The High School for Girls Potchefstroom

Newsletter No.3 21 June 2013

...Gifted for Greatness...

Dear Parents
We have had another amazing term with so much to do and just not enough time! We have worked hard and played hard but in the process have had lots of laughter and fun. We started the term with the Matric Formal Dance; a beautiful evening with elegant young ladies that made us and their parents proud. This was followed by the All Girls Festival where our girls showed other girls schools why we are the best! Our sporting and cultural teams have excelled in every event and have shown good sportsmanship and held our name high. Our first team hockey and netball have been exceptional this season. The 1st Netball team played in the A league for the first time ever and amazed the netball community with outstanding games and skills. Our grade 8s & 9s attended a leadership camp to teach them the value of team work. The camp also focussed on learning to work with one another and to realise the value of friends and that they have to respect one another. It was also a term for academics. Tests were written every week and together with all the other activities this was a challenge for the girls. This was followed by the formal exams that we have just completed. This means we all need a rest! However, some will have a longer rest than others. Good luck to the girls representing the province at tournaments during the holidays. Good luck to the drummies going to Nationals. The grade 12s return a week earlier for extended learning during the winter school our staff will host. The Europe tour leaves on Monday 24 June for London, Paris & Switzerland. Twenty-four learners & two staff members, Mrs Coetzee and Mrs Grater, will be touring for 12 days. We know they will have an amazing educational experience with a lifetime of memories. We wish them a very happy and safe journey. Au revoir! I will also be going overseas to attend an International Principal s Conference in Australia. After the conference I will be visiting my daughter to look after my two grandchildren while my daughter presents me with a third grandchild! Have a wonderful holiday with your daughter. Girls High Greetings

EF Meyer (Mrs) Headmistress

Tel: 018 294 3228 Fax: 018 293 1052 office@girlshigh.co.za

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www.potchgirlshigh.co.za

ACADEMIC CORNER
Reports
Reports will be handed out on Derby Day on Saturday 27 July. Reports not collected by the parents personally, will be sent home on the compulsory weekend out i.e. 8 August. This gives everyone time to peruse the report before Parents Day on 24 August. Please parents take time to think before reacting to a report result. Let us try to make comments to build up and not break down. Unfortunately we were not able to schedule our Parents day any earlier. The report mark will reflect the whole terms work: exams, tests, projects and marks accumulated throughout the term. The final day for requests for subject changes for the grade 10s (and in exceptional cases for grade 11s) will be Monday 26 August. Requests must be in writing.

Grade 9 Pre-ANA and ANA

All grade 9 learners are required to write Annual National Assessments (ANA) in English and Mathematics. This involves two parts the Pre-ANA in August and the ANA during September. The dates are as follows: 7 August: Pre-ANA English 8 August: Pre-ANA Maths 11 September: ANA English 13 September: ANA Maths As these are National Assessments, these tasks cannot be missed.

PARENTS CORNER
Parents Day: 24 August 2013
Parents Day to discuss your daughters academic progress and the help plan intervention strategies for her improvement, will take place on Saturday 24 August. Parents have the opportunity to meet with the subject teachers, There will also be a general Parents Meeting with all parents followed by the Official Opening of the Wellness Centre.

Reading Programme
The grade 8 & 9 learners will also receive a reading analysis report together with their academic reports. This indicates their progress with regards to their reading speed, word recognition and comprehension. All learners in Grade 8 & 9 have English as well as Afrikaans reading lessons. We have found the Reading Programme beneficial to all learners with regards to improvement in spelling, thinking and reasoning skills and concentration levels in both languages as well as other subjects. The learners in grade 10, 11, & 12 are able to work on this programme in the afternoons. This is really beneficial for their concentration and study methods. Please encourage them to make time for this in the afternoons.

Grade 9 Parents Subject Choice Meeting

On Parents Day there will also be a meeting with ALL the Grade 9 parents regarding the grade 10 Subject Choice for 2014. On the weekend of the 8th August documents regarding the subject choice as well as Abilities Testing for you to peruse will be sent home. Together with the report and Ability test results, we will advise you on how to make an informed decision concerning your daughters final subject choice for Grade 10-12. Please bring all the documents regarding subject choices to the meeting. Every point in these documents will be discussed at our meeting and all questions will be addressed.

