Thursday, March 26, 2009

Last week of Term 1

----------------------------------------------------------------

Parent(s) / Guardian(s)

What a hectic term it has been! I cannot believe that term 1 is drawing to a close and that I have already been at Camps Bay Primary for a term. It has been an exciting challenge as well as a steep learning curve. I would like to thank all the teachers, administrative staff and you the parents for the support and positive energy that you have provided in assisting me with my transition from the high school to the primary school. I can honestly say that Camps Bay Primary is a great school with 288 delightful and special young people.

I will be away from school next week Thursday and Friday 2 – 3 March 2009, as I am taking my mother on a holiday to Israel for 12 days, returning to South Africa on Tuesday 14 April, the day before school starts next term. It is a trip I had already planned last year prior to my appointment at Camps Bay Primary. In effect, I will be away for the last two days of the term and Mrs Liesel Visagie will be the Acting Principal in my absence.

GRADE 7 CAMP: The Grade 7s are away on the camp at Wortelgat, near Stanford this week. I will be visiting the Grade 7s on camp on Thursday, 26 March 2009. I teach Social Sciences to both of the Grade 7 classes. The Grade 7s have proven to be a wonderful class and have shown good leadership qualities as learner leaders and I look forward to interacting with them in a more informal setting on the camp.

TERM 1 REPORTS:
As stated in the previous newsletter, we are in the busy process of collating marks and comments in preparation for the term 1 reports. The term 1 reports will be issued on Wednesday 1 April from 14h30 onwards. Reports must be collected by a parent – please note that reports will not be handed to a child to take home.

The Parent-Teacher meeting/interviews to discuss your child’s report and progress will be at the start of next term on Thursday afternoon 16 April from 14h30 to 18h00. We have arranged an Interactive Whiteboard (Smartboard) demonstration at 18h00 on Thursday 16 April at Camps Bay Primary in the hall – please diarise this date and make sure you attend to see the marvels of the Smartboard!

END OF TERM 1: CLOSING TIME - 11h00
The last day of term 1, Friday 3 April, will end with an Assembly at 10h00 and school will close at 11h00 – please organise to collect your child at 11h00.

SWIMMING TEAM DOES IT AGAIN!
Camps Bay Primary Swimming Team competed in a relay gala at Jan van Riebeeck last week Friday 27, March 2009. The following primary schools participated in the gala, namely, Llandudno, Kronendal, Jan van Riebeeck, the Deutsche Schule and Reddam. Camps Bay Primary again won the gala – well done, Swimming Team!

EXTRA-MURAL INFORMATION:
SCHOOL EXTRA-MURALS: Please note that all school extra-murals come to an end on Friday 27, March 2009 unless otherwise stated by the individual extra-mural provider.

SKIPPING DEMONSTRATION: We were enthralled with an exhilarating and high class skipping demonstration in the Assembly last week, Friday 20 March, by athletes from the South African Gymnastics Federation. Pupils were given the opportunity to participate in the Assembly as well as at break-time. Did your child tell you about this demonstration? The motivation is to involve children in ‘skipping’ to keep fit and even to introduce ‘skipping’ as an extra-mural. Photographs of the demonstration and more particularly participation by the children is on their website at web address: http://www.maxcast.com/gordonsgymnastics

CHAMELEON COLLECTIVE THEATRE COMPANY: We were entertained by the Chameleon Collective Theatre Company to an entertaining drama production of an African tale entitled ‘The Elephant and the Chameleon’ on Wednesday 25 March, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the junior grades.

EASTER EGG DRIVE: Thank you to all of you who have already donated Easter Eggs! We only have one week left to collect the eggs and we still need a lot more. Please drop off your donations at the office. All three Camps Bay Schools will be collecting Easter eggs and handing them over to James House in Hout Bay, St Paul’s Primary School and Sea Point Place during the last two days of this term. Camps Bay Primary has specifically selected Sea Point Place as an opportunity for the ‘young to give back to the old’. Please help us, as a Camps Bay Schools campus, to make a difference in the lives of others less fortunate than ourselves.

LIBRARY: All library books need to be returned to the library on Monday 30 March 2009. Books do not go on holiday!

LIBRARY WORKING HOUR: Thank you to all the Moms who kindly volunteered to assist in the Library. Please take note we will be hosting a “Library working hour” directly after assembly this Friday, 27 March 2009 at approximately 9am.

ICE LOLLIES: Ice-lollies will be on sale at a cost of R2 at break tomorrow in aid of the Grade 7 Farewell.

WELL DONE: To Jessica Way who won a Waltons hamper in the Free-4-all competition! J

MERIT AWARDS: Congratulations to the following pupils, each of whom was presented with a merit award at our assembly last week. We are proud of each one of you and would like to encourage you all to continue doing your best at all times.

Carmen Howell
Laylaah Abrahams
Jemma Cook
Katherine Hartzenberg Aeroe
Julian Forbes
Pia Beguinot
Rowan Evans
Jaudasche Malan
Kelsey Mayhew
Sky Beveridge
Cole Goldie
Thanduxolo Mtwa
Nicky Taylor
Kelsey van Eck
Zoë van Heerden
Zoë Gadeyne
Angela Yeo
Zoë Sutton
Julia Pople
Ben Heather-Clark
Oliver Gosnell
Gadi Friedman
Eve Jerram
Dani Yang Clarke
Matteo Greyling
Tino Makodza
Maria Caldis


UNIFORM SHOP:
I have just received information from the Uniform Shop: Fleecy-tops unavailable until May – children will be allowed to wear a tracksuit top but please provide a note so that we can monitor the wearing of tracksuit tops.
Rain-jackets (Anoraks) will be available from Monday 30 March 2009.
Long-sleeve tops will be available in the first week of next term.

LOST: The following items have been lost, should you find them please hand in at the secretary’s office:
Pale blue Speedo swimming goggles belonging to Oliver Gosnell.
Camps Bay swimming cap, costume and blue goggles went missing from the school pool
belonging to Devlin Trafford.
Black Samsung cell-phone lost at Jan van Riebeeck Primary School Gala belonging to Chelsea Pope.
Lost: Red sports bag belonging to Sacha Hodgkinson. Containing swimming costume, cap, sports shorts, PE top, trainers. Last seen on Wed 18th March, and urgently needed returned. Please hand in to office or to Sacha in Grade 5W, or call Janette 072 9473511.

BALLET & CLASSICAL GREEK: Just a reminder of the Eistedfodd rehearsal this Saturday afternoon March 28 in the school hall.
Times:
15:00 – 16:00 Sweet Temptation
16:00 – 16:30 Present and Classical
16:30 – 17:00 Chinese and Waterlilly
NB: The only rehearsal on stage at the Sea Point Civic Centre is on Thursday 16 April – compulsory.
Details of times were given out yesterday.
Thank you, June and Lisl Gruneberg.

ADULT ART CLASSES: I will be offering two courses next term: The first is a seven week water-colour course in which we will explore colour and water-colour techniques through process art. The second is a seven-week, colour-energy course. In this course we explore colour-mixing, acrylic painting techniques and the effect of colour generally and on the individual. For further details please contact : Kerith Gibbs 0844417322

PROVISIONAL DATES TO DIARISE:

DATES TO DIARISE – 1st TERM 2009 and 2nd TERM 2009
1ST TERM DATES

Fri, 27
Grade 7’s return from camp.
Tues, 31
Inter-house General Knowledge Quiz

April 2009
Wed, 1
Reports issued to Parents
Fri, 3
1st Term ends at 11:00

2ND TERM 2009 DATES

April 2009
Wed, 15
2nd Term begins.
Thurs, 16
Parent / Teacher Meeting
Interactive whiteboard (Smartboard) demonstration at 18:00.
Mon, 20
Read-a-thon Week
Thurs, 23
World Book Day
Fri, 24
Grade 3 Cake Sale
Mon, 27
Public Holiday – Freedom Day
May 2009
Fri, 1
Public Holiday – Workers’ Day

Proudly Camps Bay Primary



S. P. COLLIER
PRINCIPAL


S E L L I N G B E E


BLINKWATER SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION: Spacious self-catering accommodation with breath-taking views available until 20 December 2009 at R5000 per month. Suitable for a quiet single person. For more information please visit www.capestay.co.za/blinkwater/ or call Barry on 083 297 3863.

