Senior Preparatory Weekly Memo

28 August 2026

Dear Parents

In order to shorten the memo we have moved regular items to the tabs/menus of this site.

Reminder that this is the last week of our stationery drive. Please help us by bringing in new and used stationery items by Friday 4 September.

Please complete the Q4 Co-curricular Sign Up Form. The Grade 4 - 6 sports and culture programme will commence on 14 October 2026. (Except Drama Society - Start date: Tuesday 22 September). GOLF sign-ups are limited and will be issued on a first-come first-served basis. Please contact the relevant teacher should you have any questions regarding the programme.

We will be switching to Summer Sport on 7 September. Note that Billed Winter Co-Curricular Activities must be prioritised and will continue until the end of the quarter unless you have been notified otherwise by the teacher in charge.

Please take note of the following dates:

Spring Dress up Day on Tuesday 1 September
Stationery Drive Collection last day on Friday 4 September
Summer Sport Switch on Monday 7 September
Funky Socks Day on Friday 11 September
Open Day on Saturday 12 September
Grade 6 "Welcome to Sandown" at the Secondary Faculty on 12 September @ 10:00
Grade 4 Farmers Market on Friday 18 September @ 13:30
We invite all parents to join our Parklands Playgrounds on the dates below:
- Grade 4: Monday 21 September @ 08:00-09:30
- Grade 5: Monday 21 September @ 13:00-14:30
- Grade 6: Thursday 17 September @ 13:00-14:30

Principal Paul Memo Q3W6-26.MOV

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Parklands Playground for All Parents

Join us at the end of the quarter to experience an iPad-powered classroom alongside your child. Discover how technology transforms everyday learning at Parklands College Senior Preparatory!

Mark these dates on your calendar:

Grade 4: Monday 21 September @ 08:00-09:30

Grade 5: Monday 21 September @ 13:00-14:30

Grade 6: Thursday 17 September @ 13:00-14:30

GROWING MINDS SHIELDS

The future requires people who are innovative, humanity-centred, relationship-oriented, compassion-focused, values-driven, globally-conscious and planet-sensitive, in order to guarantee that this generation will become REAL agents of change. The values necessary to sustain life on earth, as humans and environmentalists, are incorporated in five global competencies across our curriculum under our “Growing Minds” banner: Critical Thinkers, Effective Communicators, Purposeful Collaborators, Creative Agents and Responsible Citizens.

In assembly this week, we awarded the following learners with Growing Minds Shields:

The Creative Agent Trophy is proudly presented to Kayla. When a new learner joined us for a day Kayla was creative and thoughtful in her approach to make sure the new learner felt included. Being able to see when someone is struggling and come up with creative ways to support them is both thoughtful and an incredible skill. Thank you Kayla for showing the importance of including others and coming up with clever ways to help others make new friends. Mrs Struwig is amazed at your act of kindness and swift action to take charge of a situation.

The Effective Communicator Trophy is proudly presented to Luka. Working in a group can be really hard, especially when we have to divide jobs and teammates want the same job. Luka showed incredible kindness to his group member by checking in when she was upset by the outcome. He effectively communicated the issue they had in their group with Mrs Struwig and we were able to come to a fair agreement. Luka your incredible and selfless act is a great example of how clear and fair communication can lead to teams working well together. Mrs Struwig is super proud of you.

The Purposeful Collaborator Trophy is proudly presented to Khwezi. Khwezi is recognised for the wonderful progress he has made in learning to collaborate meaningfully with others. He is always eager to share his thoughts and experiences with the class during our Responsible Citizen lessons, adding value to our discussions. His enthusiasm and willingness to contribute make him a valued member of our classroom community. Well done, Khwezi! From Ms Hodges

The Responsible Citizen Trophy is proudly presented to Khloe. Khloe is always willing to lend a helping hand and treats everyone with kindness, care and respect. Your thoughtful nature, positive attitude and willingness to support others make you a wonderful friend and an inspiring member of our school community. From Ms Hodges

