Senior Preparatory Weekly Memo

World Book Day Dress-up on Thursday

Get ready to bring your favourite stories to life! We are so excited to celebrate World Book Day and we can’t wait to see our hallways transformed into a living library. Whether you're a wizard, a whimsical fairy, or a brave detective, it’s time to let your imagination run wild!

To make sure the day is as wonderful as a fairy tale ending, here are a few "happily ever after" guidelines:

✨All learners are invited to dress up as their favourite book character! Try to make your costume distinct enough that we can guess who you are without even asking.

✨Dress-up days are all about the theme! If you’d rather not dress up, you are more than welcome to wear your school tracksuit or PE kit instead. (Please note: This isn't a "civvies" day, so it’s either the theme or your school PE kit!)

🎨 The Finishing Touches

• Face Paint: You are welcome to add some small details like a flower, a star, or a flag!

• Hair & Jewellery: Even in costume, we are proud representatives of the College. Please keep hair neat, tidy and tied back away from your eyes. Jewellery should be kept to a minimum.

🚫 A Few "Chapters" to Skip

To keep everyone safe and focused on the fun, please avoid:

• Full Makeup / Makeup (Stick to small face-paint accents!)

• Crop tops or revealing clothing

• Ripped jeans

• Flip-flops or "plakkies" or Crocs (We need sturdy shoes for safe adventures!)

• Expensive items (Let’s keep your treasures safe at home so they don't get lost or broken.)

We can’t wait to see which characters walk through our doors! Let’s make this World Book Day one for the history books! 📖✨

GROWING MINDS SHIELDS

The future requires people who are innovative, humanity-centered, 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 Aria the Effective Communicator Shield. 

There were many standout moments at last quarter’s inter-house gala, but Ariya's growth in confidence and communication truly set her apart. Not only did she complete in more than one 25m event independently, without any flotation aid or assistance, but she also showed remarkable maturity in the way she communicated with her teachers and coaches. She was honest about what she felt confident to attempt, and equally brave in expressing where she felt unsure. That self-awareness, paired with her determination and resilience, made her performance incredibly powerful. Ariya's willingness to keep trying, no matter the challenge, is something to be truly proud of. Coach Nadine, and all of us are so proud of her progress and the courage she continues to show. Coach Nadine reminds her to Keep believing in herself, keep communicating clearly, and keep showing us what is possible. 

Science Club

Our Science Club learners had an exciting and hands-on session filled with discovery and creativity! They explored the wonders of magnetism by creating their own DIY compasses, gaining a deeper understanding of how magnets interact with the Earth’s magnetic field.

The fun continued with a fascinating lemon volcano experiment, where learners observed chemical reactions in action, followed by an engaging invisible ink presentation that revealed the science behind secret messages.

This dynamic session sparked curiosity and encouraged learners to think like young scientists, experimenting, observing, and uncovering the magic of science in everyday materials.

Science Rocket Workshop

Our Science learners had an unforgettable experience at Saturday’s exciting Rocket Workshop, led by rocket expert Nikolai Nielsen. With great enthusiasm and teamwork, learners designed and built their very own rockets, sparking curiosity and a deeper interest in engineering and space science. The anticipation is high as we eagerly look forward to launching these creations in the near future!

Adding to the excitement, our Secondary Faculty Physics teacher, Mr Duffield, captivated learners with dynamic demonstrations on combustion reactions. These thrilling experiments brought science to life, allowing learners to observe powerful and visually exciting chemical reactions firsthand.

The workshop was a wonderful blend of hands-on learning and scientific discovery, inspiring our learners to explore, question, and dream big!

The Week That Was: Senior Prep Sports

It was a stellar week of competition for our Senior Prep athletes! The hard work on the practice courts is clearly paying off, as our teams displayed clinical skill and fantastic sportsmanship in their latest fixtures.

While many of our teams were in action, our netballers truly stole the spotlight this week with some dominant performances against CBC.

