Senior Preparatory Weekly Memo
10 April 2026
Embedded Files
Dear Parents
History is happening right above our heads! With the Artemis II crew having successfully completed their high-speed 'slingshot' around the far side of the Moon, we are officially back in the era of deep-space exploration.
It is the furthest humanity has ever travelled from home, and that spirit of adventure has completely taken over our classrooms. This week, our learners have been stepping into the shoes of those astronauts to explore what it really takes to survive and thrive beyond our atmosphere.
To commemorate this milestone, our Grade 4, 5, and 6 students have been busy designing their own mission patches. Much like the Artemis II insignia, these designs reflect their team's identity, their goals for exploration, and the incredible bravery required to venture into the unknown. The creativity on display has been truly out of this world!
Back on earth, please take note of the following dates for the start of Co-Curriculars below:
Science Club - 14 April
Drama Society - 14 April
Design Society - 22/23 April (groups have been communicated via email)
Thank you to the parents who have given positive feedback on the KLIKD Digital Safety Whatsapp Group Posts. If you haven't yet joined the group for weekly updates please do so here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/H6zTS0hHpaIIHF2G5PigPq?mode=gi_t
Principal Paul Memo W1Q2-26.MOVGRADE 6 NEWS
GRADE 6 NEWS
🎒 We’re Back and Better Than Ever!
And just like that, we’ve dove headfirst into Quarter 2! The hallways are buzzing again, the classrooms are filled with laughter and our first week back has been nothing short of a whirlwind. We didn’t waste a single second getting back into the swing of things, balancing hard work with plenty of "oohs" and "aahs
🐙 Under the Sea
The absolute highlight of our week was our Aquarium outing! We swapped our notebooks for nature as we explored the wonders of the deep. From mesmerising jellyfish to cheeky penguins, it was a day filled with wonder and discovery. It was the perfect way to splash into the new quarter and get our curiosity flowing!
📚 Academics: Full Steam Ahead!
We’ve jumped straight into our new curriculum goals with some seriously exciting projects across all subjects:
We are thrilled to introduce our Quarter 2 English novel, The Firework-Maker’s Daughter by Philip Pullman! We got to work identifying the lush, vibrant setting. The learners have been busy creating mind maps in their writing books, hunting for descriptive clues that bring the story to life and listing the fascinating characters we’ve encountered so far.
We are sharpening our logic skills by diving deep into Place Value in Maths. Understanding the "where" and "why" of numbers is setting a fantastic foundation for the more complex calculations we'll be tackling later this quarter.
Welkom by die winkel! In Afrikaans, things are getting entrepreneurial. We’ve started a project where learners are designing their own winkels (shops) and unique produkte (products) to sell. It’s been wonderful to hear their creative pitches and see their vocabulary grow as they "set up shop."
This week in Art, Grade 6 learners focused on the historic Artemis II mission. We examined the reversible mission patch designed for their journey around the Moon. Using their knowledge of the colour wheel from last quarter and developing their skills with Keynote (mastering the grouping, locking, and breaking apart of shapes), the learners designed their own "Welcome Home" Mission Patches. They created these patches entirely out of shapes, demonstrating their ability to produce complex artwork using only digital tools. We will be sharing these mission patches via social media on their return!
It’s been a week of high energy, big smiles and even bigger goals. We are so excited to see what the rest of this quarter holds. ✨
Artemis II Welcome Home Mission Patches
Designed in Apple Keynote - using the shape library
GRADE 5 NEWS
GRADE 5 NEWS
Welcome back! It was wonderful to have the children back in the classroom and easing into the new quarter with a productive first week.
In Maths, we used the week to revisit and consolidate what was covered in Quarter 1, giving the children a chance to refresh their knowledge and build confidence heading into the new quarter’s work.
English hit the ground running with a revision of parts of speech, reinforcing the building blocks that underpin so much of our language work. We also began practising comprehension skills, focusing on breaking a text down carefully before tackling the questions, a technique that helps develop deeper understanding and more thoughtful responses.
Afrikaans this week, centred around fruits and vegetables as our vocabulary theme, with plenty of opportunity to also work on reading aloud and pronunciation, always important skills to keep practising regularly.
In isiXhosa, the focus fell on past and future tense, giving the children a solid grammatical foundation to work from. Like Afrikaans, we also dedicated time to reading and pronunciation.