The Critical Thinker Trophy is proudly presented to Maxi. Maxi is recognised for the incredible effort and dedication she has shown in Science this quarter. Her excellent participation in class, willingness to engage and commitment to putting in extra work at home are truly commendable. It is wonderful to see her hard work paying off in her learning and growing confidence. Keep up the fantastic work, Maxi! From Ms Hodges

VISIT BY NASA’s Chief Health and Medical Officer

A number of our Grade 6 Science learners had the incredible opportunity to visit the Secondary Faculty’s Grand Central in the Innovation Centre to meet a truly special visitor: Dr. JD Polk, NASA’s Chief Health and Medical Officer. Dr. Polk, who leads the vital work of keeping astronauts healthy and safe in space - from launch to landing - shared fascinating insights into the realities of space medicine. Our learners were captivated as he discussed the physiological challenges of leaving Earth and his pivotal role in planning for human survival on future missions to the Moon and Mars. It was an inspiring experience for our learners to engage directly with someone at the forefront of space exploration and medical science.

GRADE 6 NEWS

💥 What happens when two people want the same thing, see a situation completely differently and neither one is willing to back down? Our Grade 6 learners have been finding out!

We have been diving into the world of conflict and conflict resolution during PSW. Learners discovered that conflict isn’t necessarily “bad”, it can be a natural disagreement that signals that something needs to be communicated or understood. We explored how a small misunderstanding can quickly become a BIG problem when we stop listening, make assumptions or forget to consider someone else’s point of view.

But we didn’t stop at talking about conflict, we became storytellers! 🎬 Learners worked in groups to create their own dialogue where a conflict unfolds, emotions are expressed and most importantly, the characters have to talk it out and find a fair compromise. They were challenged to show the difference between simply arguing and actually communicating, using their characters to demonstrate how listening, empathy and understanding can change the outcome of a difficult situation.

Through their scripts, our learners are learning an important lesson: you don’t always have to agree to resolve a conflict, you just need to be willing to listen, understand and find a way forward together. 💛

The Grade 6 House Points are adding up and the competition is getting exciting! 🎉 A huge congratulations to Harvard, who are currently leading the Grade 6 leaderboard, with Oxford, Yale and Cambridge continuing to earn points and close the gap. Remember, there is still plenty of time left in the quarter and every House Point counts! 🌟

Learners can earn House Points in so many ways throughout the school day, through great behaviour, kindness, excellent work, effort, improvement, outreach and showing our Growing Minds qualities. Keep giving your best, supporting your House and collecting those points.

Together, we can make our Houses proud! 🏆💙💚💛❤️

GRADE 5 NEWS

What a busy and brilliant week it's been in class! In Maths we honed our measurement skills, converting, comparing and ordering like true unit conversion legends. English had us on point with pronouns and colons keeping our grammar in check.

In History we gazed up at the stars with the ancient Egyptians, exploring their astronomy and just how central it was to their daily lives.

Geography had us rooted in South Africa's natural vegetation and vegetation regions, branching out our knowledge. PSW saw our little Water Heroes shining in their videos showing off everything they've learnt about saving our most precious resource.

And to top it all off, we celebrated some proud "other" moments too. Pen Licences earned through neat and careful writing and shout outs from Principal Paul with his “Principal Paul’s Prizes” in Mathletics. All in all, a cracking week of growth, giggles and good times.

Thank you to Class 5R

In this week's assembly, Grade 5R shared a meaningful message about the power of appreciation, encouraging everyone to look beyond a simple 'thank you' and truly notice the effort others put into our daily lives. The class highlighted our school's 'quiet heroes'; the grounds staff, support staff, maintenance staff and security - whose tireless work behind the scenes ensures our school is a safe, clean and welcoming place. As a gesture of gratitude, the learners honoured these staff members on stage, reminding us all of the importance of recognising and valuing the people who keep our community running smoothly.

GRADE 4 NEWS

Growing, Creating and Writing in Grade 4!

It has been another exciting week of learning in Grade 4, with learners getting hands on and creative across all our subjects!

In Mathematics, we have started learning about sustainable farming methods. Learners had the opportunity to smell and taste different herbs and put their senses to the test as they tried to guess their names. They then got creative by coming up with exciting names for their very own microgreens businesses. We put our learning into action by planting our own microgreens and are looking forward to watching them grow!

