We are left with a dozen days left to enjoy until break up day on Friday 20 September. The ninth month of the year is upon us and now there are so few school days left of this month – just remember that when we return to school after these holidays that we will already be into October and the tenth lap of this academic race.
GRADE 3 LITERACY DAY
We celebrated a friendship day yesterday of learning, reading, sharing and playing with our Grade 3 friends of boys and girls from Sophunga Primary. It warmed the hearts of all present to observe the inter-action amongst staff, children and guests/partners from the Learn (read) programme. A huge vote of appreciation to the JP families who sent in treats for the day as well as our Mothers Committee members and the Prep Club who provided the meals and refreshments. I have always emphasized to the boys that by ‘giving’ you will be blessed with ‘receiving’ – not necessarily in materialistic value but in the more important reward of feeding one’s soul with positivity ie in fulfilling and supporting the objective and cause. To see our children from both schools embracing each other at the time of farewell proves to me that life skill learning experience reached the ‘soul’ of both schools and all involved. Special mention and appreciation is extended to Miss Gilroy JP HOD, the JP staff and Prep staff involved and Mrs Ros Toerien – Learn Programme for their combined partnership in hosting this day again at Prep.
THANK YOU
I continue to applaud our DPHS families for caring and supporting our initiatives many in the form of outreach initiatives and those Prep fund raising drives. I thus refer to the positive response to:
- Feed the Babies – A charity organization that we are so committed to each year. Please ensure that your son raises his funds through his personal involvement in household chores/tasks.
- Donate a Book – Where we as a school called on our community to send in children book/s that are collecting dust on the shelf at home so that we can restore and forward to schools in need for their Media centres.
- Golf Day Raffle – The boys who have sold their raffle sheet/s are enjoying their vouchers at the Prep Club. The call went out to the DPHS community to make this, the year to celebrate, our biggest amount raised so that we can again focus these profits on the further upgrades and needs of our boys at school.
- DPHS Golf Day – To our parents/sponsors who have generously given of prizes and donations towards the day which is next Friday 13 September at the Royal Durban Golf Club. It is so encouraging to note the full field in participants for the day which promises to be another memorable experience. Oh dear time to get the mud off my rusty clubs that I so proudly used at last year’s event. See you on the course – I do believe that there is now a major R50 000 prize that has been sponsored for that famous ‘hole in one’ challenge. I am apologizing well in advance for my ‘break-dance’, shrieks in abundance and rolling around on the green when that golf ball of mine gently drops into the hole – “Dreams do become realities at times!”
- Parents Open Time – The corridors and classrooms were packed with parents yesterday who used the opportunity to visit the classroom to speak to staff and page through their son’s workbooks.
We value the support noted here – please ensure that you share with your son what you heard and saw yesterday during this Open Time. There were many parents leaving with a smile on their face who also emphasized that they were most impressed with the academic programme provided by the staff and the progress made by their son. Congratulations Prep – a team effort offering great value for this essential Open Time opportunity!
HOCKEY TOUR
This season has been a most memorable one for the 1st team squad who have performed at the highest level earning much praise from spectators and the opposition. The pattern of play needs to be complimented with emphasis given to team-work and team spirit. The team remain unbeaten at this stage of the season having also returned unbeaten from the St Stithians Festival in Johannesburg, held this past weekend. The compliments are extended to staff/coaches who were present at St Stithians namely Tiny Nxumalo, Mr Carroll and Mr Dick for ensuring that our boys were true Prep ambassadors on and off the field of play. It was with much pride that I could celebrate the efforts of this squad by being present at Saints to witness our school in action. Thank you as well to the large group of parents who also proudly cheered the boys on to victory. The team scored 22 goals for and had no goals scored against them in the five matches played against well respected schools from around the country. I also compliment the outstanding contribution given by our Head Coach Mr Baker to the team throughout the season who unfortunately had Inter-Provincial responsibilities during this tour.
Keep up the great team effort Prep!
GRANDPARENTS ASSEMBLY
I call on every Prep family to ensure that the invitation is extended to ‘Grandparents’ to attend the Assembly on Friday. The Grade 2 section have been working extremely hard each day so that you can enjoy a presentation that will be fondly remembered. Please note that this is Grandparents Day at DPHS which affords our beloved Grandparents of Prep an opportunity where we as a school can express our combined love and gratitude. The boys really look forward to hosting the day in honour of ‘Grandparents’ so please support this highlight on the DPHS calendar. The spotlight also shines down brightly onto Grade 2 leader Mrs Everitt, and the Grade 2 staff and DPHS staff members directly involved in this Assembly. We also loudly applaud the Mothers Committee namely Chairlady Mrs Cheryl Turner and her team of willing Mothers for the delicious treats and refreshments in the Functions Room. Enjoy the day!
FESTIVAL IN THE HILLS (FITH)
We as DPHS share the hosting and co-ordinating of this annual event with Curro Hillcrest and Kloof Rotary Club. I am personally delighted that we as Prep now hold a cultural festival of this magnitude for our boys to enjoy and celebrate their musical talents. It is with much pride that I can also acknowledge the service of DPHS staff members, the DPHS Mothers Committee, the Prep music teachers and in particular our talented choir members who will host and entertain the expected audience of close to two thousand people. This all falls under the direction provided by our own Director Mrs Annette Briscoe who for months has been instrumental in co-ordinating and steering the planning of the entire programme. Take a bow Mrs Briscoe and DPHS partners – this is going to be an evening where we will all cheer loudly in DPHS spirit – “Encore”
Venue – “City Hill” Hillcrest
Time – Starts at 18h00 – 20h00
Tickets – Book at Computicket or at the door
Theme – “The Sky is the Limit”
Let us reach for the ‘stars’ – Prep!
WATERPOLO
Best wishes to our 1st team squad who will be in action at the DHS pool tomorrow evening at 18h00 against St Stithians from Johannesburg. The team will also be involved in an Inter School quadrangular there on Friday in preparation for the National Schools Tournament at SACS in Cape Town early next term. We look forward to seeing our boys displaying their talents and team work in these fixtures. Please join me in cheering the team on from the sidelines for these fixtures.
CONGRATULATIONS
A ‘Proudly Prep’ cheer goes out to the newly appointed Sharks Currie Cup Coach and now the Super Rugby Coach for 2020 Mr Sean Everitt. This is such a well deserved recognition for our former DPHS staff member who invested many years of service here at Prep. He also stood tall as a Proudly Prep parent supporting his two sons through this school and still continues to fly the Prep flag as his wife Jacqui teaches in our Grade 2 section. This is a day of celebration for the Everitt family and our DPHS community. Let us stand together as Prep in supporting OUR coach in his respected position and during this international season that lies ahead “Go Sharks – Go Sean – Go Prep!”
PREP BOYS
| DON’T | DO |
| Ever show any selfish behaviour. | Display a caring attitude for young and oder. |
| Take their school and opportunities for granted. | Respect the school values and ethos. |
| Forget to say ‘thank you’. | Lead the way in appreciating the efforts of all Prep partners. |
| Let their parents forget to share the parent-teacher information. | Build on the information received from our academic Open Time’ meetings |
| ‘Weaken’ in effort at the end of the term. | Maintain levels of excellence until term end. |
MR PREP “Congratulations”
JP – Seth Van der Merwe – Grade 2 Horning
SP – Bonga Mathenjwa – Grade 7 Bedford
HEADMASTERS QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“No one can go back and make a brand new start,
However, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending”
B Wilson
Headmaster
