Newsletter - 21 May 2020
DEAR PARENTS
SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you find yourself.” – Mark Caine
I hope this newsletter finds you all healthy and safe.
I would once again like to thank all our parents for your ongoing support through these trying times that we are all facing.
Just a short update.
The minister of education announced on Tuesday 19th May, that the phasing in of schools will commence on the 1st of June with the return of Grades 7 and 12. As mentioned in my last newsletter, we have been preparing the school for the return of these pupils.
The following has been put into place:
- The school has been thoroughly cleaned.
- The school has been sanitised by a professional sanitisation company.
- Hand sanitiser and anti-bacterial hand soap has been purchased for all classrooms, bathrooms and administrative areas.
- Thermometers for screening all staff, pupils and visitors have been purchased.
- A face mask with interchangeable filters has been purchased for each pupil.
- Classrooms have been set up to accommodate social distancing.
- A set of protocols has been drawn up in line with those prescribed by the DBE for the management of staff, pupils and visitors at the school. (These protocols and requirements will be sent out to pupils and parents of the respective grades that are returning to school.)
- Parents are welcome to come and visit the school on Friday 29th May between 09:00 and 14:00 to see what has been put into place. (REMEMBER: ALL PERSONS VISITING THE SCHOOL WILL ONLY BE ALLOWED ACCESS IF WEARING A FACE MASK.)
NB: I would like to assure all our parents once again that your child’s safety is our number 1 priority and we will endeavour at all times to keep your child as safe as possible.
Grades not yet returning to school:
We will continue to prepare and send out work to the pupils in grades that are not returning to school yet. Hard copies of work will also be available as from next week. Teachers will send out via WhatsApp groups on what days these work packs can be collected. We are also investigating more avenues of online teaching for pupils in grades not returning e.g. Video lessons, google classroom etc.
I will notify parents as to when and how each grade will be returning via the phased in approach as it is officially announced by the DBE.
Amidst these difficult financial times for many people, I would once again like to thank all parents who are making the effort to pay towards school fees. If any parent would like to discuss any issue regarding fee payments, the school can be contacted on 010 109 8312 if so required.
Keep well, keep safe and always remain positive.
Yours in Education
MR.C.H. BEHRENS
(EXECUTIVE HEADMASTER)
Newsletter - 12 May 2020
DEAR PARENTS
SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“We each decide whether to make ourselves learned or ignorant, compassionate or cruel, generous or miserly. No one forces us. No one decides for us, no one drags us along one path or the other. We are responsible for what we are.” – Maimonides
I hope this newsletter finds you all healthy and safe.
I would once again like to thank all our parents for your ongoing support through these trying times that we are all facing.
Just a short update.
We are currently in the process of reading the school for the return of staff and possible return of pupils, on a date still to be announced. The school’s management staff are overseeing this process which includes:
- A thorough cleaning.
- Sanitising and disinfecting the entire school.
- Purchasing of face masks for all staff and pupils.
- Purchasing hand sanitiser and soap for all classrooms, bathrooms, all administrative areas and the school entrance.
- Purchasing of thermometers for the screening of all persons entering the premises.
We are also in the process of planning how we will run the school day in order to function as safely as possible. Here we are guided by guidelines sent out by the DBE and Department of Health. This involves:
- The arrival of pupils daily at school.
- Classroom organisation – to allow for social distancing.
- The control at break times and social distancing.
- Minimised movement of pupils during the day.
- The controlled use of bathrooms.
As soon as the DBE stipulates a date for return and which grades will be returning, I will send out a communique to the relevant parents and pupils as to what will be required of them upon return. Until such time we will continue sending work out to all our pupils in the same way as we have been. Amidst these difficult financial times for many people, I would like to thank all parents who are paying school fees. If any parent would like to discuss any issue regarding fee payments, the school can be contacted on 010 109 8312 if so required.
Keep well, keep safe and always remain positive.
Yours in Education
MR.C.H. BEHRENS
(EXECUTIVE HEADMASTER)
Newsletter - 17 April 2020
DEAR PARENTS
SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“It always seems impossible until it is done.” – Nelson Mandela
“Know where to find the information and how to use it – That’s the secret of success.” – Albert Einstein
I hope this newsletter finds you all healthy and safe.
I would like to thank all our parents for the positive support of what our teachers are trying to do with regard to keeping our pupils learning during these trying times of COVID 19. I want to assure you that our teachers will keep sending out work to our pupils for as long as this lockdown continues. I would here like to thank our staff for their dedicated efforts.