In English, we have continued our exploration of poetry. Learners began by brainstorming and planning their ideas through drawings, adding descriptive and interesting adjectives to bring their ideas to life. They then put their creativity into action by writing their very own poems. It has been wonderful to see their imaginations shine through their writing!

In Afrikaans, we have been learning all about fables. After exploring the features and lessons found in fables, learners researched an animal of their choice and used their research to create and write their very own fables. We have loved seeing the creative characters, interesting storylines and important messages that our young authors have come up with!

In Art, learners dove headfirst into creativity as they turned everyday plastic bottles into vibrant papier-mâché fish mobiles. Through hands-on exploration, the learners discovered the tactile art of papier-mâché, carefully layering paper to transform simple recycled bottles into smooth, sculptured fish bodies. They paid close attention to aquatic details- experimenting with dynamic fin shapes, defining scales and painting their creations with bold, expressive colours to make each piece unique. Now floating gently on suspended mobiles, these colourful sea creatures highlight both our learners’ artistic flair and their growing mastery of structure, texture and form.

What a wonderful week of growing, creating and learning in Grade 4!

CULTURE

MUSIC:

We invite parents of all current individual music learners, as well as those wishing to commence individual lessons in 2026, to please complete the following enrolment form: 2026 SP Music Form

DANCE:

Please read through the

JP/SP Dance 2026 Enrolment Form information and contact Sylvia Stander sstander@parklands.co.za

if you have any queries.

The Grade 4’s and 5’s have been experimenting with wide shots, close-ups, focus and backgrounds in Drama and are making movie trailers that would make Wes Anderson and Baz Luhrmann proud. We can’t wait to see the completed products. Stay tuned!

Congratulations to all the musicians who took part in the Cape Town Eisteddfod which was held in our hall last Friday.

We’re extremely proud of our results and will announce all of them once we have received the certificates.

ROBOTICS

Our Springbot Is On Its Way to the ISS!

Big news: Our Grade 6 learners, Elise, Sinako, Joshua, and Liam, have officially handed over their Springbot to Max IQ Space, marking the end of months of coding and testing and the start of an incredible journey.

The Springbot will now go through further testing before making its way to Houston and from there up to the International Space Station. Once aboard, it will spend six weeks collecting environmental data on the exact conditions the rooibos seeds experience during their historic mission, information that scientists back home will use to understand how space affects the germination and growth of this proudly South African plant.

This project is part of a wider partnership between Max IQ Space, the South African Rooibos Council, SANSA and the University of Cape Town and our learners have played a real role in it. The code they wrote is what reads the sensors and saves the data that will come back down to Earth for analysis in our classes.

We are incredibly proud of Elise, Sinako, Joshua, and Liam for the dedication and focus they have shown throughout this project. Watch this space, quite literally, as we follow the Springbot all the way to the ISS!

Proud of Our WRO Elementary Team

Last week our WRO Elementary team, Adam and Haydn, took part in the regional event and we could not be prouder of them.

Months of hard work went into their code and their robot build, and it showed on the day, in the grit, the determination and the way these two worked together right to the very end. That kind of resilience is exactly what Robotics is meant to teach and this team has it in abundance.

Well done Adam and Haydn. We are so proud of everything you have put into this and we cannot wait to see what you build next.

LIBRARY

AUTHOR VISIT

We are looking forward with great anticipation to the visit of Monique Fallows and hopefully one or more of her salty seadogs, as she visits us next Friday to introduce the new book in this series, which features Lucy and the great white sharks in our area. She will also share her passion for conservation and protection of the ecosystem on our coastline with the Grade 4 classes.

Our readers love that the books are interactive - they can scan QR codes to access videos and information - and also that this story is from “real life” and happening right here where we live.

Please see the information below about the convenient pre-ordering opportunity. Learners will also be able to purchase books on the day, using both card or cash options.

SPORT

Senior Prep Sport | Winter Is Winding Down

And just like that, Winter Sport is slowly coming to an end!

We’re now sitting at around 95% of our league fixtures completed, which is a fantastic achievement. While the winter programme is nearing its conclusion, we still have a few fixtures on the calendar and will continue looking for additional opportunities to play wherever the weeks allow.

