Bell rings in new academic year

The school bell rang at schools across the city to mark the start of the 2020 academic year on Wednesday.

Nervous Grade One and Grade Eight learners entered their classrooms to kick off different phases of their educational journeys.

The GCN chatted to principals throughout the city and the consensus was that the year had got off to a smooth start, with few problems.

Principal of Laerskool Die President Sybrand van Dyk said the school was booming with a large increase in numbers this year.

There are, however, a few spaces still available for Afrikaans learners.

“We are looking forward to developing successful South African citizens with a passion for life and dedication,” van Dyk said.

“Here we grow dentists, engineers and tradesmen.”

This year there are four Grade One classes and the children were all hard at work on their first day.

“I am extremely positive for the year and we are bristling with optimism,” said van Dyk.

“It is a new decade.

“We will still stick to our vision and mission as a school, but we also want to instil self-confidence in the children.

“They must know that they are worthy and dearly loved.”

The bright smiling faces of Laerskool Oosterkruin Primary School’s new Grade One learners lit up the school corridors.

The school welcomed 180 little ones, to make up two English-speaking classes and three Afrikaans-speaking classes.

The school’s principal, Chris Kruger, was in high spirits on the first day.

“We have had a busy day with our new enrolments, but our children are all settling into their classes nicely,” said Kruger.

“We are looking forward to the new year and are ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.”

The excited Grade One children entered their new classrooms where they met their teachers, either Suzel Pretorius, Adél Cromhout, Carina Borstlap, Amanda Gericke or Susan Greyling.

When the school bell rang on the first day at Hawk Academy the children were excited to get started.

School principal Agnes Mkhonto said the first day had been a busy one, but the children were settling in well and were already in their classes.

 

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Mkhonto gave the GCN and officers from the Primrose Police Station a tour of the school while the learners ran about, enjoying break time.

“We have welcomed 120 Grade Ones to our school,” said Mkhonto.

“We are also excited as our learners have seven new classrooms at their disposal this year and we have our first group of Further Education and Training (FET) learners.”

During the tour Lt Col Solly Maswanganyi from the Primrose Police Station asked if the school had any security or safety concerns.

“I am very proud to say that we have no problems with drugs, weapons or fighting at the school,” said Mkhonto.

“Our children are very well-disciplined and I believe this is because each morning we read the Word of God and pray together before class.”

Maswanganyi commended her on her work with the children.

St Catherine’s School was abuzz last Tuesday as learners took their seats in anticipation of another academic year.

The new Grade Ones were thrilled to be at “big school” and to start learning.

Head of school Dennis Maritz was pleased with how the first day of school went.

“It was a very busy day,” Maritz said.

“This was in part due to our visitors from DStv School of Laughter and 947.

“However, the visit was a great help for us as it made the transition for our little Grade Ones so much easier as they were incredibly excited and loved what was going on.

“There wasn’t a tear anywhere this morning, whereas normally there are some.

“But not today, they were all so enthralled with what was going on, and we are very grateful.”

Maritz was pleased that the school’s enrolment had once again grown this year.

“We welcomed 66 Grade Ones and 55 Grade Eights,” said Maritz.

“We have three Grade One classes and this is the second year that we have three Grade Eight classes.

“Our aim is to have 60 children in each grade, and I am confident we will reach this goal as we still have children writing admission exams for placement.”

Dinwiddie Primary School was full of excitement and nerves as learners prepared for their first day of Grade One.

Eugene Pretorius, the recently appointed principal of Dinwiddie Primary School, began the morning by welcoming the Grade One learners and then sent them off with their teachers as they were led out the school hall to their new classrooms.

“We are excited for the year and we are going to have about 45 learners in each of our Grade One classes,” said Trischca Kriel, grade head for the Grade Ones.

Dinwiddie Primary School has a total of 168 Grade One learners registered this year.

“There are a lot of learners, but we are going to do our best to give them a proper, good foundation,” said Pretorius.

“The Grade One learners are both nervous and excited because they are entering a new school.”