MATHS MAGICIANS: Let us help your child discover the magic in Maths! Unique new Maths tutoring service for Atlantic Seaboard learners. Tutors come to you. Half hour “Back to Basics lessons (+ - x /), or 1 hour extra Maths lessons. 10% discount until end of March! Contact Bianca on 083 381 8079 or email biancahd@telkomsa.net or visit http://www.mathsmagicians.synthasite.com/ for more information.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographer available for social or corporate functions, weddings and special birthdays! Please call Barry on 021 438 9177 or 083 297 3863 or visit http://www.barrypix.com/ for more information.

GUITAR LESSONS: All ages. General style, professional musician and tutor. 20 years experience in the business. Contact Otis 021 790 1433.

WANTED: I am looking to buy a pre-owned Djembe and breadmaking machine. Please contact Jannie at 082 882 0161.

WSKF KARATE AT THE CAMPS BAY BOWLING CLUB: Karate for girls and boys offered at the Camps Bay Bowling Club (next to the library) by the World Shotokan Karate-do Federation. Tue and Thu 16:45 – 17:30. Please contact Sensei Allan States on 083 309 1202 for details. Visit our extensive website at http://www.wskfsa.co.za/. Karate improves fitness, flexibility, speed, reaction, discipline, mental skills, coordination, balance, spatial awareness, motor skills, muscle tone and is FUN!

FOR SALE: Cockatiels-hand reared by pensioner needing some support! Make beautiful pets and have been lovingly tamed. Call 021-6714934

Last week of Term 1

----------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s)

What a hectic term it has been! I cannot believe that term 1 is drawing to a close and that I have already been at Camps Bay Primary for a term. It has been an exciting challenge as well as a steep learning curve. I would like to thank all the teachers, administrative staff and you the parents for the support and positive energy that you have provided in assisting me with my transition from the high school to the primary school. I can honestly say that Camps Bay Primary is a great school with 288 delightful and special young people.

I will be away from school next week Thursday and Friday 2 – 3 March 2009, as I am taking my mother on a holiday to Israel for 12 days, returning to South Africa on Tuesday 14 April, the day before school starts next term. It is a trip I had already planned last year prior to my appointment at Camps Bay Primary. In effect, I will be away for the last two days of the term and Mrs Liesel Visagie will be the Acting Principal in my absence.

GRADE 7 CAMP: The Grade 7s are away on the camp at Wortelgat, near Stanford this week. I will be visiting the Grade 7s on camp on Thursday, 26 March 2009. I teach Social Sciences to both of the Grade 7 classes. The Grade 7s have proven to be a wonderful class and have shown good leadership qualities as learner leaders and I look forward to interacting with them in a more informal setting on the camp.

TERM 1 REPORTS:
As stated in the previous newsletter, we are in the busy process of collating marks and comments in preparation for the term 1 reports. The term 1 reports will be issued on Wednesday 1 April from 14h30 onwards. Reports must be collected by a parent – please note that reports will not be handed to a child to take home.

The Parent-Teacher meeting/interviews to discuss your child’s report and progress will be at the start of next term on Thursday afternoon 16 April from 14h30 to 18h00. We have arranged an Interactive Whiteboard (Smartboard) demonstration at 18h00 on Thursday 16 April at Camps Bay Primary in the hall – please diarise this date and make sure you attend to see the marvels of the Smartboard!

END OF TERM 1: CLOSING TIME - 11h00
The last day of term 1, Friday 3 April, will end with an Assembly at 10h00 and school will close at 11h00 – please organise to collect your child at 11h00.

SWIMMING TEAM DOES IT AGAIN!
Camps Bay Primary Swimming Team competed in a relay gala at Jan van Riebeeck last week Friday 27, March 2009. The following primary schools participated in the gala, namely, Llandudno, Kronendal, Jan van Riebeeck, the Deutsche Schule and Reddam. Camps Bay Primary again won the gala – well done, Swimming Team!

EXTRA-MURAL INFORMATION:
SCHOOL EXTRA-MURALS: Please note that all school extra-murals come to an end on Friday 27, March 2009 unless otherwise stated by the individual extra-mural provider.

SKIPPING DEMONSTRATION: We were enthralled with an exhilarating and high class skipping demonstration in the Assembly last week, Friday 20 March, by athletes from the South African Gymnastics Federation. Pupils were given the opportunity to participate in the Assembly as well as at break-time. Did your child tell you about this demonstration? The motivation is to involve children in ‘skipping’ to keep fit and even to introduce ‘skipping’ as an extra-mural. Photographs of the demonstration and more particularly participation by the children is on their website at web address: http://www.maxcast.com/gordonsgymnastics

CHAMELEON COLLECTIVE THEATRE COMPANY: We were entertained by the Chameleon Collective Theatre Company to an entertaining drama production of an African tale entitled ‘The Elephant and the Chameleon’ on Wednesday 25 March, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the junior grades.

EASTER EGG DRIVE: Thank you to all of you who have already donated Easter Eggs! We only have one week left to collect the eggs and we still need a lot more. Please drop off your donations at the office. All three Camps Bay Schools will be collecting Easter eggs and handing them over to James House in Hout Bay, St Paul’s Primary School and Sea Point Place during the last two days of this term. Camps Bay Primary has specifically selected Sea Point Place as an opportunity for the ‘young to give back to the old’. Please help us, as a Camps Bay Schools campus, to make a difference in the lives of others less fortunate than ourselves.

LIBRARY: All library books need to be returned to the library on Monday 30 March 2009. Books do not go on holiday!

LIBRARY WORKING HOUR: Thank you to all the Moms who kindly volunteered to assist in the Library. Please take note we will be hosting a “Library working hour” directly after assembly this Friday, 27 March 2009 at approximately 9am.

ICE LOLLIES: Ice-lollies will be on sale at a cost of R2 at break tomorrow in aid of the Grade 7 Farewell.

WELL DONE: To Jessica Way who won a Waltons hamper in the Free-4-all competition! J

MERIT AWARDS: Congratulations to the following pupils, each of whom was presented with a merit award at our assembly last week. We are proud of each one of you and would like to encourage you all to continue doing your best at all times.

Carmen Howell
Laylaah Abrahams
Jemma Cook
Katherine Hartzenberg Aeroe
Julian Forbes
Pia Beguinot
Rowan Evans
Jaudasche Malan
Kelsey Mayhew
Sky Beveridge
Cole Goldie
Thanduxolo Mtwa
Nicky Taylor
Kelsey van Eck
Zoë van Heerden
Zoë Gadeyne
Angela Yeo
Zoë Sutton
Julia Pople
Ben Heather-Clark
Oliver Gosnell
Gadi Friedman
Eve Jerram
Dani Yang Clarke
Matteo Greyling
Tino Makodza
Maria Caldis


UNIFORM SHOP:
I have just received information from the Uniform Shop:
Fleecy-tops unavailable until May – children will be allowed to wear a tracksuit top but please provide a note so that we can monitor the wearing of tracksuit tops.
Rain-jackets (Anoraks) will be available from Monday 30 March 2009.
Long-sleeve tops will be available in the first week of next term.

