From The Principal’s Desk, 14 February 2020
Dear Parents
It was an absolute pleasure to see our students dress up for the civvies day yesterday. What was even more awesome to see, is how the love was shared through friendships and that the emphasis was on loving one another as friends.
This is a key lesson of kindness and care that should be instilled at a very young age.
In our newsletter last week, I shared on the challenges we as educators face at school regarding cyber bullying, so called “freedom of speech” in Whatsapp groups and the negative effect it has on our children. Sadly, this is not a teenage problem, but students as young as 9 years old, are bombarded with content on their phones which are not age appropriate.
We had the pleasure of hosting a talk with Emma Sadleir last night and we are very grateful to the parents who made the effort to come and listen. We wish to commend each and every one who attended last night as it showed your support in raising a generation equipped to deal with the technological challenges.
We will schedule another session with her to address our students soon. It is vital that we are aware of the beast we deal with and as parents to be equipped to train our children.
Have a wonderful weekend of shared love with family and friends
Best regards
Edna
From the Principal’s Desk, 7 February 2020
Dear Parents
Schools, like all other institutions, often face challenges. I was reminded of this during the week when a water pipe was accidentally cut during the renovations to the downstairs bathrooms. Luckily, this was easily and quickly repaired, but not before the, already busy, bathrooms on the first floor flooded and we ended up escorting students to the bathrooms in the admin block.
Crisis management is often part of a normal school day and this is when everyone has an opportunity to step forward and assist. This is our school and we want to create a culture of pride and excellence! This requires that we all pick up litter, maintain parts of the garden and report faulty equipment in the building. If we all work together, we can most certainly do better!
Our school community is of central importance and anything which could be potentially harmful to our students needs to dealt with in an open and honest manner. Over the past two weeks, management has met with various year groups and their parents to discuss potential technological threats affecting our students.
In the light of this, management has contacted the Digital Law Company and we are happy to let you know that Emma Sadlier will address our school community next Thursday, 13th February. Please visit the Quicket website and book your seats. Her talk is applicable to students between the ages of 12-18 as she will be addressing the current trends on social media and the dangers parents need to be aware of. We look forward to seeing you all at the talk next Thursday.
Have a lovely weekend.
Regards
Edna
From the Principal’s Desk, 30 January 2020
Dear Parents
We had a lovely movie evening at school last Friday and I am certain that everyone who attended will agree that it was great family fun! Family is important and it was wonderful to spend time with our extended Blouberg family. We look forward to more of these gatherings in the future and appreciate your support in attending them.
We held our Foundation and Key stage 1 parent meetings last Thursday and tonight we have our Key Stage 2 parent information evening. I urge parents to communicate with teachers and make use of the Engage system to retrieve key information. Communication is key to good relationship!
We will be starting renovations to the girls’ bathrooms on the ground floor on Friday 31st January and again, we ask you to please remind the students to use the bathrooms on the first floor. We are looking forward to the fresh revamp!
Social media and its impact on our teenagers and young children remains a huge concern to educators and parents alike. We are in the process of finalizing a date to have Emma Sadler from the Digital Law Company address parents, and students who are 18 years of age. The dates will be made available as soon as possible and I urge every parent to join us on the evening.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend of family time.
Regards
Edna
From the Principal’s Desk, 23 January 2020
Dear Parents
“Your present circumstances do not determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start.” – Nido Qubein
The beginning of every academic year brings a familiar set of challenges. One of these challenges, affecting both parents and students, is that of a child attending school for the first time. The struggle to adapt and the need for reassurance, until they become used to the setup and daily routine. A daunting challenge for new students and their parents, but one we are well prepared for. We are available and ready to assist in whichever capacity best suited to the student, parent or staff member. It may be as simple as asking a parent to stay a little longer in the morning, just until the student settles.
Rest assured that we are equipped with the patience, endurance and kindness to assist our little ones overcome this initial challenge.
Another recurring challenge is impatient, inconsiderate behavior in the car park and drop and go areas. I urge every parent please to be mindful and not hold up traffic or park in the drop and go area. Everyone is in a hurry but a little kindness and respect goes a long way. Should you wish to walk your child to class, please park your vehicle in the designated bays. When you are in the drop and go zone, please be aware of other vehicles wishing to exit and give them the space to do so.
CAMBRIDGE TOP ACHIEVERS REWARD
We received the Cambridge Top Achievers Awards yesterday and are very proud to announce that Sreeja Chinthala achieved the Top in South Africa award for Business Studies AS level. Audrey Lepo won first place in the world for a High Achievement in French.
Well done to both students!
REMINDER
This Friday, 24th January, the PA is hosting a movie night. We are looking forward to seeing all our families at this exciting event.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Edna
Read MoreFrom the Principal’s Desk, 16th January 2020
Dear Parents
Welcome to the 2020 academic year! We are all excited about this year and the changes, both aesthetic and academic, planned.
We received our matric AS results last week and are very happy to announce that 29 of the 32 students who wrote passed matric. 16 students passed with matric exemption.
TOP IGCSE STUDENT 2019!
Chloe Goldman wrote 8 IGCSE subjects in which she obtained 6 A* and 2 A’s. A total of 8 distinctions! We are exceptionally proud of her and are looking forward to more such achievements in her AS levels!
A total of 22 distinctions were achieved across the various subject areas. Top marks were achieved in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, First Language English, English Literature, Spanish Foreign Language, German Foreign Language, French Foreign Language and Music.
We wish to congratulate Ms. Alice Pryor on her excellent teaching skills in English First language. A total of 6 Distinctions were obtained for First Language English and 5 Distinctions for English Literature. Her dedication to her students and her love of the subject area is clearly displayed.