Pretorius added that as a school they are going to be very positive and they look forward to what the year will bring.

It was all systems go at Germiston South Primary School.

Five Grade One classes were full of eager learners ready to start the process of learning.

Lanette Fouché, principal of Germiston South Primary School, was pleased with the way the first day of school went.

“The day has been fine.

“We met all the Grade Ones in the hall and our Grade Rs out in the garden,” she said.

“We were ready and organised and are looking forward to the year.”

Fouché told the GCN that the school had received 800 applications from parents wanting to place their Grade Ones in the school, but they could only take 200 learners.

“Our whole school is full,” Fouché said.

“Over the years we have grown in numbers and now have 1 250 learners in the school.

“We now even have 10 mobile classrooms to help accommodate learners.”

Fouché added that she has wonderful, dedicated foundation phase teachers, so the Grade Ones are in good hands.

“They are dedicated to their jobs and have perseverance and a love for children,” she said.

“Education is interesting and exciting and that is why I told my staff to have a ‘fun-tastic’ day, and the children are ready and excited to learn.”

There were smiles and laughter as Grade One learners prepared for their first day of school at Laerskool Delville.

The day was in full swing as Grade One learners adjusted to their new school environment.

Louise van Vuuren, head of department (HOD) for foundation phase, was impressed with how quickly the Grade One learners settled in their classrooms.

“Our classes are full of learners and full of smiles,” said van Vuuren.

“We are looking forward to the new year and what is to come.”

Laerskool Delville has 145 Grade One learners who registered for the year.

Newly appointed acting principal Jaco Botha is excited for the new school year.

“The school will go from strength to strength,” said Botha.

Botha, who was the deputy principal in 2019, was appointed as acting principal in 2020.

“I am excited about the challenges that face us in 2020 and how we are going to face them head-on,” said Botha.

Afrikaanse Hoërskool Germiston’s principal Retha du Toit said the first day had gone well.

“We are swamped with learners and we had a number of disappointed parents as we could not place their children, but otherwise no problems.”

Moeketsie Kolokoto, the principal of Dawnview High School, said, “It was super, we had no problems and we are looking forward to the year.”

Hoërskool Goudrif’s principal Johan Greyling told the GCN that everything had gone well.

“We have a few more learners than expected but things are going well and we held our athletics day on Friday,” he said.

Koos Pretorius, the principal of Galway Primary School, said that everything had gone well.

“Within 45 minutes we had all 1 200 learners settled in their classrooms and ready to work,” he said.

“The only issue I have reservations about is the fact that some parents who had places for their children at the school have not shown up, which is a problem.”

Ithembelihle Lsen School had a sad start to the year.

“Two of our learners passed away, one in the festive season and one on Thursday,” said Leonor Ngozi, the principal of the school.

“The children are, however, working and their books have been distributed to them.”

Irene Matthews, the deputy principal of Wychwood Primary School, said, “Everything is running smoothly.

“We have three sets of twins among our Grade Ones and our Grade Rs are the cutest.

“We are aiming for the sky and are improving more and more.”

Marius Janse van Rensburg, the principal of Laerskool Elsburg, was very pleased with how the first day of school had gone.

“We had an orientation day for our 234 Grade Ones so that our learners and their parents could meet their new teachers,” said Janse van Rensburg.

“But otherwise, our first few days have gone very well and we are organised and everything is going well.”

Assumption Convent School principal Neville Workman seemed to mirror this sentiment.

“Before school opened we hosted several sport camps and orientation events to help our learners prepare, so our day was seamless,” said Workman.

“We welcomed 44 Grade Eights and 30 Grade Ones.

“We are looking forward to the year ahead and aim to make our school a happy place to be for our learners. If it isn’t a happy place to be, we’ve failed.”

Ian Olivier, principal of Hoërskool Vryburger High School, told the GCN that the first few days of the new academic year had gone smoothly.

“Everything has gone very well,” Olivier said.

“Our learners are all in class and we haven’t had any problems.

“Our new 140 Grade Eight learners have settled quickly and are already part of the school.”