LOST: The following items have been lost, should you find them please hand in at the secretary’s office:
Pale blue Speedo swimming goggles belonging to Oliver Gosnell.
amps Bay swimming cap, costume and blue goggles went missing from the school pool
belonging to Devlin Trafford.
Black Samsung cell-phone lost at Jan van Riebeeck Primary School Gala belonging to Chelsea Pope.
Lost: Red sports bag belonging to Sacha Hodgkinson. Containing swimming costume, cap, sports shorts, PE top, trainers. Last seen on Wed 18th March, and urgently needed returned. Please hand in to office or to Sacha in Grade 5W, or call Janette 072 9473511.

BALLET & CLASSICAL GREEK: Just a reminder of the Eistedfodd rehearsal this Saturday afternoon March 28 in the school hall.
Times:
15:00 – 16:00 Sweet Temptation
16:00 – 16:30 Present and Classical
16:30 – 17:00 Chinese and Waterlilly
NB: The only rehearsal on stage at the Sea Point Civic Centre is on Thursday 16 April – compulsory. Details of times were given out yesterday.
Thank you, June and Lisl Gruneberg.

ADULT ART CLASSES: I will be offering two courses next term: The first is a seven week water-colour course in which we will explore colour and water-colour techniques through process art. The second is a seven-week, colour-energy course. In this course we explore colour-mixing, acrylic painting techniques and the effect of colour generally and on the individual. For further details please contact : Kerith Gibbs 0844417322


PROVISIONAL DATES TO DIARISE:

DATES TO DIARISE – 1st TERM 2009 and 2nd TERM 2009
1ST TERM DATES
Fri, 27
Grade 7’s return from camp.
Tues, 31
Inter-house General
Knowledge Quiz

April 2009
Wed, 1
Reports issued to Parents
Fri, 3
1st Term ends at 11:00

2ND TERM 2009 DATES

April 2009
Wed, 15
2nd Term begins.
Thurs, 16
Parent / Teacher Meeting
Interactive whiteboard (Smartboard) demonstration at 18:00
Mon, 20
Read-a-thon Week
Thurs, 23 - World Book Day
Fri, 24 - Grade 3 Cake Sale
Mon, 27 - Public Holiday – Freedom Day

May 2009
Fri, 1
Public Holiday – Workers’ Day

Proudly Camps Bay Primary





S. P. COLLIER
PRINCIPAL



S E L L I N G B E E

BLINKWATER SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION: Spacious self-catering accommodation with breath-taking views available until 20 December 2009 at R5000 per month. Suitable for a quiet single person. For more information please visit www.capestay.co.za/blinkwater/ or call Barry on 083 297 3863.

MATHS MAGICIANS: Let us help your child discover the magic in Maths! Unique new Maths tutoring service for Atlantic Seaboard learners. Tutors come to you. Half hour “Back to Basics lessons (+ - x /), or 1 hour extra Maths lessons. 10% discount until end of March! Contact Bianca on 083 381 8079 or email biancahd@telkomsa.net or visit www.mathsmagicians.synthasite.com for more information.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographer available for social or corporate functions, weddings and special birthdays! Please call Barry on 021 438 9177 or 083 297 3863 or visit www.barrypix.com for more information.

GUITAR LESSONS: All ages. General style, professional musician and tutor. 20 years experience in the business. Contact Otis 021 790 1433.

WANTED: I am looking to buy a pre-owned Djembe and breadmaking machine. Please contact Jannie at 082 882 0161.

WSKF KARATE AT THE CAMPS BAY BOWLING CLUB: Karate for girls and boys offered at the Camps Bay Bowling Club (next to the library) by the World Shotokan Karate-do Federation. Tue and Thu 16:45 – 17:30. Please contact Sensei Allan States on 083 309 1202 for details. Visit our extensive website at http://www.wskfsa.co.za/. Karate improves fitness, flexibility, speed, reaction, discipline, mental skills, coordination, balance, spatial awareness, motor skills, muscle tone and is FUN!

FOR SALE: Cockatiels-hand reared by pensioner needing some support! Make beautiful pets and have been lovingly tamed. Call 021-6714934

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Reports

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Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s)

I hope you found the time to read the research article on parenting by Patrick F. Bassett (president of National Association of Independent Schools in the USA) in last week’s newsletter. If you did you should be familiar with concepts of ‘under-parenting’, ‘over-parenting’ – ‘helicopter mode’ etc. Included with this newsletter is part two of the article for your bed-time reading pleasure! Part two of the article focuses on two aspects. Firstly, Bassett encourages parents to read to and with their children. I must commend Camps Bay Primary on the wonderful reading culture which they have inculcated at the school. As a newcomer who teaches both grade 7 classes for Social Sciences, I am amazed at how many pupils read. As soon as the lesson gets boring I notice children get out ‘thick’ novels and they cannot wait to read their books, even under the table. This is amazing and I must commend Mrs Olivier (the librarian), teachers and parents – the primary school pupils are far ‘bigger’ readers than the high school pupils! This reading culture at the school is an area we must preserve and build on. The second aspect focuses on encouraging your child to be ‘good’ and success and happiness will follow. Read further the enclosed article at your leisure.

STAFF NEWS:
We welcomed back Mrs Judith Nott who will be mentoring some of the new teachers until the end of the term. Wedding bells are ringing at Camps Bay Primary this Easter! Ms Tina van Hoof will be getting married on 4 April 2009 and will be away from school at the end of this term as well as at the start of next term. Rumour has it that she will be away in Thailand. Fortunately, the experienced Mrs Judith Nott will be taking Ms van Hoof’s Grade 3 class in her absence. Ms Gina Sobey is also getting married, during the holidays, and she will be away for the first two weeks of next term. Ms Sobey is still unsure to where she will be whisked away on her honeymoon! Ms Hayley Africa, a qualified intermediate teacher, has been appointed to replace Ms Sobey in her absence. On behalf of the Camps Bay ‘family’ we would like to wish both ladies a wonderful day and many happy years ahead.

TERM 1 REPORTS:
The teachers are at present frantically completing assessments, marks and comments in preparation for the term 1 reports. The term 1 reports will be issued on Wednesday 1 April from 14h30 onwards. Reports must be collected by a parent – please note that reports will not be handed to a child to take home.

The Parent-Teacher meeting/interviews to discuss your child’s report and progress will be at the start of next term on Thursday afternoon 16 April from 14h30 to 18h00. We have arranged an Interactive Whiteboard demonstration at 18h00 on Thursday 16 April at Camps Bay Primary in the hall – please diarise this date and also make sure you attend to see the marvels of the Smartboard!

NOTES4NOTES: We were treated to an exceptional and phenomenal classical performance by the accomplished and world renowned guitarist, James Grace, on Wednesday evening in our own school hall! Thanks to the parents that attended the evening and a special thanks to Ms Caroline Attwell and Ms Debbie Ferreira as well as the Notes4Notes committee of Moms, Anneke Bright, Lisette Forsythe and Katherine Boraine who organised this special evening.


GRADE 7 CAMP:
The Grade 7s are all very excited as they will be on camp next week at Wortelgat, near Stanford. They will be accompanied by Mrs Visagie, Mrs Hamber and Ms Attwell. I am also planning to attend the camp for a night. We wish them well and hope they have a fantastic and exciting time away.

