St Johns Preparatory School

St Johns Preparatory School Houghton Tel: 011 645 3100/ 087 550473 14 October 2011 Newsletter Number 10

From the Headmaster

As I write my newsletter article, my mind wanders back to the walk I took around the Prep the other day. Energy, happiness, care, laughter, passion, love, all come flooding in Mr Nicolson is tending to a boy in distress and I am warmed by the smile developing on the boys face as he realises its all going to be okay. Upper III boys are engrossed in a Lubbe lesson where every possible technological gadget is being used and only he and the boys know what to do. The Lower IIs are hard at work writing formal letters of application to Lord Lees and Lady Margot to become official Knights and the Upper Is are engrossed in their learning about rain forests. There is a wonderful rhythmic sound coming from the music room as Mrs Rossouw teaches a class using every instrument possible. As I pass the Upper II classrooms, I notice the total dedication and care Mrs Fehrsen and Mrs Baker give to their boys. Mr Bornman is telling his class one of his wonderful war stories and has them so engrossed that you can hear a pin drop. A boy passes by me with a skip in his step, on his way to see Mr Meirim, our school psychologist. It is clear that this boy enjoys these sessions and knows that he will find comfort and help from him. I walk into the quad and I hear the enthusiasm and passion coming from the sport coaches on the field as they put the boys through their paces in a Physical Education lesson. I notice two boys in Mrs Taylors office who I know are not there because there is something seriously wrong, but just because they are in need of some TLC and there is no one better to give it. In the library I am amazed. Most boys are reading, and the ones who arent are having Mrs Sulters amazing magic reading wand waved over them and are being helped to choose a book that they will love.

Reminders from the Diary

18/10 Study Skills Brainstorming LIII & UIII 19/10 Senior Public Speaking Finals Study Skills Brainstorming 20/10 Assessments in Geography LIII & UIII Assessments in Afrikaans LII - UII BREAK UP FOR HALF TERM 21/10 Extreme Explorers Hike 1st Team Basketball Tour Departs 25/10 Hair & Uniform Inspection Study Skills Brainstorming LIII & UIII 26/10 Junior Public Speaking Finals Study Skills Brainstorming LIII & UIII Book Sale 27/10 UI Camp Departs 2nd and U11B Cricket Troup Departs Cordwalles Cricket and Tennis Tour Book Sale - Fred England 28/10 Assessments in Science LII & UIII Assessments in History/ Geography Science LII - UIII Swimming Gala 2nd and U11B Cricket Tour St Stithians U13 Polo Festival UI Camp Returns Cordwalles Cricket and Tennis Tour 31/10 UIII Instrumental Concert Father vs Sons Chess UIII Instrumental Concert 01/11 LIII Instrumental Concert 02/11 UII Instrumental Concert Scary Tales - UI 03/11 LII Instrumental Concert Prestige Gala (A & B Teams)

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I walk back to my office for my meeting , and I cant help but smile and realise that I am the luckiest man in the world. I have the most incredible staff and boys, and together with the parents, we have the most unbelievable school. Happy Teachers Day, I say to myself. Last Thursday was World Teachers Day and so I would like to take this opportunity of honouring all our teachers for the work that they do behind the scenes, in the classroom, on the sports field and in the playground: they console your son when he is hurt, praise your son when he conquers his fear of long division, open his eyes to the wonders of learning, and encourage him over and over again. Thankfully, most of our parents do recognize the fact that teachers go that extra mile and appreciate their efforts. For this, I salute and thank you. However, what happens when there is a disagreement between these two adult parties about the methods and/or activities that the teacher implements? How are these differences of opinion addressed and resolved? Sadly, in the time that I have been a teacher, I have witnessed far too many parents become abusive and disrespectful, belittling a teachers professionalism and dignity. Surely it would be much more constructive to deal with these situations in a consultative manner, developing a mature partnership, as this would lead to positive growth and a win-win situation for everyone? When we tell the boys not to bully others, how can they be expected to understand this when they see their very own parents do just this to another adult their own teacher? It is much easier to run the school and teachers down behind their backs with persistent car-park talk, fueling anger and more rumours. I am not saying that we as teachers are perfect and above question, but our professionalism needs to be trusted. Problems can become opportunities for development if they are brought to our attention through the correct channels and in a constructive manner. So the next time you feel like youve been let down by a teacher, take the harder route of calling and making an appointment to come in and see that person. Lets build one another up and help one another. Lets aim to be positive and make this wonderful school an even better asset to our nation and to the world.