Extended learning
All Grade 11 & 12 will be required to attend evening classes every Tuesday & Thursday evening from 18:00 to 20:00 throughout the 3rd term. This is mandatory for all the learners in grade 11 & 12. See the term planner for details. With these lessons we aim to improve the academic results by trying to finish the curriculum earlier, to allow time to improve study specific programmes before exams.

GHS Winter School - Grade 12

The winter school for our grade 12s will start at 08:00 on Wednesday 10 July and will continue until 18:00 each day ending at 18:00 on Saturday 13 July. It is mandatory for every grade 12 learner to attend. This time will be used for the teaching of curriculum and will not be revision time. This is new work that will not be repeated next term. The boarders may stay in the hostel and must arrive between 17:00 and 19:00 on Tuesday 9 July. Not earlier or later! Supper will NOT be provided on the Tuesday evening. All boarders will stay in North House under the supervision of Mrs Cowan, contact number 082 491 1763. There is no accommodation for daygirls, however lunch will be provided for all daygirls. Daygirl parents please arrive on time (i.e. 18:00) in the evenings to fetch your daughter. Boarders will also have study every evening from 19:00 to 21:00. Boarding fees for the grade 12s must be paid by internet or direct banking before Thursday 4 July and the proof of payment must be faxed to the finance office for admission to the hostel.

Inter-house Derby Day: 27 July & For the Girls Big Walk
We will be holding our Inter-house Derby for all our Interhouse Sports activities on 27 July 2013. It is an exciting time with everyone, including parents, participating. Every girl will participate in some way and this will be followed by a For the Girls family Big Walk. This walk is only for our parents, brothers & sisters, grannies and grandpas. Only boys that are accompanied by our girls parents may attend. Anyone else will be regarded as a trespasser. Programme: 08:30 Opening & welcome 08:40 Drummie competition 09:20 Hockey & Netball competition starts 12:30 Family Big Walk 13:45 Lunch, family bonding & interaction with other families Every parent participating in the Big Walk will earn a point for his / her daughters house. Parents dressed in the colour of the house will be awarded an extra point. All will count towards the final house points at prize giving. The programme will be finalised next term and your daughter will inform you when she will be participating. It promises to be a fun, exciting and very noisy weekend where everything will be - yellow, green or red! The forum For the Girls has written a letter with more details. Please see attached.

Wellness Centre
The Wellness Centre has been one of our biggest dreams. The building has started and we look forward to using this facility. When the school was built in 1914, a gymnasium for PT was not included. The Wellness Centre will be used for physical training during Life Orientation periods as well as for fitness training for all our sport teams. Dance practicals for the subject Dance will also be able to take place in the Wellness Centre. The centre will have two squash courts and this facility will only be for the use of Girls High girls. The hostel girls will benefit by being able to play squash over weekends. The money for the Wellness Centre has been raised during every school holiday by renting out and/or hosting sport & cultural teams, winter schools and being a marking centre for grade 12 examinations. This means that every holiday there have been educators, housemistresses, matrons, caretakers and workers who have worked throughout the holiday and have enabled us to the raise money needed. Once the building is complete we wont have money for the equipment and we will take a year or two to have enough money to equip the centre fully. The girls have already bought into a plan to help raise the money needed to buy equipment. They have challenged each other to raise funds to enable each grade to buy one piece of apparatus needed for circuit training. This will encourage ownership of the centre and respect for the cost of the equipment. On average, the different pieces of apparatus each cost R16 000-00. Every grade from 8 through to 12 will be participating in the fund-raising effort. A brass plaque will be mounted to the equipment indicating the donors. R16 000-00 per grade may seem like an impossible task but if one breaks it down there are 100 girls per grade, it works out to each girl raising at least R160-00. This can be done either by selling 16 raffle tickets @ R10 each or your daughter can raise her money in a another creative way. Easier still is to simply donate a minimum of R160-00 which will give your daughter free access to the facility for her stay at GHS. Even the teachers have been challenged to do the same. We are still in need of additional funds to complete the project. If there are any parents who are able to help in this regard we would appreciate the assistance. At this stage we plan to officially open the Wellness Centre on Parents Day 24th August. All the raffle tickets and/or donations must be in by 5 August to allow time for us to buy the equipment before the opening.