ASSEMBLY FRIDAY 20 MARCH:
Assembly this week will include a short presentation on Human Right’s Day which is the public holiday on 21 March 2009. Included in the Assembly will also be an exciting Skipping demonstration by an outside organisation. Please attend if you can.

GRADE 4s CUP-CAKE FUNDRAISER:
Kelsey, Julia, Katya, Carmen and Meghan will again be selling cup-cakes at breaks on Thursday to raise funds for the Chaeli Campaign to enable the purchase of a wheelchair for a disabled child. (see previous newsletter for details). Last week’s cup-cake sale was a bumper sale with the cup-cakes sold out during first break. Thank you to Mr Phoplanker (father of Fuzail in Grade 3) who has kindly agreed to donate muffins for sale to assist the girls with their fundraiser. Thank you, Mr Phoplanker for your kind gesture.

A ‘BIG’ THANK-YOU
On behalf of the Camps Bay ‘family’, and particularly the pupils, I would like to say THANK YOU to Isabella and Samuel Hulme as well as Matteo Greyling, ably assisted by Mr Alten Hulme, for the fantastic footbridge which they built on the pathway up to the Symmonds Field. We all owe you a ‘big’ thanks! Please see the photograph at the end of the newsletter of Isabella, Samuel and Matteo on the footbridge.

EASTER EGG DRIVE: Commencing on Monday 23 March we will give you the opportunity to donate Easter eggs which will be distributed amongst needy organisations. All three Camps Bay Schools will be collecting Easter eggs and handing them over to James House in Hout Bay, Nazareth House, St Paul’s Primary School and Sea Point Place during the last two days of this term. Camps Bay Primary has specifically selected Sea Point Place as an opportunity for the ‘young to give back to the old’. Please help us, as a Camps Bay Schools campus, to make a difference in the lives of others less fortunate than ourselves.

ICE LOLLIES: Ice-lollies will be on sale at a cost of R2 at break tomorrow in aid of the Grade 7 Farewell.

MERIT AWARDS: Congratulations to the following pupils, each of whom was presented with a merit award at our assembly last week. We are proud of each one of you and would like to encourage you all to continue doing your best at all times.

Eden Assad Ines Desportes Alexandra Phillips Jonathan Scott
Demitra Caldis Kaliya Arumugam Laylah Sujee Joshua van der Schenk
Cheyenne Rhoda Dohné Mento Jarred Lombard

RECYCLING NEWS: We have won 5th prize of R100 in Category 1 in the February 2009 Collect-a-Can Competition. Thank you to all of you who brought in cans!

EXTRA-MURAL INFORMATION:
SCHOOL EXTRA-MURALS: Please note that all school extra-murals come to an end on Friday 27 March 2009 unless otherwise stated by the individual extra-mural provider.

DRAMA CLUB: Drama Club ends this term on Tuesday 24 March 2009, parents of pupils in the club are most welcome to come along and watch the final class, to see what we have been doing this term. We will more than likely convene in a shady spot outside. The first class of Drama Club in the second term begins on the 28 April, the cost is R300 and pupils are reminded to pay promptly within the first two weeks of starting.

STEELBAND: Please note that Steelband returns to the normal time of 1pm as of this Friday 20 March 2009.

PTA NEWS: The PTA would like to thank all the parents that assisted in making the “eats” sale at the Swimming Gala such a great success!

LOST: The following items have been lost, should you find them please hand in at the secretary’s office:

Nicol Black’s blue and white striped swimming towel.

A cricket bat was lost at the Camps Bay Prep picnic 2 weeks ago, belonging to Alexander Dickie. A group of children were playing with it and we think perhaps someone took it home by mistake. It is a Slazenger bat with a black handle...and it has his name on it (albeit faded). Please hand into the office if found.

LIFT WANTED: We live in Vredehoek across the road from Deer Park. We are looking to form a lift club or a lift home in the afternoons from Camps Bay Primary. Will pay for this service. Please contact Francois 083 448 1627 or Sonia 083 390 9885.


PROVISIONAL DATES TO DIARISE:

DATES TO DIARISE – 1st TERM 2009 and 2nd TERM 2009
1ST TERM DATES
MARCH 2009
Tues, 24 - Grade 7’s go to camp.
Fri, 27 - Grade 7’s return from camp.
Fri, 27 - Parent (Adult) Social
Tues, 31 - Inter-house General Knowledge Quiz

APRIL 2009
Wed, 1 - Reports issued to Parents
Fri, 3 - 1st Term ends at 11:00

2ND TERM 2009 DATES
APRIL 2009
Wed, 15 - 2nd Term begins.
Thurs, 16 - Parent / Teacher Meeting
Mon, 20 - Read-a-thon Week
Thurs, 23 - World Book Day
Fri, 24 - Grade 3 Cake Sale
Mon, 27 - Public Holiday – Freedom Day

MAY 2009
Fri, 1 - Public Holiday – Workers’ Day

Proudly Camps Bay Primary






S. P. COLLIER
PRINCIPAL


S E L L I N G B E E

BLINKWATER SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION: Spacious self-catering accommodation with breath-taking views available until 20 December 2009 at R5000 per month. Suitable for a quiet single person. For more information please visit www.capestay.co.za/blinkwater/ or call Barry on 083 297 3863.

MATHS MAGICIANS: Let us help your child discover the magic in Maths! Unique new Maths tutoring service for Atlantic Seaboard learners. Tutors come to you. Half hour “Back to Basics lessons (+ - x /), or 1 hour extra Maths lessons. 10% discount until end of March! Contact Bianca on 083 381 8079 or email biancahd@telkomsa.net or visit www.mathsmagicians.synthasite.com for more information.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographer available for social or corporate functions, weddings and special birthdays! Please call Barry on 021 438 9177 or 083 297 3863 or visit www.barrypix.com for more information.

GUITAR LESSONS: All ages. General style, professional musician and tutor. 20 years experience in the business. Contact Otis 021 790 1433.

WANTED: I am looking to buy a pre-owned Djembe and breadmaking machine. Please contact Jannie at 082 882 0161.

WSKF KARATE AT THE CAMPS BAY BOWLING CLUB: Karate for girls and boys offered at the Camps Bay Bowling Club (next to the library) by the World Shotokan Karate-do Federation. Tue and Thu 16:45 – 17:30. Please contact Sensei Allan States on 083 309 1202 for details. Visit our extensive website at http://www.wskfsa.co.za/. Karate improves fitness, flexibility, speed, reaction, discipline, mental skills, coordination, balance, spatial awareness, motor skills, muscle tone and is FUN!

ACCOMMODATION WANTED: Our lovely Zimbabwean maid is looking for a maids’ room for herself and her husband in Camps Bay or Hout Bay. Her husband works as a mechanic in Cape Town full time during the week. They currently rent a shack for R300 in the Hout Bay Township but the shack owner is returning from Jhb shortly and wants to move back in. She is willing to work one day a week in return for accommodation or can pay rent similar to what they are currently paying. She is very reliable, honest and trustworthy, and I can highly recommend her as someone who deserves help. If anyone has a maid’s room with a bathroom available please get in touch with me. Janette 072 9473511.

POSITIONS AVAILABLE
RECEPTIONIST/SECRETARY for Professional Recruitment Company in Gardens. Lovely small team of people. Need to be extremely computer literate and interested in developing in this field. Also need to be organised, energetic and have excellent people skills. See our website wwww.debron.co.za

WORK FROM YOUR HOME: Assist busy Industrial Psychology practice based in Camps Bay with all admin/secretarial/back up tasks and some personal stuff. Need to have own work station, access to internet and be available to schedule appointments telephonically and by email. I need someone to organise us, handle our professional clients but be firm and nice about it!! This is a position that is NOT full time but needs you around at the end of a telephone and pc fairly consistently. Nice challenge and development opportunity!

