Headmaster’s report

This has been another incredibly challenging year; a year that in many respects has been more challenging than 2020. The fatigue of living through this protracted pandemic certainly took its toll as 2021 progressed. We have had to manage the oncampus, online programme at different intervals during the year, and although our online offering has been world-class, it is clear that online learning for most boys is not sustainable or optimal as too many vitally important educational and social experiences are missed during an online programme – something which we have and will continue to address moving forward. Despite the above, in nearly all aspects of the school, we have returned to “normal” operation this term. Of particular mention must be the very successful St David’s Sportsman’s Warehouse Prep Cricket Festival, the cricket tours to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, and the water polo tournament hosted by SACS. It was clear that these experiences were overwhelmingly successful, and thoroughly enjoyed by the boys. Moreover, it has been a delight welcoming back our community to the various sporting fixtures – their joy in watching their sons participate is most humbling. We have been fortunate to squeeze in many different sporting codes during the latter part of this year, and my sincere thanks go to Mr Makola and his team for creating these wonderful opportunities for our boys – there is no doubt the boys have missed inter-school sport terribly.

Together with the various sporting activities, we continue to strengthen our cultural footprint: Rafiki was a resounding success and the experiences of being part of an actual film production will be an abiding memory for our boys. The music department has flourished with so many of our boys teasing out their musical talents – recently we have had the pleasure of listening to several boys playing various instruments, and singing in their requisite choirs, during our assemblies in the Chapel of Mary. We held a virtual arts week, which gave our instrumentalists another chance to showcase their talents. Our choirs have enjoyed being able to sing again and are growing in numbers. Marimbas remain a very popular activity, and our individual music lesson programme continues to grow. Of course, another highlight was the virtual Carol Service. It is incredible to reflect on how we have been able to adapt and implement the necessary changes in order for our boys to have these experiences and opportunities to grow and just have fun.

Our academic focus remains a significant cornerstone of our offering to the boys. Under Mrs Nair’s phenomenal guidance, we have been able to enhance both our pedagogical approaches and teaching methodologies by focusing specifically on developing relationships with our boys and staff. This has been achieved by: • Using inclusive and differentiated teaching methodologies • Fostering critical thinking • Being active participants in class • Encouraging inquisitiveness • Asking questions • Solving problems • Collaborating • Ensuring a safe environment to fail and creating opportunities to try again and again.

These deliberate strategies have allowed the staff to connect meaningfully with our boys by accommodating their academic needs, remediating and/or accelerating where necessary in collaboration with the academic support team; having fun and ensuring we continue to develop young men of sound character.

The Grade 3s and 7s wrote the ACER International Benchmark Tests and we look forward to using these results as indicators of where we excel, as well as where we may need to focus our efforts. Our staff continue to attend many staff development opportunities which fuels their unquestionable passion for this wonderful profession. The Senior Prep “showcase” days were a definite highlight, and the passion shown by the boys as they told their stories of success, was a pleasure to experience.

Our outreach programme has had significant impact during the year, and our many collections have made a real difference in the lives of so many who are less fortunate than ourselves. In a year of complete devastation, I am always humbled by our community’s unconditional response to our call to help those in need. We congratulate Daniel Nyamgero and Michael SavvaSavvi as the new Johannesburg Mini-Council members whose commitment to further our outreach impact is a pleasure to note. We were so overwhelmed with the number of boys who had volunteered to be members of the JHB Mini-Council, that Miss Meirowitz motivated that an Outreach Club be formed in 2022, which has been approved. It is humbling to see our boys wanting to make

a difference in the lives of others. As the year draws to a close and we reflect on our outreach activities of 2021, we are proud to be able to say that, without question, the St David’s community has responded wholehearted to the existing and emerging needs in our society and we continue to be beacons of Marist light in our turbulent world, as we are called to do as a Marist community.

We remain highly aware of the safety and security concerns and trends in our country and have strengthened our security and safe-guarding processes. In this regard we have enhanced our staff screening process (permanent and temporary, including sports coaches) by procuring our own fingerprinting modem, with the data uploaded to The Guardian, who facilitate the vetting process. This has allowed for a quicker turnaround time in clearing our staff, in particular new staff who join us. With regard to access to the school, we can confirm that 24/7, our appointed security vendor, monitors our entry and exit cameras at both entry points to the school and have the capacity to engage the authorities if and as needed.