FINANCE CORNER
Payment of School and Hostel Fees
We would like to encourage parents to pay the hostel and school fees directly into the bank account rather than bringing the cash to school. If payments are made before 11 July, parents will be able to collect admission slips more quickly, without having to stand in long queues. However, payments made after this date may not be reflected in the account by the 14 July and you may have to stand in the queue. The full amount as per your statement is due and no arrangements will be made. If payments are made by means of direct banking or electronic transfers, please fax proof of this to 0866 161 261 and bring it with you to registration. All proof of payments MUST indicate the learners NAME and SURNAME. We will not be able to identify the payment without the faxed document and your daughters surname. Please use the standard Finance Fax Format with all payments. See Booklet. NOTE: The hostel has a separate bank account to that of the school. Please DO NOT pay hostel fees into the school account or vice versa. POTCHEFSTROOM

SCHOOL FEES: Account details: HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, SCHOOL Bank: FNB Potchefstroom Branch Code: 240438 Account No: 621 221 770 34 HOSTEL FEES: Account Details: HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, HOSTEL Bank: FNB Potchefstroom Branch Code: 240438 Account No: 621 221 800 79

POTCHEFSTROOM

Hostel Corner
Arrangements for boarders: Borders return on Sunday 14 July 2013, in winter uniform. Offices and hostels will be open from 12:00 to 17:00 No learners will be admitted to the hostel without payment in full of the 3rd term Hostel fees as well as School fees up to the end of July NO ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS will be accepted. NO LATE ARRIVALS - Parents will have to take their daughters home and return them the next day if they are late. This also applies to girls arriving by taxi after the hostel has closed PLEASE NOTE: No supper will be provided for the girls on their return to hostel on this day.

Daygirls Transport
Daygirls have expressed their concerns regarding transport in the afternoons. Please note that the school is locked at 16:00 every day. Most sport events finish at 17:00. Please assist by making arrangements with the taxi owners to pick the girls up after school as well as at 17:00. Where activities finish later please assist with the safety of your daughters by fetching them on time. It is too dangerous for girls to wait late at night for parents once an event is over. Another possible solution for the transport problem is if parents can arrange a transport lift club for girls living in the same areas to travel together.
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EXTRA-MURAL CORNER
We experienced a very busy extra-mural season. With the help of our staff and expert coaches we are continually trying to build up our players skills. Our girls embraced the challenge of developing their talents in the many activities at school. Cultural activities this term included active participation in choir, public speaking, debating, Interact, SCA and Chess.

Men are respectable only as they respect

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Whether we are educators, parents or business people, we can all help teach about dignity, fairness and respect for others.

Developing Respect ...

Understand the importance of respectful behaviour Develop an awareness of ways in which one can show both respect and disrespect toward one another Make a conscious and resolute effort to treat people fairly and respectfully Learn to appreciate peoples differences Become interested in learning more about the people around you

Choir
Our choir has once again been invited to the ATKV Applous National Finals. This is a prestigious choir competition and we are honoured that our choir has achieved this recognition. Our sport teams have had pleasing results and we are well represented in the North West teams.

