We have entered into the last two weeks of the third quarter with this school week ending this Thursday as we look forward to celebrating Heritage Day on Friday. It is with this in mind that I send this week’s message earlier this week with now only 7 school days left for the term.
STAFF NEWS
We take this opportunity to share with the Prep community that Miss Casey Bartlett, a class teacher in our Reception Unit, is away this week to prepare for her wedding and marriage to Mr Anthony Kirkwood this coming Saturday. There has been much excitement amongst the respective staff members, as friends and colleagues, as this special time and day has been drawing closer. We as staff, boys and parents send our combined best wishes and congratulations to Miss Bartlett and Mr Kirkwood.
DPHS now looks forward to the return of “Mrs Casey Kirkwood” a name change that especially her Grade R boys will have to adjust to shortly. Thank you to Mrs Heather Maxwell, who has taken over the reigns in this class whilst Miss Bartlett is away. Both ladies have already met so that full teaching and functionality can continue in this blue group.
HERITAGE DAY
This Friday 24 September is an important day on the calendar known as Heritage Day. It is a day where we celebrate the cultural wealth of our beloved country and the many cultures that make up the population of South Africa.
Heritage Day emphasizes the “Rainbow Nation” in our country respecting the diversity, cultures, beliefs and tradition of our people whilst embracing all races and genders.
DPHS will be proudly celebrating Heritage Day this coming Thursday 23 September. We call on all our boys to attend school wearing outfits/items in honour of their own cultures for the day so that we as DPHS can acknowledge our own diversity in our Prep community and across our beautiful country and its people.
We wish our Prep families a meaningful and proud celebration of Heritage Day on the Public Holiday on Friday.
“DPGT 2”
It is so rewarding to note the Prep team-work in ensuring that the final filming of this “Durban Prep’s Got Talent No 2” presentation was concluded here at school on Sunday. Credit must be given to the Directors namely Mrs Briscoe, Mrs Harker and Mrs Vosloo, as well as the staff who helped in setting up, make-up, props and supervising in general on the day. The spotlight must also fall onto the cast who displayed their amazing individual/group skills in challenging for the title and respective positions. This once again displayed everyone going beyond the call of duty as noted, on a Sunday, carrying through well into the evening.
Congratulations and thank you in abundance to all the Prep partners mentioned as well as to the professional filming and sound crew. I am sure that we will be calling ‘encore’ when we are entertained with the finished product. A proudly Prep achievement!
COVID UPDATE
It is encouraging to note that we have our Covid statistics at an extremely low level with 1 boy still away having tested positive last week and 1 boy still in isolation. Both these boys are about to return to school as well, in the very near future. Once again I personally acknowledge the combined efforts and communication noted amongst the staff and parents when sharing information about any Covid cases in the respective classes.
EXTRA MURALS
- It gives me great pleasure to announce that our boys excelled in the school fixtures last week against Umhlali Prep and Northlands. Our boys have continued to build on the positive start to the inter school fixtures against Clifton as is evident in their development in the team structures noted in these recent matches across all age groups. Well done to the coaches, staff and boys for working hard at practices to produce this pleasing standard of play and overwhelming success rate as seen in these results.
Versus: Umhlali – played 15, won 9, lost 5, drew 1
Northlands – played 10, won 9, lost 1, drew 0
Our 1st team also played Glenwood Prep 1st to record with a 1 – 0 victory, on Friday afternoon.
- We now enjoy the inter-house hockey fixtures for our Junior and Senior sections. It is at these matches that we also see such spirited performances from our boys as they proudly represent their respective houses. Best wishes to Bullimore, Evans, Haysom and Stubbs.
- We are delighted to be able to offer our boys an inter house athletics day programme where the boys will be able to represent their House in this annual challenge. The boys have already been working on their standard points contribution during the PE lessons in build up to the athletics day. The ‘field events’ will be held this coming Monday with the JP and SP track events held on Thursday 30 September (the day before school closes next week)
All these events are held during the actual school day – unfortunately we will not be able to have parents here in attendance. Best wishes to all the staff and boys in all four houses.
CONGRATULATIONS MR PREP
Congratulations to the following boys:
JP – Rayyaan de Vasconcellos – Grade 3 Marklew
SP – Mandisi Msimang – Grade 4 Miloszewski
HEADMASTERS QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“A nation’s culture resides in the hearts
and in the soul of the people.”
Kind regards
Barry Wilson
Headmaster