We are sad to be saying goodbye to a few of our staff and send them on the next leg of their journeys with our gratitude for their time and impact at St David’s, and with our very best wishes for the adventures that lie ahead.

In July we bade farewell to Mrs Colleen Donaldson, and in August, to Mrs Leanne Morgan both of whom emigrated. Mrs Donaldson’s significant time at St David’s in the Prep Admin Office impacted the lives of so many staff and boys. Her sincerity, love of work and unconditional support of our school will remain with us for many years to come.

Mrs Morgan was a beacon of hope to so many boys in the Time-to-Shine space, and her unconditional care and love for her boys plus her incredible patience and intoxicating personality, touched many lives – she will be sorely missed.

Following Mrs Donaldson’s departure, Mrs Illana Khoury was appointed as the Headmaster’s PA, and we welcomed Mrs Desray Manning as the new PA to the Senior Deputy Headmaster. I am ever grateful to all the administrative staff for the incredible work they do, not only for the staff, but importantly, for the whole school community.

During this term, Mrs Tamryn Seland and Mr Jaco Heunis handed in their resignations. Mrs Seland and her husband have decided to embark on a journey abroad, and I have no doubt she will continue to make a significant difference in the world of education. She is an educator of note, and her presence will be sorely missed too. Mr Heunis’ resignation was bitter-sweet: he has left behind a legacy, and we will miss his wisdom, guidance and sincerity. He too has had an impact on the lives of so many of our boys. Nevertheless, his appointment as the new headmaster of Sandhurst Primary School is worthy of celebration. There is little doubt that Mr Heunis will continue to have a fantastic impact on the lives of young people. We wish them both Godspeed and great happiness in their new roles.

Ms Doreen Johnstone and Mrs Cherie Smith both retire at the end of this year. Their combined contribution to St David’s is 39 years! During this time both these phenomenal ladies have shaped the lives of literally thousands of boys at St David’s. It is impossible to find the right words to express their impact. I often mention the footprints staff leave behind, and these two ladies will leave behind the biggest footprints possible. It was most fitting that Mrs Smith prepared two First Holy Communion celebrations this year, and her unwavering drive towards, and unconditional support of our outreach programmes, leaves behind a legacy of magnality. Equally, Ms Johnstone has checked in and out tens of thousands of books from our library to countless numbers of boys. Her love and passion for reading and imparting this love of reading on thousands of boys, will also leave behind a legacy of incredible significance. Furthermore, she has been instrumental in growing and cementing our canoeing footprint both at St David’s and nationally. Our canoeing boys, their families and the school, will forever be most grateful for the incredible canoeing footprint she will leave behind. Both ladies will be sorely missed, and we wish them continued health, prosperity and a muchdeserved change of pace as they enter their retirement years. Go well!

At the end of the year, two of our current internship candidates come to the end of their journeys with us at St David’s. We wish both Ms Bianca Strijdom and Ms Kgathane Malane all the very best as they continue their educational journeys. Both have had impacts on many of our boys, and I have no doubt they will continue to positively influence young peoples’ minds and lives.

After an internal interviewing process, I am delighted to report that Mr Roger McIver has been appointed as the new Director: Student Affairs. He brings with him many years of educational wisdom particularly in pastoral care, and I have no doubt he will continue to make a significant impact in our school. With his new role, I am also pleased to report that Mr Michael Campbell has been appointed as the Grade 7 Coordinator.

As reported in an earlier letter the following staff changes have been made for 2022: • Mrs Sarah Ward moves to Grade 1 • Miss Michelle Rohana moves to Grade 2 • Mrs Cindy Cronje moves to Grade 3 • Mrs Glynnis Cryer moves to Grade 4

• Miss Claire Midlane moves to Grade 4 • Mrs Rosslinda Viljoen moves to Grade 5 • Miss Carien Groenewald moves to JP Afrikaans • Mrs Leisl-Mae Fourie moves to SP Afrikaans and will continue to have oversight of the JP Physical

Education programme • Mrs Devitha Dehaloo moves to Foundation Phase

Coding & Robotics • Mr Bruce Eyles moves to SP EduTech • Miss Caroline Price is the Grade 4 Grade

Coordinator

Mrs Dugmore has signed a further one-year contract to assist in the Mini-Marist, and Mrs Swartbooi will take over Mrs Caforio’s Grade 0 class, as Mrs Caforio moves into her “new” role of mentoring, strategizing, and leading the Mini-Marist team.