For both positions call Debbie on 021-4382456/0824539105 or email me on debbie@atkinsfurnell.co.za

FOR SALE: Cockatiels-hand reared by pensioner needing some support! Make beautiful pets and have been lovingly tamed. Call 021-6714934

Article: Part 2
When Parents and Schools Align (Patrick F. Bassett, Winter 2009)Patrick F. Bassett is president of NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) in the USA.

To prepare children for school, parents should read with them often. The research is clear: students from family environments where books and newspapers and other publications are part of daily life - where kids regularly see parents reading and engaging in discussions on what they read- end up as the most verbally-accomplished students. And this "left-brained" academic skill is the key to success in school and college. It doesn't matter what kids read, so long as they read and develop an interest in story and narrative. As psychologist Michael Thompson has pointed out, if a boy is excited by Captain Underpants, let him read Captain Underpants. That said, as a student of popular culture, I'm an advocate of reading The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales to young children, and, when they are able, having them read the tales to their parents as "bedtime stories." These narratives, originally from the oral tradition, speak powerfully to children and help them in their imaginative lives as they navigate the challenging and sometimes scary path to adulthood.

As children mature in middle school and secondary school, I'm an advocate of parents reading with their children the "rite of passage" novels that schools tend to assign at those stages. To name a few - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or To Kill a Mockingbird (to understand injustice); Funny in Farsi or Typical American (to understand the similarities and differences of growing up in other cultures); and Catcher in the Rye (to understand some of the fears about entering the adult world).

Yes, play games (sports and Wii games); go to cultural events and sporting events together; watch (and critique) TV shows together; but, most importantly, limit TV to an hour per evening during the week and two hours per day during the weekend, so kids and adults can make time to read. Nothing else you invest in later (SAT-prep courses, private tutors, summer school enrichment) can return as much as a little investment sooner by nurturing the reading habit in your child. Focus on helping your child to be "good." Happiness will follow.

The sociologist Anthony Campolo notes that, in Japan, when he asks parents about their aspirations for their child, mothers say, "I want my child to be... successful." While this is a universal parental aspiration, the preoccupation with success in Japanese culture has had serious deleterious consequences for the well-being of some adolescents, namely an unrelentingly stressful experience in school and a high suicide rate among adolescents (14.1 per 100,000 in 2006, the most recent data available). In America, when asked the same question, mothers respond, "I want my child to be... happy."

In American culture, the preoccupation with happiness has had serious consequences of its own, and it may explain the growing need among youth for constant approval and gratification, the growing incapacity to transcend id-driven pleasures for ego-necessary tasks, and the alarming devolution into hedonistic excess. When parents keep saying and signalling, "I just want you to be happy," they send dangerous signals and set unrealistic expectations that life is supposed to be one continuous rush towards Nirvana, located somewhere between Bliss Street and Ecstasy Avenue. Campolo's observation is that children are better served if their parents completed the sentence by saying, "I want my child to be... good." By "good," he means "virtuous," since the research shows that the pursuit of success or happiness leads to neither, but young people who seek to be good end up, disproportionately, to be both successful and happy. The corroboration of Campolo's point about the "goodness effect" is in the research by Douglas Heath in his books Schools of Hope and Lives of Hope, both of which are based on his study of independent school students and graduates. His conclusion is that a combination of three factors - psychological balance, "androgyny" (by which he means honoring both our masculine and feminine sides), and virtue - track with the most successful (and, yes, happy) people.

Tony Jarvis, the legendary head of Roxbury Latin School (Massachusetts), would tell parents (often MIT and Harvard professors) of prospective students that there were only two things the all-boys school could promise:"That your son will be known and that he will be loved." In the end, that's all a parent should wish for, since, when schools deliver on that promise and parents support and partner with the school, everything else tends to fall into place for the kids. Encourage your child's school to be experimental and innovative. Schools, especially those steeped in tradition, face huge resistance from their faculty and parents to change, since the natural conservative nature of education (with teachers preferring to stick with "what's worked in the past" and parents thinking school should look and feel like whatever they experienced decades ago) militates against experimentation and innovation.
Basically, teachers want some other teacher to experiment first, and parents want some other kids to have the experimental teacher - until it's obvious that the experiment works or doesn't work. Trust me, if, as a parent, you ever have a choice, choose the teacher who wants to experiment. Your child will benefit from the excitement of being part of a change dynamic, regardless the outcome of the experiment. The picture is starting to emerge about what "schools of the future" will look like, so if your school is moving in one or more of these directions, be a supporter, not a critic.

Schools of the future will toss out textbooks (which are dated as soon as they are published) and use the news as the context for posing questions related to real-world problems that require students to use a variety of academic and problem-solving skills. What math, science, and political science knowledge do we need in order to figure out why that bridge collapsed in the Twin Cities, and how vulnerable bridges are in our locale?

What economics and social studies knowledge do we need in order to understand the current global economic meltdown? What religion and history knowledge do we need in order to understand the conflicts in the Middle East or Darfur? What web-based resources and digital tools can we access to answer these questions? In and out of school, students will work in teams in a digital environment that fosters collaboration - and their "grade" will include components for individual and teamwork.

Content publishers will create virtual environments for simulation of real-world challenges, including an open-source "marketplace of ideas" for wikis (what Wikinomics calls an "ideagora") that begin to collect the best solutions. Kids will continue to have face-to-face interactions, however, and not just virtual ones. The opportunity to meet one another in the same physical space will continue to be important for learning. "High touch" will continue to be just as important as "high tech."

Once again, teaching and learning will become intergenerational - involving students, parents, and grandparents, as well as others from all three generations - and not just transactional exchanges between a teacher and a student. Learning in the context of family and community and historical traditions (religious and cultural) will be restored as central to effective education and the well-being of communities. Yogi Berra tells us, "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." It's also tough to predict how kids will turn out, but parents who prepare the path by following the admonitions above will grease the skids.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Inter-schools Gala

Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s)

A wonderful thing happened to me at school this week. Five delightful girls in Grade 4 approached me and wanted to chat to me in my office. My first thought was ‘oh dear’ – another incident on the playground, however, the girls informed me that they wanted to raise funds for a young girl who has ‘muscle disposure’ (muscular dystrophy). The girl’s name is Chaeli and she is a disabled teenager who raises funds for other disabled children to acquire hearing aids, wheelchairs and other equipment. I claimed ‘what a wonderful idea girls, but how are you planning to raise funds’? The girls replied in unison that they would like to sell cup-cakes at breaks. I was blown way by the initiative shown by these Grade 4 girls. ‘Now that’s the Camps Bay way’! The five grade 4 girls, namely, Kelsey Mayhew, Julia Landstedt, Katya Allen, Carmen and Meghan Howell, will be selling cup-cakes from the kitchen every Thursday at both breaks until the end of the term. Please support this wonderful initiative shown by this group of grade 4s. Good luck, girls.
(The young 14 year old girl who they would like to assist is a member of the Chaeli Campaign whose maxim is Administered by Adults – Powered by Kids. The aim of the campaign is to change the life of one differently abled child at a time in a significant way)

Enclosed with this newsletter is an article on research on parenting and the schooling of children. It was forwarded to me by two parents and makes for interesting reading. I have included the first part in this newsletter and will include the second part in next week’s newsletter. Please read it as it makes for fascinating reading. The article is entitled: ‘When Parents and Schools Align’ by Patrick F. Bassett who is the President of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) in the USA.
Last week Friday, Camps Bay Primary hosted an Inter-schools relay gala in our pool on an intensely hot afternoon! We competed against all the neighbouring schools, namely, Llandudno, Sea Point, the German School, Weizmann and Jan van Riebeeck. Congratulations to the Camps Bay Primary Swimming team which won the gala. We are very proud of you, swimmers. Thank you to all the PTA Moms who organised the pizzas, cool drinks and other items on sale.

