Junior High orientation programme in the first week. The beginning of each New Year brings with it a renewed sense of purpose. The excitement of seeing old friends and making new ones is something we look forward to. In this regard we welcome all our new families into the Sacred Heart community and encourage you to become involved in all the opportunities that Sacred Heart College has to offer. We also welcome seven new teachers: Ms Gail Murray takes over the History and Social
World Scholar’s Cup DATES TO DIARISE JANUARY 18 19 20
Co- curricular activities start U13 open pre-contested swimming Junior High parent’s information evening 17h30, the hall 21 Pre-contested swimming Grade12 cocktail and information Sciences department from Mr Smurthwaite 17h30 Old Chapel Theatre who retired evening, last year. Mr Andrew Colesky joins 22 Junior High gala 23 Open inter-Catholic cricket 27 Feast Day: Angela Merici Parent’s iPad and technology training 28 29 30
Academic Mass Inter-house gala Inter-house LAN competition LLC new learners function Debating workshop Midmar qualifying marathon
Sciences department from Mr Smurthwaite who he retired and Andrew Colesky joined the Accounting and EMS department taking over Mr Du Toit’s classes. Ms Catherine San rejoins the Geography and Social Sciences department after a one year stint in the corporate world and Ms Rina Loh returns for
SACRED HEART COLLEGE EDUCATION WITH HEART THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDS
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two terms as our Mathematics locum until Mr Mvelo Mphungula joins us. Mr Thabang Rokgolae joins the Sports department and to teach Life Orientation and Physical Education. Mr Tebogo Nkomo will teach Computer Applications Technology in the Junior and Senior High. Ms Simone Braude will teach Mathematical Literacy and Life Sciences. We are delighted to welcome two alumni onto our teaching staff. Mr Ivan Marias joins us in the Mathematics department and Ms Jeanne
Kruger who will teach in the English department. We wish them all a happy association with us. We have extended the school day on Wednesday until 14:35 to pilot an extended curriculum which will allow learners in Grade 711 to engage more deeply with key concepts and ideas. A programme for this will be available at the Senior High and Junior High parents’ information evenings.
Congratulations It was with great pleasure that we received the 2015 matriculation results, which are a tribute to the hard work and commitment of the teachers and learners. Our success is not just celebrated by the number of distinctions the learners received but also in those learners who, through extreme difficulty and personal tragedy, have achieved a matric that will give them all access to higher education. The details for the results can be found on our website. These are some of the overall highlights:
85% (62 of 73 learner) achieved a degree pass. A further 10 (13.7%) achieved a diploma pass and 1 achieved a higher certificate pass. All children who wrote matric in 2015 are therefore able to go on to do tertiary education. 58% (42 of 73 learners) got one or more distinctions.
SACRED HEART COLLEGE EDUCATION WITH HEART THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDS
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DISTINCTIONS
TOP ACHIEVERS Joe Payne
8
Kevania Naidoo
7
Caleb Palmer
6
Lindiwe Nstepo
6
Ashley Vetten
6
Naomi Mogodi
5
Cejhna Ramkelawan
4
Obert Rukato
4
Ciara Ball
3
Ciaran Heywood
3
Mitchell Jardine
3
Nosipho Mgijima
3
Bogosi Morajele
3
For all our new families and for those that need reminding I have included some important information below.
Co-curricular programme We believe that many of the relationships between learners, other learners and teachers are strengthened during co-curricular activities and so we expect learners to be involved in at least ONE co-curricular, a minimum of three afternoons per week. Learners who have not registered for an activity are asked to speak to Ms Cindy Niken or Ms Le Roux. An SMS will be sent out to parents of those learners who are not involved in at least one activity by next Monday. The programme for co-curricular activities can be found on the school communicator under resources. Lockers Most of our learners have received lockers. We have ordered 10 additional lockers. We are particularly impressed by the organised way that two of our learners have managed their lockers.
Afternoon arrangements: Please collect learners who are going home before the start of the afternoon programme from outside the Chapel between 14h35 – 14h50. All Junior High learners, not going home, are to line up in the quad at 14h50 for registration. Any learners not collected between these times must be collected from the homework venues or co-curricular activities which end at 16h20.
_______________________________________________ Late coming Learners who arrive late for school, after 07h50, must please report to the High School media centre to be registered by the grade coordinator who will give them a late slip which will allow them into class. If they arrive after 08h30 they must report to the High School office. This will allow us to monitor late coming because arriving late for school starts their day off badly.
Year planner A blue High School planner is handed out to each learner at the beginning of the year. Please ask for it if you have not received it or pop into the high school office for a hard copy. We use School Communicator to post key information. Please download it using this link if you have not got it yet. Also remember to customise your school communicator so you only receive information you want.
Fixtures A list of fixtures has been posted on the school communicator. Hard copies have been displayed on the notice board outside Room 1 and the tuck shop. Results for matches can be found on the Sports Portal.
You can download it from: http://www.schoolcommunicator.com/download.php?schoolid=52 70 You can also integrate the school calendar into your google calendar. To do this you can email mandyb@sacredheart.co.za and she will send you a link.
