Dear Parents

We are incredibly proud of all our little stars for their wonderful performances in this week’s concerts! Each child shone brightly on stage, bringing such joy to their families and all of us. Their hard work, enthusiasm, and confidence were truly heartwarming, and it was a joy to see them express themselves so beautifully. 

Thank you to all the parents and teachers for the support that helped make this week’s concerts so memorable. We’ve received so many lovely messages of thanks and appreciation for the concert, and we’re grateful for each one. It’s truly special to share these moments with you!

Peter's Adventures Concert Photographs 

Parents are welcome to order concert photographs by emailing Liezl Stander at lstander@parklands.co.za; R60 per photo will be billed to their account. The cut-off date for concert photo orders is Wednesday, 27 November.

Graduation Photographs 

For our Grade R families, individual graduation photographs have already been printed and will be included in a special keepsake folder with the graduation certificate, which will be handed out following the ceremony on Friday, 22 November. A graduation group photograph and additional individual photographs are also available for ordering at R60 each; please email Liezl Stander at lstander@parklands.co.za to place your order by 27 November. The graduation photos will also be billed to your account. 

Monthly Cake Sale 

A heartfelt thank you to our Grade 00 parents for their efforts in hosting today's cake sale! Your creativity and generosity made the day a wonderful success, with delicious treats enjoyed by all. We are truly grateful for your time, energy, and commitment. Thank you for making it a special event!

The Vital Role of Music...

Music plays a vital role in the preschool classroom, offering far more than just entertainment. It helps young children develop essential skills, such as language, coordination, and social interaction. Through singing, dancing, and rhythmic activities, children enhance their listening abilities, improve motor coordination, and even strengthen their memory. Music also creates a joyful and inclusive atmosphere, encouraging creativity and self-expression. By incorporating music into daily routines, teachers can help foster a love of learning while supporting the overall cognitive and emotional growth of preschoolers

The importance of storytelling to children cannot be understated. Stories provide an excellent opportunity to bond with your child and storytelling plays an important role in language and cognitive development. Stories are a powerful tool for teaching children about the world around them.

'Music is forever. Music should grow and mature with you, right up until you die'... Paul Simon

Listening to, learning, and playing music activates many interconnected regions of the brain. The frontal lobe and hippocampus receive auditory input, the auditory cortex lets people hear sounds, the amygdala helps people respond emotionally and the temporal lobe helps people process language and contributes to their understanding of lyrics and ability to memorise songs.

• The brain can change over time as people, especially young children, are introduced to new stimuli, knowledge and experiences.

• Music has been made and enjoyed throughout history, it is a powerful and effective way to spread a message, tell a story or express your feelings.

• Music can ignite all areas of development. It has the ability to improve intellectual, social-emotional, motor, language and Maths skills.

• Children are born loving music. They will instinctively bounce, move, or sway in response to music, Singing too, is so natural for children. Even before they can talk, they will babble along to a song. Music can bring joy to any occasion.

When a child feels the beat in their feet, they cannot help but clap, jump, wiggle, or dance. Through music, a child learns coordination, balance, and control, developing both fine motor and gross motor skills. Dancing is definitely among the best ways to encourage a love of music in children.

Spring Quarter Outreach 

Please drop donations in the Pre-Primary Reception for this worthwhile food drive. 

Health

Registered Nurse: Amy Dolley

Important Dates - Spring Quarter

12 November: Making Chocolate Squares

12 November: Happy Birthday Khanyo Rafisa-Tabo

16 November: Happy Birthday Tali Maltz

21 November: Happy Birthday Brenda Dingile 

22 November: Grade R Graduation 08:45 - 11:00

25 November: Class lists released 

29 November: Bop Boppers (All grades) 

29 November: Grade 000 and Crackerjacks Cake Sale 

29 November: Reports sent to parents 

2 December:  Splash and Class Parties 

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

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 

2025 Grade 1 Information 

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 

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.

CLASS LISTS FOR 2025

Class Placements (please refer to our Parent and Learner Directory)

Our primary goal is to create a balanced environment where each little one can thrive. To do this, we carefully consider every child’s class placement. Our team of teachers and management thoughtfully consider each child’s unique emotional, social, and academic needs, as well as the social dynamics among the children, to ensure that each learner is placed in the best possible setting for the year ahead.

While we understand that some parents may have preferences, we hope you’ll trust in our teachers' expertise and our commitment to placing each child where they can flourish. This process is a substantial undertaking, with many hours of collaboration and consideration going into each decision. We are dedicated to making choices that will allow every child to feel supported and thrive within their classroom community.

Conclusion 

We’re excited for next week when the teachers and children will be making delicious chocolate squares together, using the ingredients provided by Chef Kerry.

We wish Khanyo a very happy birthday for next Tuesday and hope she enjoys a fantastic day and a wonderful year ahead!

Enjoy the weekend. 

Riëtte Pieterse
Principal: Christopher Robin Pre-Primary
E-mail: rpieterse@parklands.co.za
Tel: 0861 EDUCATE

LINKS TO THE BLOGS FROM THE PREPARATORY AND SECONDARY FACULTY

JP: https://jpblog.parklands.co.za

SP: https://spblog.parklands.co.za

Sec: https://secblog.parklands.co.za

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