GLENWOOD TIMES G L E N WHOe aOd mDa s tTe rI’ sMMEe sSs a g e
Inside this issue: 01 Headmaster’s Message 02 Pattern Art 02 Botanical Gardens 02 Spring Flower Arranging 03 Grade 0 Team Work 03 Wild Animals 03 Grade 0 Cross Country 04 After Care Turns 3 05 Grade 1 Superhero Day 06 Grade 2 Sizzling Studies 08 The Titanic 09 Graffiti Artist 10 Boogaloo 11 Rhino Fundraising 11 Grade 7 Team Building
12 Prep Academic Achievers 13 Prep Cross Country 14 Prep School Leadership 15 Grade 9 Market Day 16 Notice Board 18 Sport Results
This has been a tumultuous period in South Africa. We have had the drama around Pravin Gordhan, as well as the drama happening at Pretoria Girls High School. Such events require and cause us to think deeply. Schools around the country are being made to reflect on their dress code norms and that is a good thing. Some schools are changing or updating their policies and that, too, is a good thing. Permit me to share the principles that guide Glenwood House School’s policies in this regard.
Headmaster’s Message
1. The school rules or Code of Conduct requirements apply to every pupil without exception. This would pertain to hair, clothes and conduct. As with all formal schools that wish to be seen to be smart, we have dress code regulations and they are designed to make our pupils extremely proud of their school identity. 2. Our regulations make allowances for the fact that people differ from each other and are not all the same. 3. No cultural group or race group is discriminated against at any time. Indeed, we wish all our children to be intensely proud of their identity and their culture. 4. We endeavour to cause every child to be equally proud of being a Glenwood House pupil and to behave in a way that justifies that pride. Obviously children at school do not have the freedom regarding dress code that they will have once they leave school as adults. It will never be acceptable that a school child can wear hair as long as he wishes or colour it in whatever colour he/she wishes or wears it in all the funky styles modern footballers do. In many places and cultures one will find adults who have a variety of tattoos and body piercings. These would be totally inappropriate for a child in school uniform. Even people who are absolute fans of a school might find themselves disagreeing with one or other of the school’s regulations. This in itself is not sufficient ground or cause for the school not to have such regulations. At Glenwood House, the male staff members are required by me to wear ties. If their decision was put to a democratic vote, the young men would likely vote for greater freedom and no ties. However, they all wear them because it is not negotiable and, in the Headmaster’s opinion, we look a lot smarter than many other schools! Helpful Hint Just as a footballer doesn't lose his personal identity when he wears a football jersey, a child can maintain his/her individuality and still be part of the team.