CBC St John's Inside Story (December 2023)

Inside Story

ST JOHN'S | CHRISTIAN BROTHERS' COLLEGE PRESCHOOL | JUNIOR SCHOOL | SENIOR SCHOOL

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@cbcstjohns | www.cbcstjohns.co.za | 021-556-5969

01 HEAD OF COLLEGE DEAR PARENTS,

Our students continue to shine as change-makers, as evidenced by their

Thank you for being so supportive this

support of Our Head Prefect, Miccah

year. Together, we managed to

Ladouce’s campaign highlighting the

accomplish so much.

plight of people experiencing homelessness.

The year began on a high as we welcomed students from our Edmund

Next year, we celebrate the College’s

Rice schools in Uruguay and India.

21st birthday. We must acknowledge the many positive changes and

The solar project provided a welcome

achievements over the past years.

relief during load-shedding and

However, the Board surveyed the staff

allowed the College, particularly the

and parents to ensure our future

computer technology classes, to

sustainability.

continue as usual.

The insights gained from the surveys The Junior School production of

will guide our new strategic direction

Moana was an enormous success and

statement. The management of the

showcased our immensely talented

College will present the new strategic

students. Our Netball girls came home

plan in the new year, and we thank all

as the victors of the inter-CBC Winter

who contributed to the survey.

Festival, a first for our College.

HEAD OF COLLEGE In closing, we thank the following staff

“Once in our world,

members, Mrs Philander, Mr Willmot

a stable had something in it

and Mrs Ruygrok, who leave us at the

that was bigger

year’s end.

than our whole world.”

Our best wishes and love accompany them as they embark on their new journeys.

We have several new staff members joining the CBC family in 2024 and look forward to formally welcoming them to the College community at the start of the new year.

I wish you and your families a blessed Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

SHARON VAN VUREN

C S Lewis

02 IDENTITY + MISSION DEVOTION ADVENT SEASON REFLECTION

Precious Lord, as I embrace

We are in the liturgical season of

this Advent Season, please

advent in the Church’s liturgical

open my eyes to see Your

calendar. As our children can tell us, Advent is a season of preparation.

Incarnation's great value and blessing. Help me to discover

During Advent, we are invited to enter

Your hidden presence in this

more frequently into silence, prayer

world and within my soul. We

and reflection, scripture and

who have so much to do seek

participation in the sacraments offered

quiet spaces to hear your

by God through the Church (going to confession and receiving Jesus in the

voice each day, and we who

Eucharist), all to prepare for

are anxious over many things

celebrating Christmas.

look forward to your coming among us.

May our time of waiting and preparation be a blessing for ourselves, our family, and our friends.

May we find ways to make this time a time of reflection and reach out to those most in need.

IDENTITY + MISSION Our College has celebrated four

This Advent Season is an

sacraments, three of initiation and one

essential time of preparation

of healing. By baptism, Rylie Sousa was welcomed into the Christian community in the Parish of the Resurrection.

and reflection for the birth of our loving Lord and Saviour.

Our hope and prayer is that it leads to our willingness to give

Our First Confession and Communicants have been preparing to receive these sacraments for a year. We pray for God’s strength and blessing on these children and their families.

Our Senior School students have been journeying for two years towards their commitment as adults to God in His Church by the Sacrament of Confirmation conferred on them by Bishop Sylvester David. What a time of grace and blessing for our College Family.

our giftedness and time to those in need.

SACRAMENT OF CONFI RMA T I ON 14 OCTOBER 2024

IDENTITY + MISSION As the year draws to a close, we can

Durbanville Children’s Home was in

reflect on the good things we have

much need of toiletries – thank you to

done as a College to carry forward the

all those families who donated to this

mission of our church and our

cause; it is very much appreciated!

Founder, Edmund Rice.

Just as God came to us, we Our students from both the Senior and

also can go into this world to

Junior Schools were involved in many

share his love, and as we enter

Connecting Classrooms projects in

the period of advent, we are

which they discussed the Sustainable

reminded to continuously

Development Goals and what being a

share God’s love and serve

leader means in our society today.

others in our community.

This past week, the College has been awarded a certificate for its involvement in the projects, in which we hope we have ignited students to become change makers.

