From the Principal’s Desk – 25th April 2019

Dear Parents

I trust you all had a wonderful Easter break and enjoyed some special family time.

Over the past week or so, bullying at schools has been a hotly discussed topic on the news, radio stations and social media.  Cyber bullying was identified as being the most prevalent and therefore, of most concern. It has become such an important discussion topic that the Western Cape Education Department is launching several programs to aid schools in dealing with cyber bullying.

Discipline is a responsibility which starts at home. As a school we need to be mindful of the differing rights and responsibilities of both students and educators, whilst at all times maintaining a positive outlook of our school. Positive discipline practices, and the role which parents play in them, are integral in providing a base on which we can expand as the student matures. However, when things go awry it is important to have the necessary support structures in place, not just for students, but for educators and parents as well. We are therefore very grateful to have Mrs. Cindy Arenstein as an addition to our team.  In her capacity as a counselor she recently hosted a talk with parents about Protective Behaviours, in what was an incredibly valuable and informative session.

Our unfortunate reality is that social media is being used to lure students into detrimental, and downright dangerous, situations; cyber bullying being just one aspect of the larger problem.  WhatsApp conversations, YouTube and Instagram comments are freely used to criticize and belittle others. Most of the time students are unaware that these messages can be used against them if legal proceedings arise.

We are looking into arranging various workshops and talks to raise awareness amongst our students and help them to be cautious when dealing with social media. We ask that as parents you assist us by having checks in place, in terms of the types of media the students are using and the amount of screen time they rack up on their various devices.  Further information about upcoming workshops will be communicated soon.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead.

Kind regards
Edna