Patrick Lees Headmaster

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From the Eagles study... Study tip #3

Reading for comprehension or for information can be tricky. When reading for pleasure, it doesnt really matter how fast you read, or whether you leave out sentences or paragraphs or not. After all, if you realise you do not understand what you are reading, you have all the time in the world to go back and re-read the bits you missed. In fact, you WANT to go back and find out! Comprehension reading, however, comes with the added pressure of TIME. Many boys tend to read (skim) the passage, then try to answer the questions quickly, as it is a task they do not like at all. They are also aware of the fact that they only have a certain amount of time in which to finish the paper. It often takes more time to have to re-read paragraphs to try and find the answer they are seeking than to read the passage properly the first time, or even to read the passage twice before tackling the questions. Reading, and understanding what is being read, are also closely linked to anxiety. The more anxious the reader, the less likely it is he will comprehend what he is reading. Which makes him more anxious... a vicious cycle. So, what can be done? These points may be useful to discuss with your son.

Encourage him to slow down a fraction. This does NOT mean reading at a snails pace! All it means is that he must be aware that he has to read for information, and so he must read at a pace that his brain can make sense of what it is he is reading. It may even help to whisper the words, as talking automatically slows the pace of reading. Teach him to look at the title first. This gives him clues as to what is coming; what kind of language he will encounter; if the passage is going to be tricky and full of big words, or if it is easy language (an article from the internet vs a passage from his class reader). It also brings all the images and language he will need into his working memory. If he is not a confident reader, a useful trick is to cover everything he is not reading, and uncover a paragraph at a time. His brain KNOWS it has to read the whole page, but if the eyes cant see the rest of the page, the brain cant panic about how much it has to read. A paragraph deals with one idea at a time, so to uncover one at a time will help with general understanding. Paragraphs are generally short, so it is easier to cope. Do not uncover a sentence at a time, as the flow of information will be interrupted each time you need to reveal the next sentence.

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Understand that even for hesitant readers, it only takes about three to four minutes to read a page of print. I have timed many boys, and this is the average. So the pressure of having to read two pages of print should be lessened if he knows it will only take eight minutes to read the whole two-page passage. Try it with your son... Find a strategy that works for HIM. The summary that follows outlines three strategies. Try each one and choose one. Stick to this, as there is comfort in knowing what works for you. Encourage him to edit ALL answers. This is a step most boys hate! Once something has been written, it is forgotten... However, if you can encourage your son to get into the habit of re-reading his answers, many points can be saved! Print out the outline and keep it handy. Stick it on a wall, on the desk, in a workbook, anywhere it may be useful. Is my punctuation correct?

Comprehension Strategies

BREATHE! Slow your reading down a FRACTION. Reading: Look at the title. Cover whatever you are not reading. EITHER: Read the passage first, underlining / highlighting AND summarising OR: Read the questions first, THEN read the passage, underlining / highlighting AND summarising OR: Read the passage, read the questions, then read the passage again, highlighting answers as you see them Read the questions, highlighting the key words and actions BEFORE answering. Re-read and edit your answers. When answering questions: WHAT must I do? What must I do it TO? HOW must I do it? HOW MANY points must I make? (Look at the mark allocation.)

Ask yourself:

Editing your answers: Does my answer really answer the question? Does my answer make sense? Have I given enough information? Is my spelling correct?