PHOTOGRAPHY FOR SCHOOL MAGAZINES / WEBSITE / MARKETING MATERIAL: Together with this newsletter each child would have received a letter apropos photographs for the School Magazine / Website or marketing material. Please complete the reply slip and send it back to your child‘s class teacher, if applicable.

GRADE 7 SOCIAL: It is our final get together as parents at this school for our grade 7s.
Lets all meet at GLEN BEACH! When: Friday 13 March Time: 5.30 - 9.00 p.m. Bring:- picnic candles, ball games, guitars for a sing-a-long, boogie boards. For any queries or to check if the event is going ahead should the weather be poor, please contact one of us to find out alternative arrangements. Marianthi Dickie 082 658 5542, Deneal Ball 0833001216, Linda Ransome 0824123048, Marianne Engvall 0722812494

NOTES4NOTES FIRST CONCERT: Diarise our first concert for the year that is planned to take place on Wednesday 18 March 2009 in the hall. Renowned classical Latin and Flamenco guitar player, James Grace, will be performing. Enjoy an evening of music while supporting our music fund. Pies, ice-cream and drinks will be on sale! This is a real family evening – book a table through Debbie at the office. Ticket prices: Adults R40 each and Children R10.

MERIT AWARDS: Congratulations to the following pupils, each of whom was presented with a merit award at our assembly last week. We are proud of each one of you and would like to encourage you all to continue doing your best at all times.

Sasha Meek
Sive Tuku
Emilio Wettlaufer
Siphumle Mvandaba
Carmen Howell
Mia Neethling
Devon Massey
Alice Piller
Jarryd Londt
Jessica Page
Kai Millar

STEEL BAND: Please note that Steelband practice will take place from 12H15 until 13h30 this Friday 13 March due to sporting events. Thank you.

SPORT:
JUDO: In the Western Province Judo Open Championships, Aphiwe Tonisi and Ryan Coetzee were placed first and second in their age and weight groups respectively. They have been selected for the Western Province Judo Squad. The final trials will take place on 16 May 2009 and if they finish in the top 3 again they will be awarded Western Province colours. Well done! We are very proud of both of you, boys.

SUPERVISED HOMEWORK CLASSES: There are still 6 openings left in the supervised homework class. The cost of this class is R200 per month and it is available from Mondays to Thursdays from the end of the school day until 16h30. Please call Mrs Karakondis on 021 438 8091 or 083 568 7217.

THANK YOU: We would like to express a sincere thank you to ‘The Clay Oven’ management and staff for their continuous support of our school. They have very kindly provided ‘yummy’ pizzas at all our sporting events at a reduced cost with friendly and efficient service!

LOST: The following item has been lost should you find it please hand it in at the secretary’s office:
Nicol Black’s blue and white striped swimming towel.

FAMILY FUN PICNIC: Taking place at Camps Bay High School this Saturday 14 March 2009. Picnic hampers for 2 available at a cost of R175 a hamper (first 40 sold will include a free bottle of wine). Kids burgers will be on sale at a cost of R25 supplied by Ardi’s. There will be music, live bands, jumping castle, waterslide and fun stalls!! Please contact Lynette on 021 438 3029 or Sandi on 021 790 7531 or email: sandi@houtbay.com for more information. Entrance fee: Adults R20, Scholars R10 only applicable if not buying Picnic Hampers or Hamburgers from the High School.

“THE ROCKERFELLAS”: Including Dads from both the Prep and our Primary school are playing in a concert in Jurgens Park in Tamboerskloof on Sunday 15 March 2009. The event starts from 13:00 and is free of charge. Bring a blanket, food, drinks, family and friends! Jurgens Parks is situated in the corner of Buitengracht Road and Burnside (opposite Rafiki’s).

PROVISIONAL DATES TO DIARISE:

DATES TO DIARISE – 1st TERM 2009
March 2009
Fri, 13 - Grade 7 Social
Sat, 14 - Family Fun Picnic at Camps Bay High School 16h00 – 20h00
Tues, 17 - General Knowledge Round 1
Wed, 18 - Notes4Notes Concert
Tues, 24 - Grade 7’s go to camp.
Fri, 27 - Grade 7’s return from camp.
Fri, 27 - Parent (Adult) Social
Tues, 31 - Inter-house General Knowledge Quiz
April 2009
Wed, 1 -Reports issued to Parents
Fri, 3 - 1st Term ends at 11:00
Wed, 15 - 2nd Term begins.

Proudly Camps Bay Primary





S. P. COLLIER
PRINCIPAL

SELLING BEE - ADVERTISEMENTS

BLINKWATER SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION: Spacious self-catering accommodation with breath taking views available from end of February – 20 December 2009 at R5000 per month. Suitable for a quiet single person. For more information please visit www.capestay.co.za/blinkwater/ or call Barry on 083 297 3863.

DOG SEEKING HOME: Male short-haired dog (pavement special), neutered, extremely well disciplined, great personality, good guard dog, great with children! Owner, Chris Stander is moving into an old age home and sadly cannot take his dog, Leo with him. Please contact Mrs Phillips on 083 650 8737.

HOUSE TO RENT IN PRINGLE BAY: Very modern, fully equipped house, 360 degree views, undercover braai, wrap around balcony. Sleeps 8 - one full bathroom and two others - TV, DVD and DSTV - bring own smart card. Only need bring own linen and towels. R800 per day. Please phone Paulina 021 4611685 / 082 824 7895

MATHS MAGICIANS: Let us help your child discover the magic in Maths! Unique new Maths tutoring service for Atlantic Seaboard learners. Tutors come to you. Half hour “Back to Basics lessons (+ - x /), or 1 hour extra Maths lessons. 10% discount until end of March! Contact Bianca on 083 381 8079 or email biancahd@telkomsa.net or visit http://www.mathsmagicians.synthasite.com/ for more information.

SINGERS OF TOMORROW: Want a singing career on the stage? Let me show you how to get the best out of your voice and teach you all the skills you need to be3 a performer. Future Pop Idols let me help you prepare your voice for the future. Let some-one who has had a long and successful career in show business show you how it’s done! Contact: Dezi Ray on 021 423 4637 or 082 717 2322.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographer available for social or corporate functions, weddings and special birthdays! Please call Barry on 021 438 9177 or 083 297 3863 or visit http://www.barrypix.com/ for more information.

GUITAR LESSONS: All ages. General style, professional musician and tutor. 20 years experience in the business. Contact Otis 021 790 1433.

WANTED: I am looking to buy a pre-owned Djembe and breadmaking machine. Please contact Jannie at 082 882 0161.

SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES: Our action-packed Sporting Holidays for 6 – 8 and 9 – 14 year olds (boys and girls) include coaching, competitions, challenges, adventure and fun entertainment, catering for children of all ability levels! This Holiday your children can enjoy sports such as golf, rugby, cricket, soccer, hockey, basketball, netball, tennis, swimming, water polo, dance, squash, baseball and volleyball. Our next Sporting Holiday is taking place at Bishops in Cape Town from the 5th – 9th April 2009. Places are limited, so please contact us: 0861 775 775 (local rate nationwide) or email us at info@sportingopportunities.com or visit our website http://www.sportingopportunities.com/


Article: Part 1
When Parents and Schools Align (Patrick F. Bassett, Winter 2009)Patrick F. Bassett is president of NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) in the USA.