SACRED HEART COLLEGE EDUCATION WITH HEART THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDS
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Sacred Heart College teachers visit Harvard University By Ros Wood- Morris (HOD:drama)
The Learner Leadership Council for 2016 are: Presidents: Daniel O’Sullivan-Hewlett
At the end of Term III Dikeledi Mosobe, Debbie Le Roux and I were given a fantastic opportunity to study Instructional Rounds at Harvard University, see the sights of New York, attend a writing and theatre workshop at the Manhattan Theatre Club and visit a number of schools both in Boston and New York. For two weeks we had the privilege of observing teaching in American schools and debating what good teaching and learning looks like, which resulted in many impassioned discussions. In the few spare moments we had, we fed our creativity with museum visits and theatre. One of us, who shall remain nameless, had a rather productive shopping afternoon. We have come back from this trip invigorated and inspired about our teaching. We thank Sacred Heart College for providing us with this life changing experience.
& Masego Mafata Deputy Presidents:Cassidy Wood and Jeremy Crouch. House Captains: Valerian: Iolio Etsiah and Mpumelelo Norman Nhlapo Benedict: Chandré van der Merwe Geddes: Kamila Makan and Luke Johnstone O’Leary: Leila Areff and Reneal Pillay
Members of the council: Kamila Makan, Cassidy Wood, Sibusiso Kgare, Isabella Potenza, Reneal Pillay, Masego Mafata, Daniel O’Sullivan-Hewlett, Mahima Jivan, Paul Stansell, Reneilwe Rampedi, Shanice Naidoo, Jeremy Crouch, Laetitia Munonoka, Prashil Daya, Iolio
___________________________________________ Music at Sacred Heart College Sacred Heart College’s music department is forging new ground in 2016 with the appointment of the new Deputy Principal, Wayne Purchase, an accomplished pianist who has performed extensively locally and internationally and has Master’s degree in Music Education. His aim is to build on the excellent music foundations to build a thriving and dynamic department in which every pupil of the College is exposed to music in either a class context or as a co-curricular activity to experience the exceptional value of participating in music-making.
Etsiah, Leila Areff, Mpumelelo Norman Nhlapo, Chandré van der Merwe, Emeka Ntone-Edjabe, Palesa Makam, Ighodalo Ukhurebor, Luke Johnstone, Luthando Velaphi, Sandiswa Tshabalala, Rayvern Coetzee, LeeAnn Johnson, Dalisizwe Sibanda.
Soccer stars in the making
Instrumental lessons Co-curricular instrumental lessons are offered in: piano, guitar, vocals (jazz and pop) and drums. Depending on demand teachers in clarinet, saxophone, and bass guitar can also be sourced. Music theory Music theory classes are also on offer and the syllabus of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools is followed. Pupils will have the opportunity to enter these examinations throughout
As part of the College’s senior soccer team, Astrid Kühn and Jordyn Walker were selected to represent Sacred Heart College at the JvW Girls Development League Awards ceremony on 27 November 2015 accompanied by Miss Cindy Niken (head of soccer)). They also received the U15 team’s award on their behalf: league winners for 3-term schools
SACRED HEART COLLEGE EDUCATION WITH HEART THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDS
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2016 and beyond. Classes take place on Wednesday afternoons and are facilitated by Elena Zlatkova, a professional violinist with a Master’s degree in music. Cost: R670 per term excluding books and exam fees.
The World Scholars Cup By Jordyn Walker
Ensemble programme Sacred Heart College’s music ensemble programme aims to encourage pupils playing instruments as well as vocalists to play and sing in groups to develop their sight-reading and aural skills as well as ensemble techniques. Ensembles are given the opportunity to perform at various school events as well as external events. The following ensembles are on offer at the High School: a jazz quintet, string and woodwind ensemble, vocal group and marimba bands. The vocal group is facilitated by Callandra Youngelson, a professional vocalist with an Honour’s degree in voice and composition. This specialised group focuses on solo and group performance skills, voice and microphone training using backtracks and acapella arrangements. Cost: R670 per term The One Heart Choir 2016 sees the re launch of the choir as the One Heart Choir. Under the directorship of Mr Wayne Purchase and Ms Nomvula Mehlomakhulu, acclaimed choir director of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy. This renowned choir has performed for Oprah herself and numerous celebrities. The new look choir aims to provide a diverse repertoire that reflects the character of the school. The choir is given opportunities to perform at various school events as well as external events. For further information please contact Mr Purchase at the high school office or waynep@sacredheart.co.za Matrics collecting their results at Habits coffee shop on 30 December 2015
Riley Pam-Grant, Julia Barry, Astrid Kuhn and myself represented Sacred Heart College and South Africa at the Tournament of Champions held at Yale University in New Haven, U.S.A from the 13 – 19 November 2015. At this tournament, I joined two students from the International School of Beijing – Connie Zhang and Vivian So. I particularly enjoyed the experience as we could share and learn about each other’s countries and cultures. A highlight for me was carrying the South African flag at the Flag March event. ___________________________ Congratulations to Shari Maluleke and Mark Millwood who have been selected to the Johannesburg Junior City Council 2016. ____________________________
SACRED HEART COLLEGE EDUCATION WITH HEART THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDS