Dear Parents
Henry Ford said, “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.”
Our reputation is constructed from our track record, not our intentions. Many institutions know the right principles, talk the language and lay the best plans. Unfortunately, it takes more than that to build a successful and dynamic school. Success is about what we have produced, not what we have planned. Mrs Hunter published the phrase, ”It’s up to you!” at the beginning of the 2022 Academic year and the Staff were asked at our first staff meeting to rather take the initiative and ask for forgiveness if it didn’t work out. To date no-one has had to ask for forgiveness, instead the DPHS Staff, Boys and Parents have simply made sure that all our plans have indeed been realised within the first six months of the year.
Thank you for the positive and supportive attitude to all that is planned at Prep. I am pleased to report that the DPHS “Smile Quotient” remains high as we look forward to a well-earned July break whilst anticipating an equally successful second half to the year.
ACADEMICS
The DPHS Speech and Drama Festival attracted over 600 entries from all the boys in the school and again the positive and glowing feedback from our external adjudicator reinforced just why we put such emphasis on public speaking and the ability to present in front of any audience. The parents that attended the Performing Arts evening will attest to just how competent and brave all our boys are when it comes to public speaking.
A special mention must be made of the Grade 1 Boys and all the staff that were involved in presenting the wonderful Father’s Day Assembly. I know that all the parents who joined us for this special morning left Prep feeling both affirmed and amazed at the confidence of our Grade 1 boys.
The exam week went off without a hitch with our Grade 7 boys getting their first taste of having to sit a formal exam together in an exam hall. Well done to all the boys for the manner in which they rose to the academic challenge placed before them by their teachers.
Our reports are a formal document and are designed to be as informative as possible in the limited space available, while providing feedback and some direction as to how to continue improving in the classroom. The Term 2 reports have been sent home and again I encourage you to read the comments carefully and spend some time with your son discussing the teacher’s comments whilst comparing his results to the Grade average in the SP Phase.
SPORT
Term 2 is always a special term at DPHS as the school’s collective spirit is most evident. This spirit was evident at every sports fixture and even more so than at our annual DPHS/PhotoNote Rugby Festival. The crowds continued to stream into DPHS over the three-day festival and were treated to some simply outstanding schoolboy rugby, tasty cuisine and friendly hospitality. Saying “Thank you” to all involved does not seem sufficient when one considers everything that went into hosting this outstanding festival of rugby.
It is occasions like these that sets DPHS apart and one that truly makes us all very proud to be part of DPHS. To the entire Prep community, the DPHS Staff and in particular to our Director of Sport, Mr Dick, many thanks for your commitment and hard work throughout the festival.
We now look forward to our annual rugby tour to Cape Town in the first week of the new term and wish all 130 staff and boys a most successful and enjoyable trip.
Best wishes are also extended to the numerous DPHS Boys and Staff involved in the Craven Week and other Provincial Rugby tournaments over the July holiday period. We are sure that you will represent your school and province with pride and determination!
STAFF
Mr Shabalala, our long serving and outstanding bus driver, retires at the end of the term. He is a quiet, humble man who has served DPHS with distinction from the very beginning of the DPHS bus programme. “Thank you,” Mr Shabalala for always taking such good care of your precious cargo! We wish you a long and happy retirement in the company of your family and friends. We approached “Schlemmer + Associates, Recruitment Specialists” to help us find a replacement for Mr Shabalala as we needed to ensure that all vetting processes were thoroughly done and that we were able to attract a highly qualified and very competent replacement. We are very happy to welcome Mr Musa Ngcobo to the DPHS staff and look forward to many years of exemplary service.
Miss Kayla Badenhorst joined the aftercare staff at the beginning of the year and leaves us to join her family and continue her studies in the Western Cape. Thank you Miss Badenhorst, you have made a significant contribution to the aftercare programme in a very short space of time.
TERM 3
THE PROCESS, THE VISION, THE PLAN
“Make no little plans,
they have no magic to stir men’s blood
and probably in themselves will not be realised.
Make big plans, deep into the future:
aim high in hope and work.
Have faith, remembering that a noble plan,
once recorded will never die;
and long after we have gone will still be a living thing.”
(unknown source)
The DPHS Strategic Plan is an ever-evolving documented plan, designed to predict and meet the challenges ahead and to set a firm course of direction for the school. We will be revisiting and updating this document in the new term with the intention of aligning all stakeholders in order to achieve a united vision and to secure the continued success and future of DPHS. Aspects of this document and our vision for the future will be shared with the greater DPHS Community over the remainder of the year.
IN CLOSING
We wish everyone a relaxing and safe July holiday and encourage you to spend some quality time together connecting as a family unit.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to DPHS for the start of a very busy Term 3 on Tuesday 19th July.
Kind regards
GRANT PHIPSON
ACTING HEADMASTER