To educate children and adolescents, good schools know that they must also spend time educating parents. When parents are not on the same page with educators, kids move through the chiaroscuro of misaligned home and school life, receiving conflicting messages rather than similarly focused ones from both sides. Accordingly, I'd like to share some observations that parents and educators can contemplate together. In choosing a school, parents should place high value on their child's peers. When considering the quality of "better schools," too many parents miss one of the most essential drivers of student and school achievement: the peer group and kid culture at a school.

While elementary school-age children continue to identify with the values of their family and the example of their parents, by middle school the psychological separation from parents begins. In other words, by middle school, parents' influence on their children begins to wane in proportion to the influence of peers. Thus, the quality of one's peer group is critical to healthy and successful development. Fortunately, there's a "test" one can apply to peer groups: the cafeteria test. At the schools you are considering for your child, observe not only classes but also the cafeteria, using what Malcolm Gladwell calls your "blink reaction" to the various groups and cliques you find there. Do you see a group of kids with which your child would feel comfortable? Do you see groups that you'd like your child to avoid? How do students speak to and treat one another? How do they interact with adults? Ultimately, you want to choose a school where the groupings are few but healthy, where it's cool to be "smart," where the athletes also participate in the arts and artists in sports, where everyone strives to perform academically.

Too little parenting is selfish and irresponsible; too much parenting is unhealthy. Novelist James Baldwin once observed that, "Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them." Independent school leaders and veteran teachers constantly remind new teachers and staff members that the educator's job is to model the values they wish their students to display. This works well when the values of teachers and parents match up, but it's a problem when the parents' and school's values conflict. Too often, we see one of two extremes with parents: either a lack of responsible parenting ("under-parenting") or zealous hovering and controlling parenting ("over-parenting").

Under-parenting occurs when parents are afraid to establish boundaries for their children, or when love and approval are conditional, even conspiratorial. A parent once told me about "The Deal" his kids said prevailed at their upper school: Dad says in so many words and gestures, "As long as you perform well academically and athletically, I won't scrutinize too carefully what you are doing on the weekends." But it is exactly their children's behavior on weekends, and weeknights, that parents should scrutinize, since this is when most trouble happens. A wiser "deal" to strike: "I'll trust you to do your homework, to show up for your activities, and to stick to rules. But if you break the rules and violate the trust, then we go back to not trusting you for a time and supervising you more closely." And, by the way, the more your child is involved in salubrious activities - sports, arts, student government, etc. - the less direct parenting you need to do. Contrary to admonitions by some cultural observers, don't worry about your teenager's "over-packed" schedule; be thankful for it - since those activities tend to self-organize a child's time and interest. And in all these activities, your school's coaches and advisors are parenting allies offering your children healthy adult role models.

Over-parenting occurs when parents adopt the "helicopter" mode: hovering over their child incessantly and swooping down to the rescue when the first hardship occurs. As psychologist Wendy Mogel puts it in The Blessings of a Skinned Knee it can be a blessing for, say, a child to fall off her bike - if parents encourage her to pick herself up, dust herself off, get back on the bike, and learn to ride. If constantly rescued, the child learns dependency. If encouraged to endure life's bumps and bruises and "try again" when something is hard but worthwhile, the child learns independence, courage, and determination.

In school, there's a blessing in letting children wrestle with learning without parental interference. As Stanford researcher and psychologist Carol Dweck documents in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, having a "growth mindset" - one that views failure as an opportunity to work harder or to consider the task at hand more deeply - is one of the greatest assets a child can have.

The most dangerous "helicopter" parents are those who want to intercede whenever their child has a setback - argue a poor grade, make excuses for an absence, or, in its worst manifestation, bring an attorney to school to fight a disciplinary action. The lessons students learn from such over-parenting is lifelong dependency: "I'm not capable of fighting my own battles or accepting the consequences for my bad behaviour, so thank God my parents will rescue me." This may be why colleges are reporting problematic parents trying to register classes for their children, why workplace employers are reporting parents trying to negotiate their children's first job contracts, and why an increasing number of parents are seeing their college-graduate adult children moving back home "to save money."

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Inter-house Gala

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Parent(s) / Guardian(s)

We have had another excellent sporting week culminating with the Inter-house Gala on Friday. The gala was the most wonderful event and it was very impressive to see ALL the pupils swimming with such enthusiasm and excitement. The certificates and trophies for the gala will be handed out at the ‘Special Assembly’ on Friday 6 March 2009. Thank you to Mrs Hamber, Mrs Wendy Way, teachers and parents who officiated to make the gala a success. One of the highlights of the gala was the Teachers’ relay race against the House Captains – need I say who won!


On Friday 6 March from 13:30 to 16:00 Camps Bay Primary will also be hosting a Relay Gala with our neighbouring schools. Please come and support our swimmers.
Our athletes who were selected to represent Camps Bay Primary at the regional Circuit Championships also acquitted themselves well and we are very proud of them. One of our athletes, Thanduxolo Mtwa, performed exceptionally well in the Long Jump and the Hurdles events; and he has been selected to represent the school at the Western Province Trials. Well done, Moki (Thanduxolo).

This Friday 6 March 2009, the ‘Special Assembly’ will also include the handing out of the prizes for the ‘Proudly Camps Bay Primary’ Art and Writing competition. The beautiful and creative work produced by the children in all grades will be on display in the foyer outside the Hall. We have some wonderful prizes to hand out.

ACADEMIC:
As a follow-up to the previous newsletter on homework, I have instructed the teachers, particularly in the junior grades, to check homework and the signing of homework diaries in the first half hour of the day daily and to respond to parental correspondence in the diary immediately. I have also informed the teachers, particularly in grades 3, 4 and 5, to use the last half hour of the day to supervise the writing down of homework into the diaries by pupils and to ensure that all pupils write down their homework correctly. Please as a parent / guardian, could you monitor and sign your child’s homework diary daily.

GRADE 6 SOCIAL: The Grade 6 Social will take place on Clifton 4th Beach on Friday 6 March from 17h30 onwards. Please pack a picnic basket, bring your beach bats or cricket set and join us.

CULTURE:
I was absolutely astounded to see how many pupils in our school participate in Music and/or play a musical instrument in our school. Mrs Attwell provided me with the following information:
Piano: 36 pupils Recorder: 24 pupils
Violin: 6 pupils Guitar: 29 pupils
Drumming: 36 pupils Saxophone: 1 pupil
Clarinet: 3 pupils Flute: 3 pupils
Steel Drums: 24 pupils Choir: 50 to 55 pupils
The total number of pupils participating in Music is 213 pupils out of the 290 pupils in the school. 138 pupils receive individual tuition and 75 pupils participate in group items. This is quite phenomenal and a ‘Proudly Camps Bay Primary’ achievement. This is largely attributable to our Music Department – well done, Mrs Attwell and Ms Ferreira and Music pupils. Music is a wonderful extension to our academic programme and the ability to play an instrument is such a life-long skill and ‘gift’.

FURTHER SPORTS RESULTS:
Our under-U9 Cricket boys played Reddam last Tuesday 24 February 2009.
Camps Bay Primary scored 24 runs and Reddam made 12 runs. We won!
Well done to the team.

Our U13 Cricket boys played two matches last week:
The first was against Kronendal Primary and we won by 2 wickets – Ben Tilley was ‘Man of the Match’ bowling he took 4 wickets for 12 runs! Well done!

The second was against Bergvliet Primary and it was an awesome match. We needed to chase a total of 124 runs. Unfortunately we were just 40 runs shy but it was a very exciting match. Well played, team!