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iCare
iCare
The iCare box, which has been located in the Library Bag Room for the last few weeks, has proved successful in providing our boys with another means of making their concerns heard. Whilst we continue to monitor the iCare box, we have also upgraded our technology and now invite boys to share their concerns with us electronically too. The iCare box can now be found in two locations the Library Book Room and at iCare@stjohnscollege.co.za The Pastoral Care team is hoping that the boys will make use of these initiatives to highlight anything that they CARE about at St Johns Prep. The aim is to provide the boys with an alternative avenue to voice their feelings around whatever may be on their minds. This extends beyond the reporting of just peer difficulties (such as bullying) but the aim is to further enhance the quality of the St Johns experience. All notes placed in the box or sent via email will be treated confidentially and action taken where possible.

We ask that you encourage your son to make use of the iCare initiative so that we can make his day all that he hopes it can be. Hugo Meirim Clinical Psychologist Head of Pastoral Care

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SPONSORSHIP FOR 94.7 CYCLE RACE

Each year, Joburgs biggest cycle race aims to raise funding for Johannesburgs most needy organisations. This year, St Johns Prep has three of its own teachers participating in this endeavour! Mr Meirim, Mr Forbes and Mr Lubbe are aiming to raise funds for the Baragwanath Paediatric Burns Unit and Philie Pre-School in Cosmo City respectively. The Paediatric Burns Unit in Baragwanath Hospital sees more than 400 young patients each year, almost 25% of which require intensive care treatment. Riders have been tasked with raising as much funding as possible to help better equip the unit, improve education in the community and up-skill the hospital staff. Philile Pre-School in Cosmo City will be the third of its kind launched in Johannesburg. The school aims at ensuring a solid educational foundation for children in impoverished areas as this has proven to improve the local matric success rate significantly. Riders have been challenged to raise R2 500 each in order to set up class rooms and purchase stationery for the schools opening in 2012. Should you wish to sponsor one of these teachers and their worthy causes, please contact them on meirim@stjohnscollege.co.za, lubbe@stjohnscollege.co.za or forbes@stjohnscollege.co.za

Any support would be greatly appreciated!

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4CTea
5th October Technical Help - Play Ross Bentley Colin Kinghorn Fayadh Haffejee Michael Norman Helping With Chatterbox Tristan Klement Considerate, Polite and Well-Mannered Simon Shelton Bradley Hartland Stefano Cavaleiri Excellent Work in English Aidan Quinn David McAlpine Jesse Hulley Ben Coetzee

12th October Outstanding Performance and Attitude Matthew Robinson Grant McDonald James Shelton Rhys Newton-Hill

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Chess
On the 26th September 2011 a social chess evening was held at St Johns to allow interaction between our boys and the girls from Roedean and St Mary's. Fun was had by all and the results were not announced. St Johns A & B teams won both their matches.

3 October
St Johns A vs De La Salle Seniors won 22 - 10 Juniors won 21 - 11 Overall won 43 - 21

St Johns B vs St Benedicts Seniors won 9 - 23 Juniors won 14 - 18 Overall won 23 - 41

Well done to the following boys who won both their games: S Modi, M Berger, J Batzofin, T Grubb, D Louw and B Thomas.

10 October
St Johns A vs The Ridge Seniors won 15 - 19 Juniors won 24 - 8 Overall won 39 - 27 Well done to the following boys who their games: St Johns B vs Auckland Park Seniors won 28 - 4 Juniors won 19 - 9 Overall won 47 - 13 won both

M Berger, D Louw, K Govind, N Moschides, W Kerr-Phillips, J Williamson, D Stevens, C Williams, A Ionescu, K Prior, J West, N Haripershad and B Thomas.

Gymnastics
Julio Mordoh, (Upper 1) competed in the Provincial Men's Gymnastics competition on the 24th September and came fifth overall in the Pre-Elite Under 9 category. He has qualified for Gauteng Provincial colours and has been selected to represent Gauteng at the National Championship which will be held in Cape Town during the week of the 5th to 9th of October 2011. Well done, Julio! Fabiano Kalogirou took part in the Gauteng Gymnastics Provincial Competition. He has qualified to represent the Region at the National Gym Games to be held in Cape Town this month. Well done, Fabiano!