There have been scenarios posted in the news and on social media regarding possible return dates for schools and the phasing back to school for the various grades. I want to assure you that I am receiving continual documentation from the education department with regard to these scenarios, none of which have been finalized yet. As a school we are working on health and safety issues, including PPE for when a return date is finalized. I want to assure you that your children and our staff’s safety will be our highest priority.
I will inform all our parents with regard to returning to school and how we will be implementing it as soon as we have been informed by the relevant authorities as to when this will take place.
Amidst these difficult financial times for many people, I would like to thank all parents who are making an effort to pay school fees. If any parent would like to discuss any issue regarding fee payments, the school can be contacted on 010 109 8312 if so required.
Keep well, keep safe and always remain positive.
Yours in Education
MR.C.H. BEHRENS
(EXECUTIVE HEADMASTER)
Newsletter - 06 April 2020
DEAR PARENTS
SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”- J.K. Rowling
“While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.” – Stephen R. Covey
I hope this email finds you and your families safe and well during these trying times. We are already half way through the lockdown and are still not sure when we will be returning to school. I would like to encourage all our pupils to continue with the work that has been sent to them and also very importantly READ. Pupils can also revise work that was done during Term 1 as this work will form part of their mid-year examinations. We have also sent out some links to online platforms where work based on the syllabus can be sourced. It is very important that during this time we try and keep ourselves mentally and physically active. Also try and structure your child’s time. If any pre and primary school parents did not collect work packs before the lockdown and are able to do so now, they are available from the security guard.
CATCH-UP PROGRAMME
I would like to assure all parents that the school will put a comprehensive catch-up programme in place when we return to school in order to teach and catch up all work missed during this lockdown period. This programme could include longer school hours, Saturday classes as well as a shortened June school holiday.
TERM 1 REPORTS
Term 1 reports will be handed out as soon as we return to school.
YEAR CALENDAR
Our calendar including sport and cultural events will have to be adjusted to fit in with our catch-up plan. We will however try as far as possible to continue with a full extra-curricular programme.
I will endeavour to keep everyone informed as information from the education department becomes available.
Yours in Education
MR.C.H. BEHRENS
(EXECUTIVE HEADMASTER)
Newsletter 2 of 2020
Dear Parents
SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.”- J.K. Rowling
“In order to succeed, you must first be willing to fail” - Anonymous
INFORMATION EVENINGS
I would like to thank all our parents who attended the various information evenings, your support is greatly appreciated and vital to the success of your child’s education. Research has shown that a successful student is the one who has very involved and supportive parents.
GRADE 1 WORKSHOP
Thank you to all our Grade 1 parents who so eagerly took part in our workshop on Saturday 25th January, it was once again a huge success.
INTER PRIMARY ATHLETICS
The annual SISA Inter Primary athletics meeting was held on Tuesday 28th January at Noorderlig. I would like to congratulate all our athletes and staff on the outstanding results achieved. Our athletes won a total of 91 medals. Congratulations to the following athletes who won Gold medals:
60m - Dumisani Mhlanga, Lehlohonolo Sigaza
80m - Lefa Skhosana, Lehlohonolo Sigaza, Galalelo Marumo
100m - Lwazi Hlatshwayo, Ronewa Nevhutalu, Peter Ramano
150m - Peter Ramano
800m - Junior Gamede, Zanempilo Hlatswayo
1200m - Lilikhaya Gopane
Shuttle Relays - U/7 Boys, U/8 Boys, U/8 Girls
Relays - U/10 Girls, U/10 Boys, U/11 Boys, U/12 Boys, U/13 Girls
GRADE 8 ORIENTATION CONCERT
A big thank you to all our Grade 8 parents for supporting our new grade 8 pupils at their orientation concert, which was very entertaining once again and showcased the many talents our pupils have.
PLANET FITNESS PARTNERSHIP
As indicated in Newsletter 1, Ashbury has formed a partnership with Planet Fitness in order to promote a healthy lifestyle amongst our staff, pupils and parents. Attached to this newsletter is the special offer Planet Fitness is giving to the parents and pupils of Ashbury.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Inter High Athletics 11th February at Noorderlig (Good luck to our athletes)
Greater Benoni Athletics (Prep) 18th February at Hans Moore
Yours in Education
MR.C.H. BEHRENS
(EXECUTIVE HEADMASTER)