Our Junior SERV Students had an eventful programme of preparing for outreach and involvement in games and activities with our Grade 00 to Gr R Students. We ended our activities with a visit to La Culla, where our children spent some time with the babies.

LEADERSHIP TEAM 2023 SENIOR SCHOOL

Back (from Left): Priav Naidu (Edmund House Prefect), Jack Brennan (Rice House Prefect), Sara Daniels (Deputy Head Prefect), Matteo Tramontano (Head Prefect), Luke Langford (Head Sacristan), Ryan Josephson (Prefect of Community Development) and Emma Ing (Prefect of Sport & Culture) Front (from Left): Rebecca Braude (Ignatius House Prefect), Tristy Morris (Prefect of Student Affairs and Compassion), Aaron Pilkington (Prefect of Community Development), Daniella Gaadt (Prefect of Juniors) and Chloe Clarke (Prefect of Outreach & EREBB Ambassador)

03 LITTLE SAINTS IN THE PRESCHOOL

A Specia

l Visit f rom Father C hristma s

Grade O Graduation

Splash D Sports’ Da

y!

ay!

04 SAINTS IN TRAI NI NG IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL 01 #COOLESTPROJECTS

Congratulations to our students on the

Congratulations to our Junior Coding +

hard-work that they have shown

Robotics Team who participated in the

throughout the year. Aside from

Coolest Projects Technology

academics, our students’ sporting

Showcase. #CoolestProjects is a

achievements were also highlighted.

celebration of young digital creators and the amazing things they make

These Gratitude Mornings are also an

with technology.

opportunity to highlight the growth and personality that our new students

Special mention to Devon Powell and

to our Junior School have

Akhikhaya Cazes for receiving

demonstrated. Thank you to all our

trophies! Thank you to all students for

CBC Family members who joined in

your hard work and dedication and to

the celebrations.

our Parents for your support.

02 JUNIOR SCHOOL GRATITUDE MORNINGS From our Grade Rs in the Foundation Phase to our Grade 6s in the Intermediate Phase, our two Gratitude Mornings were an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate our students in the Junior School.

05 SAINTS AMONG US IN THE SENIOR SCHOOL 01 EXAM SEASON

Fortunately, there were no

The NSC Grade 12 examinations have

examination irregularities thanks to

run smoothly and efficiently. Kudos to

our diligent students and their

our Chief Invigilator and Centre

teachers. Reports to parents will go

Manager, Ms Fox and our invigilators

out electronically on the 7th

from the community, Mrs Juanita

December 2023 and we hope that

Maree and Mr Adrian Smuts.

your children's results are a reflection of their concerted efforts to achieve

Our Matric results will be

their best.

available on the 19th of January 2024 at 11:00 in the pavilion. All Matric parents are invited to this event and

Let the children decide

by Don Mattera

communication will go out in the new year. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Let us halt this quibbling of reform and racial preservation saying who belongs to which nations and

The internal examinations, Grades 7 –

let the children decide it is their world.

11, have also run smoothly. Our papers are of an extremely high standard, having been moderated by HODs and

let us burn our uniforms of old scars and grievances and call back our spent dreams

proofread by the members of the

and the relics of crass tradition

English Department.

and hang on our malignant hearts and let the children decide.

MATRIC CLASS OF 2024 THE VALORIANS Top Row: Dieter du Plessis, Lithalethu Mazana, Matthew Radloff, Jared Tyler, Troy Schemel, Precious Palmer, Zukhanye Mquqo, Owam Ngcingwana, Thato Malunga, Tayla Hall Middle Row: Aidan Burgess, Luke van Tol, Dean Hirst, Amanda Gumede, Sinazo Damane, Luka da Silva, Amalia da Costa, Tayla Mackrill, Kirsten van Aken, Rhys Little Bottom Row: Moses Ezeh, Neo (Suge) Chembeya, Cheyenne Stewart, Ande Xhegwana, Azola Mafenuka (Deputy Head Prefect), Micah Ladoucè (Head Prefect), Nishika Jayakody, Leonardo de Andrade, Ashley Holding, Sebastian Turnbull

stC O john's L L E G E ST JOHN'S

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS'

PRESCHOOL | JUNIOR SCHOOL | SENIOR SCHOOL

@cbcstjohns | www.cbcstjohns.co.za | 021-556-5969