Julio doing a dislocation on rings

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Golf
On Sunday the 25th September, St Johns entered four boys into the Ernie Els Gauteng Golf Qualifiers, held at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Clubs. Cameron Roets, Bradley Dunbar, Kian Rose and Matthew Stephen were split up and had to play 18 holes of golf with boys from other schools. After a fairly tight afternoons golf, there were three schools in the running for the two qualifying spots for the Inaugural Ernie Els Primary Schools Golf Championships; St Benedicts, St Stithians and St Johns. With the best three scores to count, it all came down to the last scorecard to separate 2nd from 3rd place. St Stithians won with a score of 245, St Johns came 2nd with 251 and St Benedicts 3rd with 254. Y Choo from St Benedicts placed 1st individually with a round of 72, E Pera from St Stithians 2nd with 73 and Bradley Dunbar and Kian Rose from St Johns tied for 3rd, each shooting 82.

Bradley Dunbar, Kian Rose, Matthew Stephen and Cameron Roets

Cameron Roets, (Captain) Duncan Woods, (OJ Ernie Els Foundation) Jonathan Gunning, (OJ - Manager), Matthew Stephen, Bradley Dunbar and Kian Rose

Kian Rose, U1D, at the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship at Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, North Carolina. Well done, Kian!

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Rowing
The first regatta of the season was hosted by St Benedicts at Roodeplaat on Saturday the 24th of September. St Johns Prep boys won both the Octuple and Quad. Well done, boys!

Michael Norman, Grant Foley , Adam Wolfe, Brandon McKenzie and Timothy McPherson

Mr MacIntosh
Bobby MacIntosh has been made a life member of the Gauteng Primary Schools Football Association for his contribution to the development of football in Johannesburg and in our province. He has a similar award presented to him by the SAPSFA for services rendered by him to South African Primary Schools Football. Well done, Mr Mack!

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Soccer
Congratulations to Rian Sadler. He was awarded his district colours for soccer and has been selected as one of 12 boys to play in the first Districts Tournament on Saturday 15th October. Well done, Rian!

Swimming

Aidan Quinn took part in the KZN Seagulls Championship held in Durban. He swam in 10 events from Friday to Sunday, doing his first ever 200m events. He qualified as a Level 2 swimmer after only his 2nd competitive gala. Well done, Aidan!

Water Polo Captain 2011 - Adrian Ionescu Vice-Captains - Aidan Quinn Ashley Lyne

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Rock Climbing
SANCF Youth Climbing Nationals 1 2 October 2011 Gauteng Climbing hosted this years SA National Youth Climbing Competition. Brett Nicolson coached the Gauteng U13 boys and girls, and 4 of the 6 boys in the U13 squad were St Johns climbers: Grant McDonald, James Shelton, Rhys Newton-Hill (all U3) and Matthew Robinson (L3). After two days of tough competition, Matthew Robinson climbed fantastically well in the semi-final and final climbs, taking the gold medal. Grant McDonald and James Shelton climbed strongly throughout the competition, going through to the semifinals in strong positions, but couldnt complete the challenging semi-final climb. Their final positions were 4th and 6th respectively. The other Gauteng climbers also excelled. The U13 boys and girls took five of the six medals that were up for grabs, and Gauteng won the trophy for best province by a big margin. Gauteng Climbing ran a superb event well done to their committee and to all the Gauteng climbers!

The Gauteng U13 Squad

U13 medal winners with the Gauteng trophy

U13 boys on the podium

Grant McDonald on the yellow wall

Matthew Robinson on the semi-final route

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Heritage Day
On Friday the 23rd of September, the Prep School visited Masibambane College. It was a great success and enjoyed by each and every Prep boy. The organisation and co-operation between the teachers was excellent. The boys and girls had a wonderful morning participating in the various events. What an amazing Heritage Day celebration! The breaking of the world record, with 1718 high fives with Teko Modise, was a fabulous way of ending a very successful and happy visit.