NOTES4NOTES FIRST CONCERT: Diarise our first concert for the year that is planned to take place on Wednesday 18 March 2009 in the hall. Renowned classical Latin and Flamenco guitar player, James Grace, will be performing. Enjoy an evening of music while supporting our music fund. Pies, ice-cream and drinks will be on sale! This is a real family evening – book a table through Debbie at the office. Ticket prices: Adults R40 each and Children R10.

STEEL BAND: Please note Steelband practices for the next two weeks will take place from 12H15 – 13h15 due to sporting events. Thank you.

SUPERVISED HOMEWORK CLASSES: There are still 6 openings left in the supervised homework class. The cost of this class is R200 per month and it is available from Mondays to Thursdays from the end of the school day until 16h30. Please call Mrs Karakondis on 021 438 8091 or 083 568 7217.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: We are looking for volunteers who are willing to paint four square courts on the playground in various areas. Please let Miss Van Hoof know if you are able to help.

LIBRARY BIRTHDAY BOOK DONATION: All children are encouraged to donate a book on their birthday. This book donation is acknowledged in assembly and recorded on the inside cover of the donated book. This is a lovely way for children to give and receive on their birthday as well as for our library to keep on getting new and exciting books for our boys and girls to read!

LOST: The following items have been lost should you find them please hand them in at the secretary’s office:
Tom Maltbie’s green lunch box and juice bottle.
Isabella Hulme’s marked short skort if found please call Mariella 072 538 9571.
Samuel Hulme’s fleece top, it’s marked and has extra elastic at the end of the sleeves if found please call Mariella on 072 538 9571.

BATHING COSTUME APPEAL: We would like to support an underprivileged school in Elsie’s River, where the children are in desperate need of swimming costumes. Wendy Way is co-ordinating this appeal and will be taking all the collected swimming costumes to this primary school. If you have any old children’s costumes available, please drop them off at the Secretary’s office. Thank you.

BALLET AND CLASSICAL GREEK: A reminder of the closing date for the Cape Town Eisteddfod entries – This Friday March 6. Enrolment forms were handed out last week. “Watching Day” in the school hall this Saturday March 7.
Times:
Gr 3 Ballet 11h30 – 12h15 Gr 4 Ballet 12h15 – 13h00 Gr 5 Ballet 13h00 – 13h45
Second hand ballet uniforms will be on sale. Anyone with clothing to sell please mark it clearly and hand in before 6 March. Thank you. June and Lisl Gruneberg

SCHOOL TERMS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS FOR 2010
For your information the approved school calendar for 2010 is as follows:
TERM

FIRST TERM 13 JANUARY 2010 (learners) - 26 MARCH 2010
SECOND 12 APRIL 2010 - 09 JUNE 2010
THIRD 13 JULY 2010 - 23 SEPTEMBER 2010
FOURTH - 04 OCTOBER 2010 - 10 DECEMBER 2010 (learners & educators)

Public and School Holidays in 2010:
01 January 2010 -New Year’s Day
21 March 2010 - Human Rights Day
22 March 2010 - Public Holiday
02 April 2010 - Good Friday
05 April 2010 - Family Day
26 April 2010 - School Holiday
27 April 2010 - Freedom Day
01 May 2010 - Workers' Day
16 June 2010 - Youth Day
09 August 2010 - National Women’s Day
24 September 2010 - Heritage Day
16 December 2010 - Day of Reconciliation
25 December 2010 - Christmas Day
26 December 2010 - Day of Goodwill
27 December 2010 - Public Holiday

FAMILY FUN PICNIC: Taking place at Camps Bay High School on Saturday 14 March 2009, Pre-bookings essential (by 6 March 2009). Picnic hampers for 2 available at a cost of R175 a hamper (first 40 sold will include a free bottle of wine). Kids burgers will be on sale at a cost of R25 supplied by Ardi’s. There will be music, live bands, jumping castle, waterslide and fun stalls!! Please contact Lynette on 021 438 3029 or Sandi on 021 790 7531 or email: sandi@houtbay.com for more information. Entrance fee: Adults R20, Scholars R10 only applicable if not buying Picnic Hampers or Hamburgers from the High School.

PROVISIONAL DATES TO DIARISE:
DATES TO DIARISE – 1st TERM 2009
March 2009
Thurs, 5 - Birthday – Mrs Linda Anders
Fri, 6 - Inter-Schools Gala
- Grade 6 Social
Fri, 13 - Grade 7 Social
Sat, 14 - Family Fun Picnic at Camps Bay High School 16h00 – 20h00
Tues, 17 - General Knowledge Round 1
Wed, 18 - Notes4Notes Concert
Tues, 24 - Grade 7’s go to camp.
Fri, 27 - Grade 7’s return from camp.
Fri, 27 - Parent (Adult) Social
Tues, 31 -Inter-house General Knowledge Quiz

April 2009
Wed, 1 - Reports issued to Parents
Fri, 3 - 1st Term ends at 11:00
Wed, 15 - 2nd Term begins.

Proudly Camps Bay Primary

S. P. COLLIER
PRINCIPAL

SELLING BEE - ADVERTISEMENTS

BLINKWATER SELF CATERING ACCOMMODATION: Spacious self-catering accommodation with breath taking views available from end of February – 20 December 2009 at R5000 per month. Suitable for a quiet single person. For more information please visit www.capestay.co.za/blinkwater/ or call Barry on 083 297 3863.

DOG SEEKING HOME: Male short haired dog (pavement special), neutered, extremely well disciplined, great personality, good guard dog, great with children! Owner, Chris Stander is moving into an old age home and sadly cannot take his dog, Leo with him. Please contact Mrs Phillips on 083 650 8737.

HOUSE TO RENT IN PRINGLE BAY: Very modern, fully equipped house, 360 degree views, undercover braai, wrap around balcony. Sleeps 8 - one full bathroom and two others - TV, DVD and DSTV - bring own smart card. Only need bring own linen and towels. R800 per day. Please phone Paulina 021 4611685 / 082 824 7895

COOKING MAID EASY: Complete a basic cooking course for your domestic worker. Enrol now! Contact Lesa on 073 552 4156.

MATHS MAGICIANS: Let us help your child discover the magic in Maths! Unique new Maths tutoring service for Atlantic Seaboard learners. Tutors come to you. Half hour “Back to Basics lessons (+ - x /), or 1 hour extra Maths lessons. 10% discount until end of March! Contact Bianca on 083 381 8079 or email biancahd@telkomsa.net or visit http://www.mathsmagicians.synthasite.com/ for more information.

TUTOR REQUIRED: For Grade 5 boy in Hout Bay in the evenings 2 – 3 times per week. Please call Gill on 082 808 4300 or 021 790 1787 (after hours).

BABY TEDDY HAMSTERS FREE TO GOOD HOMES: 6 cute fluffy Teddy Hamsters looking for homes. Please contact Mia on 083 255 3211.

MAKE A BEAR WAREHOUSE STORE: Open Monday – Saturday Unit 2 Northgate Business Park (behind Builders Warehouse off Koeberg interchange) 10 mins from Cape Town and Claremont. Call 082 818 3669 for more information.

SINGERS OF TOMORROW: Want a singing career on the stage? Let me show you how to get the best out of your voice and teach you all the skills you need to be3 a performer. Future Pop Idols let me help you prepare your voice for the future. Let some-one who has had a long and successful career in show business show you how it’s done! Contact: Dezi Ray on 021 423 4637 or 082 717 2322.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Photographer available for social or corporate functions, weddings and special birthdays! Please call Barry on 021 438 9177 or 083 297 3863 or visit http://www.barrypix.com/ for more information.