Just a reminder that we are starting renovations on the downstairs bathrooms on Monday, 20th January and request that you remind students to use the bathrooms upstairs. Foundation Phase have a brand new hopscotch-themed play area and the students are thoroughly enjoying the colorful spaces.
Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 have a Parent Information Evening on Thursday, 23rd January and we are looking forward to an enjoyable and informative evening.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead.
Regards
Edna
From the Principal’s Desk, 5th December 2019
Dear Parents
We have come to the final week of examinations for the high school and I would like to congratulate the students on their hard work and dedication.
We had a lovely evening of music, games and goodies at the Moonlight market last Friday. Thank you to our wonderful PA who organized the event for our school. We are so grateful for all their hard work and the effort they put into the event. The feedback from vendors was incredibly positive and we hope to have more such events in the future.
This week we celebrated our students and their achievements. I spent a lovely morning with students, and their parents, from Foundation Stage and look forward to watching their growth and development as they move through the school. We teach our students the importance of acceptance and are mindful that our children learn more from what they see than from what they hear us say. These are important years of growth for their hearts and minds; lessons instilled at this young age will guide their behaviour later in life. It is with this in mind that our teachers work diligently instilling the values of integrity and tolerance in their young charges and it is with a happy heart that I watch the students move to the next phase of their academic career.
Tonight we will have our Key Stage 2 ceremony and tomorrow morning, our Key Stage 1. We look forward to these events as it gives us an opportunity to celebrate with our students and their parents.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend ahead as we all prepare for the festivities of the season.
Warm regards
Edna
From the Principal’s Desk, 28 November 2019
Dear Parents
With only two weeks left of the 2019 academic year, things can feel a bit overwhelming for parents and teachers alike.
On Monday morning there was a buzz of excitement as students were introduced to their new teachers for 2020. A Year 1 student could barely contain her excitement as I passed her in the corridor and, with a grin a mile wide, announced, ‘I am Year 2 now!’ It was heartwarming to see the excitement and pride in her face and reminded me what an exciting experience this transition is for the students.
2019 was not without its challenges, but here we stand, and look how far we have come. We have been tested and learnt new lessons and it is with a positive and optimistic outlook that we approach the new academic year. With the festive season on our doorstep there is much to look forward to, and beyond that, the opportunities that come with a new year. The final stages of planning for the 2020 academic year are underway as a gentle hum of happy anticipation fills the corridors.
We are looking forward to our Moonlight Market tomorrow night and I encourage everyone to come along and enjoy the festivities! The event will run from 17h00 to 21h00 with plenty of fun activities and delicious treats for the whole family. I look forward to seeing you all there.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Edna
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From the Principal’s Desk, 21 November 2019
Dear Parents
It is essential that we prepare our students, throughout their school career, not just to pass their final examinations, but for the challenges which lie beyond the confines of the education system.
The Year 11 students left for their annual leadership camp on Monday and when I joined them on Tuesday, I was immensely proud of the teamwork I witnessed. I saw the students come to each other’s aid in order to conquer the various obstacles set before them; from helping each other navigate the river to leading a blindfolded friend via a safe path, these were only a couple of the skills on display. I watched them with pride, as so many of the students I have known since they were in junior school and have followed their progress as they transitioned into high school and now into the leaders of our student body. They are a keen and passionate group and we have much to look forward to as they navigate their final year.
Our Year 12 students completed their final Cambridge examinations on Friday the 15th of November and we eagerly await the results in early January next year.
We had a fruitful information morning on Saturday the 16th of November and are looking forward to welcoming our new parents and students in the 2020 academic year.
This coming Monday, the 25th of November, is the primary school orientation morning where students will be introduced to their teachers for the 2020 academic year. It is an exciting time for both teachers and students as we all prepare for the new academic year.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend!
Kind regards
Edna
From the Principal’s Desk, 14 November 2019
Dear Parents
It is unbelievable how quickly this year has passed. With less than four weeks left of school, the last stretch is ahead of us.
We had a wonderful sports day last week Saturday and I am exceptionally proud of how well organized it was. Miss Fourie is an asset to the school and, together with her colleagues, they ensured that everyone had a wonderful experience.
Sport is a reminder of the necessity of healthy living and is therefore integral in a child’s development. The sport at our school has grown tremendously over the past year and we acknowledge and appreciate the parental support which has made this possible.
We are incredibly proud to have such talented students across a range of disciplines. Last Friday’s music evening showcased the talents of our junior musicians; both students and teachers have worked diligently throughout the year and the showcase of talent on Friday night was amazing to behold. This coming Friday will see our high school students perform and I wish to invite everyone to attend the performance.
I wish to remind everyone that Hatrick (our uniform store) will be open until the 20th of December 2019 and deliveries will begin from the 6th of January 2020.
We are planning a range of parent workshops for the 2020 academic year and I would like interested parents to email me with suggestions for topics. We have the best interests of our students and their families at heart and I therefore urge parents to engage with the upcoming workshops. Together we are better and we can achieve more.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend.
Regards
Edna
From the Principal’s Desk, 7 November 2019
Dear Parents
What makes a school stand out? What makes BIS an extra ordinary school? We at BIS believe that education is more than the academics we offer to our students. One of the key skills that all students need in life is the ability to apply critical thinking in decision-making.
Critical thinking should be integrated across curriculum content through activities and strategic planning.
What is the language of critical thinking? Here are some traits that we can identify:
- Adapt
- Strive
- Examine
- Create
- Communicate
- Collaborate
- Inquire
- Reflect
- Link
Students must be taught to identify and nurture these traits and apply them academically as well as in social interactions.
Critical thinking fosters teacher development, student growth and family engagement; all important factors for intellectual and emotional growth.
This weekend we will be hosting our Foundation and Key Stage 1 Sports Day. Please join us for this exciting event!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Edna