Ramaano Ramokgopa

Mrs Nkanza

Mrs Mashele

Mrs Mtshali

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On The Night

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Lower II Creative Writing

My Favourite Fish Is A Bass

A bass can grow up to one and a half to two metres long. When you look at them in clean water they will be a light green colour, but in murky water they look dark green. Bass have small, dark green eyes. They have two fins on their sides, one big fin on top of their bodies, three fins under their body and one tail fin. The fins are used to help it balance while swimming. The tail fin gives it speed and power to move. Bass have gills on each side of their head just behind the eyes. Gills are used to get oxygen out of the water, and to help the fish breathe. Fish cant breathe air like we do, but they still need oxygen. Most people think they come up to look for people, but they are wrong. Bass come up to look for food, but they can also see it from under the water. Bass are fun to catch and I think they look cool. By Austin Karan LIIT

Lower II Alliteration

The inconsiderate iguana influenced a young infant. T Bulunga Gino, the gigantic giraffe, jumped the giggly giant. T Nthoroane Freddy, the fighting fox, fought the funny ferret for fun. N Forbes The ill iguana ate illegal fish. G Canca Iguanas eyes indicate incomings. E Strydom Hazy, the horse, hates hugging hunky husband. N Thiel A fat, furry fox fanged a fat cat on Friday in February. B Masala George, the gentle giraffe, jumped over the giant gorge of gems. T Seedat Iggy, the inappropriate iguana, ignores humans . B Milton The furious, fast fox fainted in the fountain. D Van Der Walt

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Lower II Alliteration

Silly Sam slurps slimy spaghetti soup. By Kirby Golding

Sean sucks sour slimy suckers. By Sean Fitzgerald

Clever Chris Cakes always calculates correctly.

Steven Stuart saw seven seals sipping soda. By Daniel Fowlis

Thomas tried tow tasty tomato sandwiches. By Jack Stewart

Tristan, tiger, tied a t-bone to a tree. Six snowmen slid down the ski slopes. By Matthew Appleyard By Tristan Butler

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Lower II Onomatopoeia

By Ziyanda Manaway

By Rhys Jurgens

By Sebastien Nassel-Henderson

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Lower IIZ Shields

Sir Nikhil Haripershad slays Sir Daniel Fowlis

Matthew Monteith, Kirby Golding, Josh Kapp and Kivashan Govender

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Thank You
Mr Craig Sieben spoke to the Prep boys about his wonderful adventure of travelling from Cape Town to Cairo to raise awareness and funds for disabled people. He is catching lifts wherever he can, and he is also walking many kilometers each day. The boys loved the presentation and were enthralled by his experiences thus far. He is presently travelling through Botswana.

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Healthy Lunch Boxes

Healthy lunch and snacks help children improve their concentration and their ability to learn at school. A nutritionally balanced lunch box will not only fill a childs tummy, but will give them the energy and nutrients they need for their daily activities. Top tips to providing a healthy and appealing lunch box Preparing a healthy and appealing lunch box can be challenging so here are some tips to get it right: 1. Include items from all food groups

Carbohydrates: wholegrain breads, wraps, pita pockets Fresh fruit and crunchy vegetables Dairy: low-fat yoghurt, low-fat milk. Protein: lean meat, skinless chicken, boiled egg, fish and legumes, peanut butter, reduced fat cheese Fats and oils: nuts, avocado, canola margarine Make sure water is a permanent feature to encourage the habit of drinking water and staying hydrated

2. Keep it fresh. Packaging is important: choose an insulated lunch box, or add a freezer pack to make sure the food is kept cool 3. Presentation is key: include a variety of colours, shapes and textures to make the lunch box interesting 4. Get creative: to avoid boredom try to include different snacks and food combinations each day Delicious and nutritious lunch and snack ideas

Lean ham/skinless chicken/tuna in water and salad on a whole-wheat roll/ wrap/pita Whole-wheat pasta salad with tuna in water/lean meat/ boiled egg with roasted or raw vegetables and a sprinkle of nuts and seeds A portion of leftover supper, e.g. casserole, pasta bake, stir-fry or homemade pizza Low-fat yoghurt containing robotics Fresh fruit/ Cheese and crackers Smoothies - just place all the fresh fruit in a blender with some low-fat yoghurt milk and a little ice Nuts and raisins/ air popped popcorn/ nuts and seeds/ lean biltong