We welcome Mrs Taru Manikai as the new Grade 00 class teacher. She holds a BEd Honours degree specialising in inclusive education, and she has worked at both Redhill and Curro Waterfall Pre-Primary as a Grade 00 teacher.

I am thrilled that Mrs Jenni Wright will join us next year as Head of Subject: isiZulu. Mrs Wright has extensive experience in the teaching of both isiZulu and Afrikaans at both prep and college levels. She has also been an IEB advisor for First Additional Languages.

Mrs Juakina Ndlovu joins us in the Grade 3 Time-to-Shine space. She has an Honours degree in inclusive education and several years of experience at Dominican Convent.

Ms Leeanne Ndlovu has been appointed as the JP isiZulu specialist teacher. She has also completed her studies in Inclusive education and has been in the Realema Internship programme at Roedean School.

We are very excited to partner with Realema, which is an NGO that specialises in the recruitment and mentorship of young students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds who are starting their studies in education. This is a wonderful initiative which has been in existence for several years now, and we will be welcoming two new interns into our school next year. These interns will undergo 4 years of training, mentoring and growth in different grades per year. • Mercy Kena – Mini-Marists • Chandapiwa Makhubela – Senior Prep

Furthermore, it is with much excitement that we welcome Mrs Belinda Savva-Savvi to our internship programme. Her focus will be primarily in the Junior Prep RE space, as she also studies towards her PGCE.

The Mini-Marist building project is progressing very well, and we are assured it will be completed before the start of next term. The new additions include a third Grade 00 class, Occupational Therapy room, Speech and Language Therapy room, meeting/Play Therapy room, new staff toilets, office and meeting room and storeroom.

We are excited with the launch of our aftercare center called IkhayaLethu – (“Our home” / “Place of belonging”). IkhayaLethu will be managed by Angulique Hartzer, with the full-time assistance of Mrs Dire, Mr Rikhotso and Mrs Mlilo. The Mini-Marist and JP Teachers will supervise homework for the Junior Prep boys on a rotational basis.

Earlier in November, the Department of Student Affairs announced the House Leaders for 2022 at the Senior Prep assembly. It was a thorough selection process, and I am elated with the group of leaders we will have for 2022. All have understood and appreciated that these positions are not rewards, but positions of responsibility and that the hard work now begins. We wish these young men well in their endeavours for 2022.

The new house leaders for 2022 are:

Benedict – Daswa

Captain: Giorgio Ferreira Vice-captain: Luke Welton Vice-captain: Lufuno Mabilu

College – Selima

Captain: Pierre Crofton Vice-captain: Dominic Shimmin Vice-captain: Abahle Mlanzi

Osmond – Plaatje

Captain: Matthew Barnett Vice-captain: Daniel Pieterse Vice-captain: Jordan Russell

The Bishops – Jude

Captain: Daniel Nyamgero Vice-captain: Lesedi Mkonza Vice-captain: Lizwi Ngwenya

We have reached the end of an incredibly busy term – a term in which our boys have experienced so many wonderful opportunities, and importantly, they have been on campus! As a country we continue to face many challenges, but I take much comfort in the fact that our boys’ educational journeys are world-class, and at the end of these journeys, they will be well-equipped to face any challenges that may present themselves.

Our many achievements this year would not have been possible without the unbelievable support of the Prep executive, the school executive and the Board. In particular I would like to thank the Prep executive and especially my deputies, Mrs Mills and Mr Howard. We have a dynamic executive, who is unafraid of vigorous debate. Yet, in all our deliberations, their wise council, support and guidance have allowed us to remain true to our Marist values and, importantly, to our boys and staff. It has been my pleasure to be surrounded by such a dynamic, energetic, positive and wisdom-driven exec. All have been my Beacons of Light this year, and I thank all, most sincerely.

I wish every St David’s family a blessed Christmas, a restful holiday with family and friends, and a happy and safe New Year. We all deserve a healthy break. I am ever hopeful that we will start 2022 as we have ended this year, and we have been planning towards this hope. Irrespective, we are very fortunate to be able to adapt, if necessary, knowing full well that we will continue to offer our boys an excellent educational journey that remains housed within our Marist values.

Mr N Clogg

Prep School Headmaster