We as Prep have made it through to the end of the term, crossing the finishing line in true ‘Champion’ style. Thank you to every partner who has been actively involved in this achievement and in ensuring that our school has enjoyed a most successful term. I hereby remind you that there are only 47 school days left to enjoy in 2019 before we close the academic year on Wednesday 4 December – let us build even higher on the standards of excellence laid down so far over these three terms.
ACADEMIC NEWS – SENIOR PRIMARY
You will now be in possession of your son’s third term report based on his continuous assessment for this quarter. I call on all parents again to please spend quality time with your child in going through each section of the report and not just racing to see his final percentage as in aggregate. Rather turn to the back page and begin with the course of study that indicates the summary of the concepts and work covered by your son this term. Please take careful note of the co-curricular assessment in the inside page which highlights the results and scores for the specialist subjects which your son is assessed on outside the learning areas in the classroom. You will then find the general comment that the class teacher has presented to give an honest and general overview of his academic performance. I have also taken the time as Headmaster to read these comments before I place my signature so that I too am well informed of your son’s performance. Above this section are the columns with the third term only scores and the accumulative scores for the year so that you can now see where your son is achieving before the academic programme for the fourth term commences. As a heading, above the results, are two areas of major concern that needs your ‘family’ attention.
- The date school re-opens ie. – Tuesday 1 October so please be present on that official day when we start the final academic programme.
- The number of days your son has been absent this quarter. Compliments must be expressed for those reports which show ‘O’ (1 or 2) on this line but alarm must be expressed for some boys where this number is far too high – absence from school does have an effect on the academic outcomes!
Now turn to the official front page and be proud of your son’s photograph and the efforts of the class teacher whose name appears there. It is these two people that we should really shine the spotlight down onto as it is this partnership that has produced these reports of success, in abundance.
I emphasize again that your son can only benefit from the report if you as parents set aside that time to focus on each section so that praise is received where needed and constructive advice can be implemented where this urgency is required.
Enjoy the reports!
RECENT ACTIVITIES
- DPHS TRUST GOLF DAY – Congratulations and thank you to Mrs Mia Venter and Mrs Liz Elliott for co-ordinating the annual Golf Day on behalf of the School Trust. I also extend the acknowledgement to the Golf Day Committee members for their involvement on the day, to staff involved in the setting up and organization behind the scenes, to the sponsors towards the day (putting green/tee boxes etc.) as well as to the many DPHS parents who provided items for the prize giving. I also highlight the efforts of our boys/families throughout the school for selling their golf raffle sheets with the overall winners been drawn at assembly today on this final day of the term. It was also great to have our own ‘Super Sport’ parent in Mr Butch James entertaining us as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
The field was jam packed with four-balls beginning earlier in the day continuing throughout the day. We as DPHS appreciate and value the commitment shown by these players, many who are the regular faces each year.
Unfortunately, I did not win the ‘hole in one’ prize of R50 000 – I did not land anywhere near the hole but persevere I did – through the “rain, hail and snow!”
Wow – this is a tough game!!
Congratulations Prep – We can now look forward to the 2020 DPHS Golf Day – please diarize Thursday 10 September 2020 – please. Note Thursday not Friday next year.
I’ll be back! – see you there!
NIPPERS
We are delighted to announce that Prep claimed the No 1 position as the ‘champion’ school at the recent KZN Inter Schools competition held last Saturday. Our boys have been actively involved in so many activities this term yet with some staff and parents input still managed to compete at this level of excellence. Special mention is made of staff member Mr Ross Bedford (HOD) who co-ordinated the DPHS arrangements and for his direction given to steering the team to victory.
Congratulations Prep!
HOUSE PLAYS
I have included my message in the House Play programme below to emphasize the outstanding achievements of all the partners involved in this production of 2019. Those family members who were present this week as the audience will surely endorse my sentiments expressed here and in the programme. May we continue to applaud now as the curtains finally close on this Hollywood achievement. Congratulations Prep!
WELCOME
As we sit here tonight, I call on all present to firstly reflect back on the dedicated efforts of staff, boys and their parents who have been involved during this term in creating this masterpiece:
“A Dash of Dahl”
We, as the audience, will be loudly applauding this finished presentation but it is the weeks of auditioning, planning and rehearsing around many other Prep activities during this extremely busy third quarter that should be acknowledged, with our standing ovation. There are only so many days and hours available in the weeks but this House Play team have ensured that every minute has been used to afford our boys the opportunity to display their respective talents on stage, to these levels of excellence which we can appreciate tonight.
Yes – it may have felt like a “DASH” in preparation but this combined Prep synergy will leave us with a ‘Marathon’ of fond memories to cherish in celebration.
Hence the spotlight must shine down on our overall Directors namely, Mrs Kasia Vosloo and Mrs Paige Richards who have embraced the House Play challenge and with the members listed have steered all four houses to a combined “Proudly Prep” production. Thank you Prep! Let us rather state that we can look forward to a ‘Dashing DPHS Dahl’ production where all partners involved are true “Oscar” Champions. Bravo – Encore!
