Message from the Desk of the Headmaster

We have now dropped down into the ‘twenties’ which reminds us that there are 27 academic school days left, packed with action, to focus on before the end of this second quarter.  Up until now the pace has been ‘all systems go’ which now calls for ‘all hands on deck” for this final countdown of the term.
“Creating Champions”
I again remind you of the above two words that I have highlighted since the beginning of 2019.  Please note that my emphasis is on building that achiever, that wanting to succeed attitude, that ‘champion’ belief in each individual as well as a synergy amongst all partners within our school.  There has definitely been massive progress and success noted in so many phases and areas across the school which I list again below with even more opportunities that lie ahead to create that champion.

• The recent achievements of our U11 age group where our A/B/C teams competed in the National Tennis Tournament held in Bethlehem.  Our teams excelled with: – The C team playing in the B League and finished 7th out of 26 teams – excellent effort. – The B team playing in the A League and finishing a credible and well deserved 10th position out of 16 teams. -The A team in the A League and winning the tournament for the second consecutive year, by beating Grey College (Bloemfontein) in the final.  Congratulations to our staff, coaches, boys and parents on this combined ‘Champion’ effort.
• The 1^st XV rugby squad also excelled last weekend at the Trinity House National Rugby Festival in Johannesburg.  The team played outstanding champion structured rugby to win all three matches against some tough opposition.  Well done and congratulations to the staff, coaches, boys and parents here on this outstanding effort – it was a proud moment to be there to witness!
• I am sure the large turn-out of our Mothers at the DPHS – Mothers’ Day Assemblies last Friday will echo my sentiments about the ‘Champion efforts’ of our Grade 6 staff, cultural pillar staff and the boys across the grade for hosting a heart-warming and meaningful assembly for which they deservedly received an A+ from the Speech and Drama adjudicator.  This was another ‘creating champions’ as a team for our school.  Congratulations and thank you!
• You as parents and the senior primary teachers and specialists have also been ‘Champions’ by attending the respective Parent-Teacher interviews taking place this week.  I again call on all parents to please return home to share the constructive advice with your son so that together we can continue to ‘create that academic champion’ in each boy in this phase.  Remember I am not driving the champion to be first in class, – that is the bonus – but I am encouraging each boy to be aiming for those higher academic levels and overall results that each person can challenge for. Please let me share with you that the degree of comparison for me always reads as:                   “good  –  better  –  better!”

in everything that we as individuals and as school get challenged with.

• Tomorrow will be us celebrating the champion effort of our school partners in the official opening of our Victor Daitz Academic Learning Support Centre for the SP phase, the new DPHS Uniform Shop and The Prep Club Refreshment Centre as well as the most recent exciting news that we have now legally and officially acquired the lane alongside the John Smith Field (bottom field).  These have really taken our facilities to an even higher level where we have already been celebrating as a proud Prep community.  The school assembly will thus be on the field tomorrow starting at 7h30 with parents/friends most welcome to join in the brief formalities in this school celebration.
• The ‘lane’ is worth emphasising again as this has been thought of, spoken of, planned for over a decade and now we as DPHS can finally lay claim to this piece of land.  This opens up and secures our facilities even more as the lane will soon be blocked off at both ends with the wire fence on the bank removed to allow fee flowing access to the facilities on our Trust land eg. Learning Support, Music Centre etc.  It will also mean that our Reception Unit has direct access to the fields and to the Main School from within the perimeters of the grounds and not having to walk up the pavement on Claribel Road.  More information and deadline dates will be forwarded to you relating to these developments and the fresh ideas for the drop and go areas for cars and traffic.  A champion effort by all involved.
• True champions in the making will take to the stage next Wednesday evening at 18h00 as we celebrate our musicians at the Music Concert and their respective progress that each one has shown with their tutor during the year so far.  We again look forward to your support in the Maurice Wilkinson Hall to cheer on our talented learners with the call of “Bravo!”
• DPHS Champions have been and will continue to be actively involved at the various district and provincial trials such as hockey and rugby.  Many DPHS boys have progressed through to their district sides eg. – Durban Coastals and will soon be announced as having been selected for Provincial teams to participate in the Inter Provincial tournaments that lie ahead in the coming holidays.  Some of these champion names will be highlighted now and very soon for DPHS to celebrate!
• Our school celebrated +- 236 Gold certificates last year in the Speech and Drama Festival for our boys from Grade 1 to Grade 7.  The same festival is taking place this week so I did encourage the school to aim for 300 gold certificates this year.  Our boys are ‘Champions’ with regards to their presence and confidence on stage which has always been recognized by the adjudicator who invigilates at many schools around our city.  We really look forward to these class and individual rewards for their determined efforts in this positive learning and life-skills lesson.
• It is such a pleasing experience those selected class Champions who visit me in my office each week namely our proud ‘Mr Prep.’  It is an extremely proud moment when these champions knock on the door to declare that they are the chosen Mr Prep ambassador for that class – each week I can definitely see why each one has been given that honour.

Our boys have in general been Champions in their appearance for school on a daily basis however I do encourage all families to focus on these dress standards for the school day, which includes the extra mural activities, with even more attention to details given in this latter half of this term.  Your support is required and respected in this matter.
RAMADAAN
Wishing all our Muslim families well during the month of Ramadan.

PREP BOYS

HEADMASTER’S QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“To the person who only has a hammer, everything that he/she encounters begins to look like a nail”
B WILSON Headmaster