Hockey
The following learners received NW Provincial colours: U/18A Mathapelo Pitso, Lesego Legwete, Lesedi Gaabue U/18B Kristen Lee, Lesego Dhlamini U/16A Anu Ogunrombi U114B Andile Buthelezi, Ona Mphiwa

Drummies
Our Drummies competed in the North West league and the North West Provincial championships. They were crowned the North West High School Champion of Champions for the 8th consecutive year. Congratulations on a wonderful achievement! Well done girls and coaches, your hard work really brings true joy! Good luck to our team that will be representing North West in the Elite Division at the National Championships to be held in Polokwane from 1 to 6 July. 22 members of our team are also members of the North West Majorette Team that will be taking part in the Inter-provincial competition at Nationals. We are proud of Siphesihle Ndaba who is Vice captain of this team. Lesego Pitso was part of the Protea Majorette team that competed in an International Competition in Fort Worth, Texas in the USA during the school holidays. The team won 35 out of the 38 categories. Lesegos trio also won their section. In addition the Protea team was awarded the trophy for sportsmanship. This was voted for by all participants.

Netball
Well done also to the U/14B team who cam third at the Platinum Tournament. A special word of congratulations to the U/16A team who showed exceptional sportsmanship at the end of the season and won all 5 matches played against Lichtenburg, Koster, Volkskool, Gimmies and Vryburg at the Platinum Tournament. North West players who will be attending the National All Ages Netball Tournament in Margate from 9th June 4 July 2013: U/14 Tintswalo Mabusa, U/15 Priscilla Djan, Nthabiseng Meleke, U/16 Thobeka Rapoo, Marcia Tandy, U/17 Mahlatse Makfahlo, Kea Monageng (Reserve), Ntombi Yengwa, U/19 Hillary Maki (Reserve) Thelma Mosehle, Botshelo Makhanya

Athletics
The three girls who represented Junior South African Championships in East London received the following: 1. Thelma Mosehle: 2nd place silver medal Triple Jump girls U/18 2. Anu Ogunrombi: 2nd place silver medal Triple Jump girls U/15 (broke South African record) 1st place gold medal 100mm Relay girls U/15 3. Ntombi Yengwa: 5th place Triple Jump Girls U/17

REPLY SLIP: NEWSLETTER 3 OF 2013

DAUGHTERS NAME: ___________________________________________________ ________ CLASS: _________ Please tick the relevant blocks - this reply slip must be returned on Monday 15 July 2013 to the Homeroom teacher. I have received the Newsletter 3 of 2013 I have received the School account I have received the Hostel account I have received a Term planner I have received ...For the Girls... letter _________________________________________________________________________________ REPLY SLIP DONATIONS - PAVILION BRICKS LEARNERS NAME: _______________________________________ (Please print) Gr: ____________________ I would like to buy a brick. Please tick appropriate block. Enclosed find cash for R600 for a brick Enclosed find cheque for R600 for a brick Enclosed find proof of internet payment of R 600 for a brick I would like to buy _________ bricks @ R600 each

Chosen wording to be on brick: ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

EXCITING NEWS 12 Day Science and Technology Tour to:

England, France & Switzerland (includes Pyramids in Egypt) From 5 December 16 December 2013 Tour Highlights!!! London Charles Darwin-Down House, British Museum, Science Museum, Madame Tussauds, Guided city tour of London, London Eye, Tower of London Paris Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower, Cit des Sciences et de IIndustrie, which is the biggest science museum in Europe, Guided city tour of Paris, Disneyland Paris. Geneva Geneva, Guided tour CERN, which is the organisation for Nuclear Research. Lyon leisure time Cairo a half day tour to the Giza Pyramids Cost: R28 547 plus R3 900 for lunches and dinners. Place for 24 learners and 2 teachers. REPLY SLIP: I would like my daughter to go on the above tour:

December 2013

Only learners who have paid all school & / or hostel fees will be allowed to go: Daughters Name: ......................................... ......... Grade: ................................. Parents Name: .......................................................

Cell No: ...................................................... Costs include: Flights Accommodation in Youth Hostels/hotels Daily breakfast excluding lunch & supper Tour Guide All transfers in buses Entrance fees and tickets Travel back pack

15 Girls have CONFIRMED AND PAID DEPOSITS for the Europe Tour in December. There are still 10 places open. You will need to pay a R5 000 deposit by 20th July to secure a place on the tour. Only if your deposit is paid will your booking be secure. first come first served basis!