Pre-Primary Weekly Memo
4 December 2024

Health

Important Dates - Spring Quarter

Parent Business Directory

2025

2025 Grade R Information (Current Pooh Bear's and Roo's House)

Staffing and classes

2025 Grade 1 Information

Dear Parents

Health

Registered Nurse: Amy Dolley

Important Dates - Spring Quarter

2 December: Splash and Class Parties

4 December: Last day of the quarter - School closes at 11:00

Parent Business Directory

Parklands College and Christopher Robin Pre-Primary parents who are in business are able to list their businesses in our Parent Business Directory – www.parklands.co.za/parent-business-directory/

LISTINGS ARE FREE and include contact information as well as the opportunity to include a business logo or advert. Listings are available 24/7 on the College website and will be updated each quarter.

Should you be interested in marketing your business to over 1000 families, email: marketing@parklands.co.za to get started.

All listings will be subject to the College’s final approval.

This week's feature business is...

2025

2025 Dates

Please note that there has been a slight change to the 2025 dates indicated in blue below:

Provisional dates for 2025
Summer Quarter: 20 January – 28 March
Autumn Quarter: 08 April- 25 June
*Mid-term break: 29 April – 2 May
Winter Quarter: 22 July – 23 Sept
Spring Quarter: 14 October – 05 December

2025 Grade R Information (Current Pooh Bear's and Roo's House)

The Grade R stationery kit for 2025 as detailed below is payable via Credit Card, Direct Deposit or EFT to Waltons, before Friday, 13 December 2024. The kit will be used daily to promote handwriting, literacy and numeracy in an informal and fun manner within the classroom. The paid stationery will be delivered to the school and issued to your child’s class teacher before the Summer Quarter 2025.

Grade R Stationery Requirements

Please note that the complete Waltons kit is available at a discounted price. However, if any items are substituted or removed, the discount will no longer apply.

Staffing and classes

As we reflect on this year, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to our dedicated teachers and support staff for their unwavering hard work, commitment, and care. They have truly excelled in creating an environment where each child's unique personality, needs, and friendships are considered for class placements. We look forward to a wonderful start to the new year.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the staff members who will be leaving. Their invaluable contributions have greatly supported the children's development and learning journeys.

We are excited to welcome Carmen Wessels, who will be joining the secondary faculty, and wish Benita Africa all the best as she continues her studies next year.

2025 Grade 1 Information

Message from Chantel Lamb:

Junior Preparatory Principal

Dear Parents

The Junior Preparatory Faculty cannot wait to welcome your little one to Grade 1 in 2025. I look forward to getting to know them and will soon visit their class to read a story and introduce myself.

Although the children will have a "pop in" during the school day to meet their teacher on 27 November, there will be a special Orientation for them to spend some time with their teachers on Wednesday 15 January from 13:00 - 14:00. Parents are welcome to stay and enjoy a cup of tea/coffee in the foyer with me, Chantel Lamb and Emma Oxley Simpson, our Junior Preparatory Associate Principal.

Please refer to the Welcome Letter, Frequently Asked Questions and Uniform and Sports requirements as well as the Device and Stationery Requirements. Every Grade One learner and all new learners joining the College are required to wear the striped blazer.

The Parent Information Meeting is on Thursday, 16 January 2025, from 15:00 - 16:00. This is an opportunity for parents/caregivers to meet their child’s class teacher and find out more about the daily activities in Grade One.

School starts on Monday 20 January 2025 and for the first week, the Grade 1 day will end at 12:00 to ensure an easier transition. From the following week, school ends every day at 14:00, and you may collect your children from their classrooms or their teachers will take them to aftercare.

Sport will start on Monday 27 January and is during the school day on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 13:00 and 14:00. On these days the learners may come to school dressed in their P.E Kit.

Our Grade 1-3 learners have a choice between Afrikaans First Additional Language (FAL) and isiXhosa First Additional Language (FAL). Please click on the link to complete the form: First Additional Language 2025

The information included in the documents below should provide a good overview and answer most questions. However, you are more than welcome to contact me should you have any further questions.

I look forward to meeting you at the Grade R Graduation and at the Grade 1 Orientation on 15 January 2025.

Chantel Lamb

Junior Preparatory Principal

Welcome Letter

Frequently Asked Questions

Grade 1 - 6 Device Requirements

Uniform and Sport Attire

Please note that stationery must be labelled and sent to school on the first day of the year. Books DO NOT need to be covered as the covers are created in class with the children and the teachers will cover the books with the slip on plastic covers.

Grade 1 Waltons

Waltons Stationery Letter (how to use)

If you have ordered your child's Walton's kit and indicated that collection is at Parklands College, a reminder that collection is on Monday 2 December 2024 from 8am-2pm or Thursday 16 January 2025 from 2pm-4pm from the Senior Preparatory Faculty, 50 Wood Drive.

MUSIC LESSONS FOR GRADE 1 NEXT YEAR

We invite parents of all current individual music learners as well as those wishing to commence individual lessons in 2025 to please complete the following enrolment form: JP Individual Music

We require a new form to be completed annually. A form for Ensembles, including Marimba, Choir, and Orchestra, will be shared at the start of 2025.

We will endeavour to ensure that your child is placed with the same teacher as in 2024, but we can only finalise a time slot at the start of 2025.