PTA report

from St David's Marist Inanda - 2021 Yearbook

Water polo

Despite the continued challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, an enthusiastic and committed PTA Committee were determined to carry out as many activities as possible, to raise funds but more importantly, to build a sense of community during this particularly disconnected time.

In celebration of the school’s 80th birthday, the PTA registered a rose through Ludwig’s Roses. This beautiful bold yellow rose was christened “Marist Gold”. This name is wonderfully symbolic of our Marist roots as well as our St David’s mission and ethos, which aims to ‘grow’ boys and young men into “enquiring, well-balanced individuals aware of their social responsibilities to the wider community, and ready to respond with compassion and justice to the realities of society.” The description from Ludwig’s reads as follows:

“The rose chosen to honour eighty years of Marist education in Sandton produces shapely blooms of a clear yellow colour in great profusion - one to a slender stem. With its growth habit and flowering ability, it fits within the Flora Tea range - lots of blooms with the classical hybrid tea shape. It is suitable to be planted in groups or large beds, in single rows as borders to shrubberies and also in pots. The eco-chic green leaves are an added attraction on the hip-to-chest height growing bushes. Picking stems with tight buds for the vase allows for observing the slow unfolding of the firm petals revealing a deeper golden hue with a distinct very fine pink line on the petal edge and the prominent golden stamen and pistils. It has a moderate scent exuding from the opening blooms.”

Our community eagerly responded to the launch of the Marist Gold rose and it is heartening to think of the many families who have this constant reminder of their St David’s Marist Inanda connections growing in their gardens. The rose will continue to be sold in the future.

The Art Stationery initiatives, which were held twice in 2021, with the theme of African Wildlife for the Winter Collection and Under the Sea for the Spring Collection. The beautiful artwork produced by our Prep boys under the artful direction of the Prep Art Department was translated into a variety of stationery items for parents to order. This initiative remains a wonderful way to capture and celebrate our boys’ artwork, and was very well supported by our parents.

Towards the end of the year, as Covid protocols eased, we were very excited to be able to host an on-campus event in the form of a Dads ‘n Lads Evening. The event saw the PTA hosting an evening around the campfire under African skies with world-renowned South African storyteller, Rob Caskie. He kept the boys, young and old,

enthralled with his telling of the ‘greatest survival story of the modern age!” – the story of Shackleton and the Endurance. After a time of not being able to socialise with friends and family, this event was meaningful and special and a lovely evening of great food, riveting entertainment and wonderful company was enjoyed by all who attended.

The PTA Committee has committed ourselves to a significant project which is the upgrade to the Champagnat Hall. This upgrade will include improvements to the audio-visual system, and upgrade to the bathrooms adjacent to the hall and a refurbishment of the foyer and the hall in general. This is a substantial project but we felt that the Champagnat Hall is the heart of our school community. It is where our boys and the extended community come together often and for special and significant occasions. Funds raised by the PTA, with the amazing support of our parent community, will be primarily directed to this project. We look forward to sharing these developments as they take place in 2022.

On behalf of Bill Blair, my Vice-Chair and myself, we would like to thank: • our parents who supported all of our initiatives so generously throughout 2021 • the School Executive and Staff for their unwavering support • The Board of Governors, of which the PTA is a subcommittee, for your support and direction • the PTA Committee and other parent committees/ groups (including Class Parents, Swop Shop

Team, Winter Supporters’ Group, Matric Dance

Committee, Mothers’ Lunch Committee) who give

tirelessly of their time as volunteers committed to making St David’s the best school it can be to the benefit of all of our boys collectively! • -Derrick Kaufmann as outgoing Chair at the end of 2020 for his years of service to the PTA and Gordon

Tonetti and Dylan Hill for their time as long standing parent PTA members.

PTA Members 2021

Parent Representatives:

• Rutendo Hwindingwi (Incoming Chair) • Derrick Kaufmann (Outgoing Chair) • Bill Blair (Vice Chair) • Charles Stuart (Treasurer) • Kim Abraham • Chris Erwee • Dylan Hill • Kurt Morais • Mendie Ndimande • Gordon Tonetti