For nearly 100 years DPHS has been ‘Preparing Our Boys for Life’ and a future that is open to all sorts of possibilities through excellent academic training and a full roster of extra curricular sports and societies.

And it is in the near future that our wonderful school will celebrate its Centenary. 2010 is just around the corner, a date that is not only auspicious for the country but for DPHS as well. The fine reputation that the school has enjoyed during these past 100 years has been built on the valiant efforts of pupils, parents and teachers both past and present. And it is the future of our school, as we head into our next century, which depends on the continued efforts of those with us now and those still to come.

In 1997, DPHS launched the inspiring DPHS Educational Trust’s Prep Beyond 2010 Fundraising Campaign. This initiative was started to raise funds to enable urgently required extensions to the school to accommodate additional academic, cultural and auxiliary facilities. These additions would enable the school to maintain its position as one of Durban’s leading boys’ schools, offering our boys the finest Preparatory education possible. Prep Beyond 2000 saw the introduction of the DPHS Educational Trust Pledge System, which continues to help funding towards the facilities required. It also saw the commencement of the Millennium Foundation. Pledges given to the school were proudly acknowledged and recorded on the Millennium Foundation boards.

From funds raised, Phase 1 of the schools proposed new facilities were completed in 1997. The boys were able to enjoy a new multi purpose music and drama room as well as the newly completed refreshment centre. The entire Prep community is able to enjoy the facilities provided at the new Functions Room and Verandah. This area of the school is the heart and soul of community life at Prep.

Following this came the completion of Phase 2. This saw the building of our new classrooms and the prestigious Victor Daitz Science and Design and Technology Centres.

However, the planned Phase 3 of this initiative, which is crucial to the support of Phases 1 and 2, has yet to be completed.

To ensure that Phase 3 is completed in time for our Centenary celebrations in 2010, the Prep Beyond 2000 Fundraising Campaign has now become the DPHS Educational Trust “Prep Towards 2010” Campaign and is being actively driven to ensure that Prep heads into its next 100 years prepared and confident of being able to maintain the high standards and ideals that we enjoy in every facet of education.

WE APPEAL TO YOU THE FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF DPHS TO SUPPORT THIS FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE.

Richard Neave: Headmaster

YOUR ROLE IN OUR PLANS

As we head towards our centenary, we urgently need additional support from past and present parents, Old Boys and other friends of the school. You can help Prep in any of the following ways:

• Pledges, debentures, donations, capital gifts or bequests.
• Enquire about naming rights for parts of our school.
• Join our Centenary Foundation and have your name or your Company’s name recorded in our Centenary foundation area.
• Sponsor an advertising board around our sports fields until the end of 2010.
• Sponsor one of our Sporting or Academic Bursaries. Have a bursary named after your family, Company or Trust.
• Invest in aligning your Company with the leading boys preparatory school in Durban.
• Corporate sponsorship of goods or services that can be used in any area of our required projects.
• Donate some of your time to assist with getting together groups of Old Boys or contacting potential donors.
  

Phase 3
This much needed phase will provide an expansion in administration space to support the increase in both staff and services created from Phases 1 and 2. Our staff room is now extremely inadequate for the number of staff at the school and our sick room is a converted toilet and there are no areas to hold confidential meetings with parents. In addition it is becoming increasingly difficult to fit all of the boys into the hall at one time and we are limited for space for music tuition and exhibitions.

Phase 3 will provide alterations to the existing administration section of the school. This will create adequate space for all of the above requirements. There will be a new staff room, a meeting and multi purpose room, an interview room, a new sick bay, a mezzanine level in the hall to seat boys, music rooms and an art and technology display gallery.

OTHER EXCITING POSSIBILITIES

These include having the lane between 9th and 10th Avenues closed. This will enable us to extend the playing areas at the Reception Unit, aftercare and Main School