FINAL WEEK
We have enjoyed the following events over these past two days.
Thursday 19 September Academic Assembly: where we recognised the Top Ten achievers in each class. The most improved learner (on aggregate) in each class and those boys who scored 80% and above on aggregate.
Headmaster’s Tea – this followed after the assembly where boys listed above were invited to celebrate their academic achievements in the functions room.
Well done boys! – Thank you to the Mothers Committee for treating the worthy recipients at this tea.
Honour Our Helpers – every end of term sees us invite our General Assistant staff to a sit down lunch. It is conducted on behalf of the entire school where the message of ‘thank you’ is expressed termly to these ladies and gentlemen. This team are also Proudly Prep and start their duties in the early hours of each day which extend throughout the evenings.We thank you – Siyabonga Kakhulu!
Friday 20 September – Break up day
Sunflower Day: It is so encouraging to note how many boys and their families supported the cause in this fund raising drive for Cancer. Our assembly hall was filled with colour as the boys proudly displayed their topes which they had purchased. Your support is so greatly appreciated.
Thank you – To all the families who have:
- supported our Feed the Babies drive – our annual charity commitment where DPHS proudly responds each year.
- Sold their golf raffle sheets that were returned this week in support of our annual DPHS Golf Day. The winners of various prizes were announced this morning at assembly the overall money raised in profit will be expressed shortly.
NASA presentation
We had the rare opportunity to engage with a former NASA Astronaut Dr Don Thomas a veteran of 692 space orbits of the Earth. Dr Thomas is in South Africa celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing but also hoping to inspire the next generation of mathematicians, scientists, engineers and astronauts ready to help reach the next destination in space …. Mars. How honoured we are to have an astronaut address DPHS at assembly on break-up day today. Do we have the next “Dr Thomas” in our Prep audience – I believe we do! Reach for the Stars, Moon and Mars Prep!
APPREARANCE
We now move into the final quarter of the year which also means that we move into a change in uniform ie. – it is not necessary to wear a blazer for the academic day. Please remember that the blazer is used for this coming cricket season so I encourage families to have the blazer cleaned during these holidays seeing that it has been worn during the past two terms on a daily basis.
I share with you that the holiday period now is really only a week long so please do not allow your son to have any fancy hairstyles or ‘colouring’ etc. as this will need to be removed before the start of the next term.
I remind all families throughout the school that the DPHS hair standards are:
“Short back and sides with NO MOP of hair on top of the head.”
I believe that it is imperative that every child has a haircut this holiday so that he is well presented with his neat uniform on Tuesday 1 October. Please respect this school request so that we can start the term without unnecessary conflict or excuses on return of “I am having it cut today etc.” – that is too late!
The boys will be monitored on day one and let us acknowledge them positively for their Proudly Prep appearance.
DPHS will not drop its levels of excellence in appearance as a Prep boy.
I encourage our Grade R learners to follow suit as they too will be preparing for the main school in the very near future.
PREP BOYS
| DON’T | DO |
| Look for excuses when going through their report. | Celebrate the positive aspects of their report and focus on those areas needing attention in the report. |
| Forget that this is the final academic term of the year. | Present their honest and committed efforts in this final academic term. |
| Return without having had a proper DPHS haircut. | Ensure that there is no mop of hair on top of the head. |
| Become ‘lazy’ in their last term. | Become actively involved in all aspects of their Prep lifestyle next term. |
| Say that they are ‘bored’ in these holidays. | Play and keep themselves busy in the holidays. |
SPRINGBOKS
I do, on behalf of DPHS, wish our SA Rugby team great success during the Rugby World Cup which starts today. May they be rewarded with a victory tomorrow against New Zealand and their games ahead. We as a country look forward to Siya Kolisi raising the World Cup in victory – A proud celebration for South Africa and Prep! We will be launching our “Go Bokke” dress days at the start of the fourth term where we will encourage support for our National Team.
HOLIDAYS
I end by wishing all Prep families a wonderful break so that you as staff, boy’s parents and families can return relaxed yet re-charged to tackle the exciting challenges of this final lap for 2019. We have enjoyed a most successful term with levels of excellence reached across all phases and codes at Prep and now need to build on this solid platform to round off a most rewarding year. I call on all Prep partners to return with a continued focus on the “Prep family” where each day we practise our support, care and respect for each other amongst us as adults, amongst the boys of Prep and where we continue to promote a firm belief in our wonderful school that we are all so blessed to be partners of. Here is the perfect opportunity to take out those photo-albums and reflect back on yester-year with your child as you create quality holiday family time – enjoy!
Travel safely, rest well and be ready for a mighty cheer of “Go Prep” from day one ie – Tuesday 1 October.
“Happy Holidays!”
HEADMASTERS QUOTE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
“There are two ways of spreading light – to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it”
B WILSON
Headmaster
