Our 2021 academic year has got off to a wonderful start with our boys across the school returning on a daily basis. You are reminded that we have sent you the amended school calendar for the year which shows that the first term now ends on Friday 23 April. This means that we can look forward to a further 44 academic school days in this quarter.
Thank you Prep!
It has been so encouraging to record that we have 100% attendance in many classes and across most grades so far this week. We have thus registered some of our lowest absentee number in total for the school even in comparison to our pre Covid years. We as the staff are so appreciative of the vote of confidence that our DPHS community has thus clearly shown towards us, in supporting our call for all our boys to be present at school. The staff are actively involved in providing for our boys with academic, cultural and extra mural programmes already forwarded to you.
Even though our boys have just recently returned we can honestly state that they are actually enjoying their third week of teaching/learning since we launched our academic programme for this year. We can all be proud of how we together supported the needs of the boys during these first two weeks with the boys creating that back to school mindset by setting up their work stations at home and following an academic dress code by wearing their DPHS uniform during this period. It is clearly evident in noticing how the boys have settled down and adjusted to their classroom routine so quickly since returning thus being ready to respond so positively to their work and general school responsibilities. My appreciation continues to our families and boys who have returned as proudly DPHS boys respecting our dress codes. I can again state that this is so close to a 100% positive buy-in with our boys arriving and respecting our non-negotiable appearance standards throughout each school day.
We have also noticed that the vast majority of our boys, again close to that 100%, have made that effort to be at school on time with only a few families not making that 7h25 first bell deadline in the main school. Our Grade R learners have also been extremely punctual with most boys here ready to begin the day as communicated to you via earlier correspondence.
OPEN DAY
It is with much pride that I can report back that we hosted a most successful Open Day yesterday afternoon. Firstly, thank you to our families for being punctual to fetch your son – your support here added to a smooth start to the programme. We had a very impressive turnout of parents who left having thoroughly enjoyed the Prep experience. This is the first of our ‘Open Day’ events with further initiatives lined up moving forward as we look ahead already to 2022.
I take this opportunity to also congratulate and thank the entire staff team for their enthusiastic involvement in hosting the event for DPHS. However, our combined acknowledgement and utmost appreciation is directed to Mrs Tarryn Hunter (our Director of Marketing) for co-ordinating and steering such an excellent programme for this Open Day. Thank you and congratulations Mrs Hunter and staff – this was truly a Proudly Prep achievement.
EXTRA MURAL ACTIVITIES
We can now look forward to continuing with the revised DPHS sports/clubs programme that was sent out especially with the improvement in the weather conditions. Now that our boys have returned we can look forward to extending their day beyond the academic hours so that we can all enjoy spending that further quality time in the variety of codes and activities available.
Please ensure that your son attends wearing the correct DPHS kit for that specific code ie predominant white footwear for cricket, slops to be worn to and from swimming/water polo training etc.
I remind you that all boys are to leave correctly dressed after their respective sports practice:
eg – A DPHS tracksuit top is to be worn over the cricket uniform with the DPHS cap on the head: If there is no tracksuit top then the boy will change into his full school uniform.
Please ensure that your son is correctly dressed for his activities in all age groups across the school.
We encourage all our boys to become actively involved in the extra mural programme – you will be kept updated on a regular basis relating to any amendments or new initiatives regarding extra mural activities.
RAINBOW THEME
I spoke to the classes this week relating to the buy-in to our theme for 2021 and I call on you as parents to build on this at home. I remind you that the emphasis is for our boys to “Be That Rainbow” and to “Show Your True Colours” in all that you do. Our boys have also been asked to choose the colours of the rainbow and relate it to their own personal drive eg – green = I am going to ‘go for it’.
This rainbow arch can also be used as a pathway that leads to that Prep pot of success at the end of one’s personal “rainbow goal” which school/parents can thus include in our motivation of the child.
Let us together create a Prep Rainbow of magnificent colours throughout our year ahead.
MR PREP
I have already started the Mr Prep programme where each class nominates their own representative who has constantly throughout the week, made that expected effort to be neatly dressed in appearance for school on a daily basis. There will be a Mr Prep chosen by me in my office amongst the selected JP and SP candidates who proudly represent the class when they are sent to my office for Mr Prep.
It gives me great pleasure to announce our first Mr Prep for the year namely:
JP – Jack Desplace – Grade 1 Greensill
SP – Sfundo Shabalala – Grade 7 Jali
Please motivate your son to be Mr Prep on a daily basis when he presents himself at home ready for school.
Reminder:
- The DPHS haircut of short back and sides and no mop of hair on top of the head is very much part of our appearance and uniform standards.
- DPHS School Cap is to be worn to and from school – please check on this.
Headmasters quote for the week
“Keep looking up ……There may be a RAINBOW waiting for you”
Kind regards
B WILSON
Headmaster