An Exciting Week Ahead

We’ve got another great week lined up, with Hockey taking on Elkanah and, of course, the return of one of our favourite fixtures…

🏐 U12 Netball vs Staff

It’s time for our annual U12 Netball vs Staff fixture - or, as we like to call it, the greatest Netballing team that ever existed!

The learners will have the opportunity to take on our staff in what promises to be a highly competitive… and completely serious… encounter!

On the Horizon

🏏 12 September | Open Day

Our U12 Cricket team will have a special practice session from 11:30–12:30 as they continue preparing for their upcoming Hermanus Cricket Tour.

🏏 18–20 September | U12 Cricket Tour – Hermanus

The countdown is on! Our 12 U12 cricketers will head to Hermanus for a weekend of all-day cricket, competition, team building and most importantly, plenty of memories.

🏃 22 September | SP On The Run

And then we get moving!

Our learners will take to the course for SP On The Run, representing their Houses and earning valuable House points along the way. Expect plenty of energy, competition and — hopefully — some very fast Parkies! 🏃‍♂️💨

Winter may be winding down, but Senior Prep Sport certainly isn't slowing down!

Plenty still to play. Plenty still to celebrate. Let's finish strong!

Senior Prep Sport | Week That Was

Another great week of Senior Prep Netball is in the books, with our teams taking on Reddam Durbanville across the U10, U11 and U12 age groups.

🏐 Netball vs Reddam Durbanville

U10A
🏆 Won 6–3
Players of the Match: Kathryn & Sara

U10B
Lost 4–0
Players of the Match: Allesandra & Beyonce

U11B
🏆 Won 9–4
Players of the Match: Ajibola, Sine & Adorable

U11A
🏆 Won 5–1
Players of the Match: Mihle & Iva

U12B
Lost 9–2
Player of the Match: Kree

U12A
🏆 Won 7–2
Player of the Match: Holly

A huge well done to all our Netballers for their effort, teamwork and commitment throughout the fixtures. There were some excellent performances across the age groups, and it's fantastic to see our learners continuing to grow with every match.

Keep pushing, Senior Prep — every fixture is another opportunity to learn, improve and represent Parklands with pride!

Q4 2026 Co-curricular

SUMMER SPORTS SWITCH

We will be switching to our Summer Sports Programme on 7 September. Note that Billed for Winter Co-Curricular Programme activities continue until end of the quarter (or as communicated by the teacher in charge)

GRADES 4 – 6 SUMMER QUARTER CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMME 2026

Extra murals will commence on Wednesday 14 October 2026.

Please ensure that learners participating in outdoor activities have sunblock in their bags for application. ALL learners MUST wear their school caps when outdoors. NO HAT, NO PLAY!

Where practices and matches are affected by inclement weather, learners will be involved in indoor training sessions from 14h45 – 15h45.

Parents must collect learners after their session. If a parent is late and unable to collect on time, learners will be sent to aftercare and parents billed.

Reminder that the campus buildings are locked at 16:45.

EXTERNAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Please find a link to the form to notify the College of a learner's external achievements at Area/Regional/Provincial level. We request that you upload an image to the form where possible.

Any queries to our Head of Sport, Coach Jared - jmargetts@parklands.co.za

External Achievements

Sport Quick Links

SPORTS INFO

TRAVEL CONSENT

EXTERNAL ACHIEVEMENTS

SPORTS CALENDAR

OUTREACH 2026 - Stationery

Stationery Outreach - Drive Every Donation Makes a Difference

At Parklands College Preparatory, we believe that even the smallest act of kindness can make a meaningful impact. As part of our ongoing commitment to serving our wider community, we are launching a Stationery Outreach Drive to support a school in need.

We invite our families to donate new or gently used stationery that is still in good condition. Items such as pencils, pens, rulers, erasers, sharpeners, glue sticks, crayons, colouring pencils, and other school essentials can make a real difference in a learner's educational journey.

By giving unused stationery a new purpose, we can help equip young learners with the resources they need to thrive in the classroom while encouraging our own children to experience the joy of giving.

