Mrs. J. Kerr
Triumphs and Challenges
Looking back at 2011, I see a year filled with both triumphs and challenges. Paulo Coelho, a famous author wrote: “When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back.” As a school, we certainly have risen to the occasion, ready to move forward and stay at the forefront of the educational chalk face.
The year has been marked by very good ANA results, testimony to the high academic standards that we maintain. The academic year has also seen innovation in the form of using volunteers to create support groups for weak children in Grade 4 and the addition of teacher assistants in some grades. We also embarked on focused interventions in Grade 7, particularly in Mathematics, which saw an overall increase in the average attained by almost 20%. We saw some pupils in various grades making not only the Cluster Maths Olympiads, but also at District Level. Top schools, both private and independent, continue to approach our Grade 7 pupils with offers of bursaries as our leavers are highly sought after.
In the cultural sphere, we enjoyed top quality performances in both the Junior and Senior Eisteddfods. We were also one of the few Johannesburg schools to be selected to present items at the prestigious Tshwane Youth Arts Festival at the State Theatre, where our Grade 7 pupils did us proud. 2011 saw the reintroduction of a Grade 7 Speech Evening where we were enthralled and entertained by our talented pupils.
Successes on the sports fields were many and varied – our Open Soccer Team went all the way to the finals in the Discovery Knockout Soccer Tournament. Our Netball teams were almost unbeaten. Our athletes enjoyed a successful season in both Cross Country and on the athletics track. An innovative “Laps” programme which enjoyed a 71% participation rate was introduced by a parent. We also saw teachers, parents and pupils entering the Spar Ladies Race. Once again, we saw talented individuals being chosen for Area, Provincial and even National teams in their fields of endeavour. We are always proud of not only their achievements, but also their sportsmanship and dedication.
Developing leadership remains a priority, whether it is in the realm of entrepreneurship, as in our Grade 7 Fun Day, or in more specific portfolios, as in our Leadership Programme. On 15 June we experienced one of our most challenging moments during the incident in which Captain Mark Ihslove lost his life as crime spilled onto our own school grounds. Testimony to the success of the Leadership Programme was how our Grade 7 Leaders stepped up to the challenge by using their own initiative and remaining calm and focused.
Criminal activity has certainly been one of our challenges this year. We have had three break-ins, resulting in the loss of all of our computers in our computer lab in January. The other break-ins were in our admin area where the losses were more contained. Of course, this has resulted in increased spending to ensure better safety and security for the school.
Another challenge is curriculum change – the new CAPS curriculum which will be in place in the Foundation Phase in 2012 and in the Intermediate Phase in 2013. This challenge presents the school with many opportunities for growth and improvement in terms of teaching and learning. Already, we have started to meet these challenges through introducing exams in 2011, complete with Study Timetables and booklets to support learners and parents in preparing for this form of assessment. We held an Information Evening to empower parents with information on curriculum change in the form of CAPS which was well attended not only by our own parents, but also parents and teachers from other schools! Other Information Evening for parents have included focused interventions to support parents of children who are experiencing challenges in the classroom and two opportunities to hear Nikki Bush, an excellent speaker, address parents on issues affecting children.
We have lost a GDE teaching post, despite the increase in enrolment this year. This means that to keep our average class size at fewer than 30, we will need to fund an additional teacher in 2012. We continue to face the challenge of finding and retaining quality teachers when independent schools can, in some instances, offer higher salaries than we can. We have been very fortunate in that we have succeeded in employing teachers that want to work at our school! We need to remain competitive in what we can offer teachers, not only in terms of salary but also in terms of working conditions.
Schools are always a reflection of society, and NPS is no exception. Both staff and pupils have experienced the loss of loved ones within their own families. Financial concerns have been brought to bear on some families who have found themselves under pressure. Families have faced other challenges, which in turn create challenges within the school to support and assist children and families to cope with illness, death, divorce, violence, crime and other issues within their homes.
Ben Stein, author and TV presenter, said: “the human spirit needs to accomplish, to achieve, to triumph to be happy.” This I believe that we as a school do, and then some – the end result being a school what overcomes challenges, leads the way in education and above all, is a happy place to be.
Jeanine Kerr
Principal |