Netball vs. CBC

The netball courts were buzzing with energy, and our girls delivered two incredible wins. The focus and teamwork on display were second to none.

• U11 Team: A masterclass in both defence and attack! Our U11s secured a massive 11-0 victory. To keep a clean sheet in netball is no small feat, showing just how disciplined the team remained throughout the match.

  • Players of the Match (POTM): Mihle and Sarah for their exceptional contributions to the win.

• U12 Team: In a hard-fought and tactical match, our U12s showed their grit and composure to come away with a solid 7-3 win.

  • Player of the Match (POTM): Olu, for leading the charge and maintaining high intensity until the final whistle.

Reflections on the Week

Teamwork makes the dream work. These results are a testament to the effort put in during our training sessions. It’s not just about the final score, but the way our learners support one another on and off the court.

Congratulations to all our players - let’s carry this momentum and positive spirit into next week’s matches!

Maia did her first Nationals in Lifesaving championships in Port Elizabeth over the holiday and achieved amazing 3rd place in Long run. We are super proud as she has only been doing lifesaving for 3 months and went to finals in Mali and bodyboard as well.

Lara recently competed in the City Cirque Classic Aerial Competition and achieved a Gold Medal in Aerial Silks for her performance. In addition to winning her category, Lara also earned the third-highest score overall out of all the athletes who competed, both juniors and seniors.

Jean-Louis delivered an incredible performance at the Lifesaving South Africa Championships Nationals, competing over three intense days.

🥇 1st in Flags (South African Champion)

🥈 2nd in Bodyboard

🥉 3rd in Sprints

He also finished 3rd overall in the country in his age group, a fantastic achievement.

A proud moment that reflects his hard work, dedication, and commitment to the sport.

PARKLANDS COLLEGE PARTNERS WITH KLIKD FOR A DIGITAL SAFETY SOLUTION

Parenting in the digital age presents unique challenges. Balancing your child’s need for online interaction with the responsibility of keeping them safe can feel overwhelming. Excluding your child from the digital world might seem isolating, yet providing them with unrestricted access to smart devices without guidance can pose serious risks.

It is vital to equip our children with the skills they need to navigate the digital world confidently, responsibly, and safely. That’s why we are thrilled to announce our partnership with Klikd, South Africa’s leading digital safety and citizenship company. We will be rolling out Klikd’s Digital Citizenship Programme for Schools for Grades 4-6.

About Klikd
Klikd was founded by clinical psychologist Pam Tudin and social media lawyer Sarah Hoffman, combining their expertise to offer an innovative approach to cyber safety and digital citizenship education.

In today’s world, knowing how to handle challenges such as cyberbullying, gaming addiction, inappropriate content, online predators,  managing one’s digital footprint and  Artificial Intelligence -  is no longer optional -it's essential. These aren’t skills that can be taught in a single school talk but require continuous conversations and guidance, reinforced at school and at home.

The Klikd Digital Citizenship Programme for Schools
Through our partnership with Klikd, we will offer a carefully curated programme that provides learners with the tools they need to thrive in the online world. Importantly, it also empowers you, as parents, with weekly practical resources and strategies to support your child on this journey.

Klikd Parent Information Session Recording

If you missed the Klikd Parent Information Session last week you can find the link to a recording here 

Klikd in your Pocket: Parent Update Whatsapp Group

Join KLIKD in Your Pocket - a weekly bite-sized update on what’s trending in your child’s online world.

This WhatsApp broadcast group delivers practical, no-fluff insights on topics like:

🎮 Managing devices during playdates and sleepovers

👀 Accidental pornography pop-ups

🎰 Live gambling features on Roblox (yes, really!)

Each week, you’ll also get 4–5 conversation starters to use at dinner, in the car, or while shopping for that “perfect” hoodie — helping you stay connected and informed.

🟢 No group chat, no noise — just super helpful info.

📸 Scan the QR code or tap the link to join: 

https://chat.whatsapp.com/H6zTS0hHpaIIHF2G5PigPq?mode=gi_t