Donations can be sent to school until Friday, 4 September.

Thank you for supporting this initiative and for helping us make a positive difference, one stationery item at a time.

🧦 Funky Socks Day! 🌈

Get ready to brighten up our school with a splash of colour, creativity and fun! On Friday 11 September it is Funky Socks Day. Learners are invited to wear their funkiest, brightest and silliest socks with their PE uniform.

This special day is an opportunity to raise awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and show our support for the important work being done to assist children and families affected by FASD. 💛

As part of our initiative, we will be supporting Home of Hope, helping contribute towards the incredible work they do in providing care, support and opportunities for children affected by FASD.

So, dig out those crazy stripes, colourful patterns, mismatched pairs and favourite funky socks, the funkier, the better! 🧦✨

Let’s have some fun, spread awareness and make a difference, one funky sock at a time! 💛🌈

R10 will be charged to the school account for each learner that takes part in aid of this worthy cause.

GENERAL

SCHOOL HOURS

CALENDAR AND EVENTS

Please bookmark the following calendars and add them to your personal calendar by using the + at the bottom of each calendar. They can also be accessed through the EdAdmin App (more information under the general tab)

PARENT LEARNER DIRECTORY

Our Parent Learner Directory contains all the information you will need. You can find this important document under the General Tab

20260112 SENIOR PREP P&L Information Directory.pdf

PARENT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

College parents are able to list their businesses in our Parent Business Directory for free – www.parklands.co.za/parent-business-directory/.

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...

2026 Dates

Winter Quarter: 22 July - 23 September

Spring Quarter: 14 October - 4 December

Proposed 2027 Parklands College Dates

Summer Quarter: 19 Jan 2027 - 18 March 2027

Autumn Quarter: 7 April 2027 - 23 June 2027

Winter Quarter: 21 July 2027 - 22 Sept 2027

Spring Quarter: 6 Oct 2027 - 3 Dec 2027

Sunday 30 August:

Happy Birthday Tarin Hodges

Tuesday 1 September:

First Day of Spring Dress Up Day

Wednesday 2 September:

Happy Birthday Jesse Kirsten

Friday 4 September:

Bok Friday

Monday 7 September:

Happy Birthday Kirsty Becker

SP Summer Sports Switch

Friday 11 September:

Funky Socks Day

Saturday 12 September:

Open Day

Grade 6 Welcome to Sandown (Secondary Faculty) @ 10:00

Monday 14 September:

Readathon Week

Wednesday 16 September:

Readathon Week: Lit Quiz Event Grade 3 & 4

Thursday 17 September:

Readathon Week: Lit Quiz Event Grade 5 & 6

Grade 6 Parklands Playground @13:00

Friday 18 September:

Grade 4 Farmers Market @ 13:30

U12 Cricket Tour to Hermanus

SP Report Feedback meetings

Saturday 19 September:

U12 Cricket Tour to Hermanus

Matric Dance

Happy Birthday Amy Dean

Sunday 20 September:

U12 Cricket Tour to Hermanus

Monday 21 September:

World Space Week

Grade 4 Parklands Playground @08:00

Grade 5 Parklands Playground @13:00

SP Report Feedback meetings

Tuesday 22 September:

Ticket To The Moon Theatre Company 08:30 in the hall: Thabo the Space Dude

SP on the Run

SP Report Feedback meetings

Wednesday 23 September:

Last day of Quarter @ 13:00 - no aftercare

Friday 2 October:

Happy Birthday Simoné Prinsloo

Monday 5 October:

World Teachers Day

Wednesday 7 October:

Happy Birthday Roché Buckle

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

We wish Tarin Hodges a happy birthday for Sunday 30 August and Jesse Kirsten a happy birthday for Wednesday 3 September.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Paul Mayers

Senior Preparatory Principal

pmayers@parklands.co.za

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParklandsCollege/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParklandsTweet

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parklandscollege

Links to other faculty memos:

Pre-Primary Faculty: https://ppblog.parklands.co.za

Junior Preparatory Faculty: https://jpblog.parklands.co.za

Secondary Faculty: https://secblog.parklands.co.za

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