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Notices

The Extreme Explorers Team is organising a school hike on the Suikerboschfontein Trail, near Carolina, Mpumalanga. Dates: 21-23 October 2011 (half term)

This hike is open to Grade 5-7s, and there is space for a few Dads to join us. There are only 16 places available, on a first-come-first-served basis. The hike is moderate to difficult, so if you want to come, you must be fit and ready for a challenge! If you complete the hike, you will receive your 3-day hike award and you will be a step closer to qualifying for your Extreme Explorer colours. So collect the application form from Mrs Taylors office without delay, or download the form from Communicator.

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Notices

Calling all UPPER ONES to

SCARY TALES
Feeling brave? Then come with your family to the Fred England Centre on Wednesday 3 November from 5.30 - 7.00pm.
Dress your scariest. If you look frightfully good, you could win a prize. Bring a picnic supper to enjoy in the gloom. Books for all readers to buy, especially daring ones

A spine-chilling celebration of World School Library Day

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Notices

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Notices
Please join us for a magical day filled with Christmas cheer! We will be hosting a Christmas market in the garden of The Johannian on the 11 November and would love everyone and their families to come and share this special time of the year with us . It will be the perfect place to do some Christmas shopping and even have a mince pie or two!! So save the date and we will see you all there!! Ho Ho Ho ! Merry Christmas every one !!!

The Book People REACHING PEOPLE THROUGH BOOKS BOOK SALE WHERE: St Johns Prep Library When: 26th and 27th October 2011 Time: 09h00 - 15h00 The Book People are going to be making their childrens and adult books, fiction and non-fiction available to you the parents. We have a wide range of amazing childrens books, many of which are exclusive to us. We pride ourselves on quality books supplied from top publishers throughout the world. So come and take advantage of the lowest prices in the country and support your school at the same time. A large percentage of the sales and stock goes directly back to the school. We look forward to seeing you there! Credit cards and cheques accepted ALL WELCOME!

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Notices
Art club and extra classes
From the beginning of next term, Mr Poco is starting an Art Club (for LIII and UIII boys) and extra art classes for junior boys. Senior boys are encouraged to join the Art Club on Tuesdays from 14h00 -15h00 or Thursdays from 15h0016h00. Juniors may arrange extra art lessons with Mr Poco at alternative times and on alternative days. We hope to see the senior boys joining the Art Club to create various exciting art works with mediums they do not normally use in class, such as print making, photography, oil painting and many more. This will be a fantastic opportunity for any boy who wishes to develop his art skills. For further information e-mail Bruno Poco on poco@stjohnscollege.co.za

EXTRA ZULU LESSONS

Lower III and Upper III boys. Every Thursday 13h45 Upper III Mrs Mashele All Welcome

Extra Math Lessons

Individual tuition offered
Mrs M Hauptfleisch Call 011 442 1854 083 256 7714

Italian Language Lessons

Small age appropriate classes and individual tuition offered outside school hours at St Johns. Experienced mother-tongue graduate teacher using communicative method of conversation, maintaining cultural ties for solid IEB foundation. Contact Lisabetta on 082 682 2859 or Lisabetta@iafrica.com

EXTRA MATHS LESSONS

Lower III & Upper III boys in Mrs Jean Clarences classroom Every Thursday 13h45 All Welcome

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Being a Poor Sport There Are Six Rules For Kids: 1. Be a considerate spectator. 2. Dont yell in other peoples ears. 3. Cheer for your team, but dont irritate the people around you. 4. At all costs, avoid temper tantrums - they are not attractive. 5. Dont yell ugly words - it makes everybody feel bad. 6. Remember to congratulate the winner and compliment the loser, because we know everybody tries their best.

There Is One Rule For Grown-Ups Dont yell at the coach because you think little Magilla is not getting enough playing time or you think you can do a better job. If you can do a better job, go get a team of your own to coach so that parents can yell at you because you are not putting little Pione in the game. If youre a poor sport, your kid will be too. Its a vicious cycle so somebody has to break it!

By Whoopi Goldberg