In Science, learners were inspired by the recent Artemis mission. They designed their own mission patches as a reflection of who they are and what they represent.
Each design told a unique story, incorporating personal interests, values, and aspirations. It was wonderful to see their creativity come to life, with thoughtful symbols, colours, and themes that represented their individual journeys. I am incredibly proud to share some of their amazing work!
Finally, a reminder that this quarter we are collecting deodorants as part of our outreach initiative. Any donations brought in by the children will be greatly appreciated.
Here's to a fantastic Quarter 2!
GRADE 4 NEWS
GRADE 4 NEWS
This week, our Grade Fours had a wonderfully engaging and interactive start to the quarter! In Mathematics, we began with a fun game of charades based on key mathematical terminology, which brought plenty of giggles as six brave learners creatively acted out words such as half, difference and multiply. The class then worked collaboratively in their groups to match the terminology to the correct categories, showing excellent teamwork.
In English, the learners were up and moving as they took part in an exciting punctuation activity, running to collect punctuation marks and using them to correctly punctuate paragraphs. We also began exploring our set work novel for the quarter, Fantastic Mr Fox 🦊. Learners enjoyed finding interesting facts about foxes hidden around the school and used this information to complete a fun and challenging crossword puzzle.
In Afrikaans, we dived into new vocabulary related to our weather theme. The learners thoroughly enjoyed competing in teams to find the correct Afrikaans words and earn points for their teams, which added plenty of excitement and energy to the lesson. The learners enthusiastically used their new words to create sentence GIFs in Keynote, bringing language learning to life in a creative and memorable way.
Our Grade 4 scientists took a giant leap into the future of space exploration! Inspired by NASA’s Artemis mission, our students designed their very own Space Mission Patches. This activity challenged learners to take the science concepts they've studied and turn them into a symbolic badge of honor. These patches show that our Grade 4 crew isn't just learning science—they are preparing for the future of exploration. Great job, Earthlings!
ACADEMICS
ACADEMICS
Our Quarter 2 academic programme is in full swing and our teachers have prepared a structured and engaging curriculum, ensuring that each lesson builds meaningfully on the last. New concepts are introduced daily, and informal assessments are conducted regularly to monitor progress and support each learner’s development. We wish to remind parents and learners that regular school attendance is crucial. Long-term absentees and extended vacations can result in learners missing these key learning opportunities. Please assist us by ensuring your child attends school regularly and punctually.
Please see our Learner Attendance Policy for further details.
CULTURE
CULTURE
Quarter 2 and 3 Co-curricular Sign-up Form
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.
FRENCH OFFERED CO-CURRICULAR - GRADE 4 - 6
Enrichment course or preparation for the DELF CERTIFICATE A1
French is the international language of the theatre, visual arts, dance, architecture, haute cuisine and fashion. Knowing some French also gives you direct access to the great literature and songs of the French and francophone culture, especially in Africa.
Here at Parklands College Preparatory Faculty the French enrichment course is not just about learning French grammar and vocabulary, but also getting acquainted with the culture and traditions of the French and our Francophone countries in Africa.The learners will be exposed to an interesting cultural component to make their French lessons motivational
and meaningful. Our learners will learn how to connect with French speakers by greeting, asking a few questions, counting and they will be able to even sing and entertain their families in French!
Lessons are presented by Mme Bailly at 07h15 every Friday in room 13. These lessons are at no additional costs and all learners are welcome.
LIBRARY
LIBRARY
We have a wonderful tradition at the Preparatory Faculty where learners are encouraged to donate a book to the library on their Birthday.
Should you wish to donate a book please contact Mrs Elise Crouse, our head of libraries on ecrouse@parklands.co.za
WORLD BOOK DAY IS COMING!!!
Our libraries are abuzz with the vital question: “Who are you going to be on World Book Day?”
Our World Book Day celebrations are now less than two weeks away and the readers are scanning the books to find inspiration for the important decision of which book character to be for a day. We are also excited about welcoming back the Hooked On Books theatre company, and look forward to seeing which books they will be showcasing for us this year. The children’s book market has been mushrooming in recent years, and browsing all the new arrivals is another treat in store for us, as we host a two-day sale with books specially chosen for our learners. Keep watching this space, as next week we shall be updating you with shopping times!
SPORT
SPORT
Quarter 2 and 3 Co-curricular Sign-up Form
Senior Prep Sport | Quarter 2 Is Here! 🏉🏑🏐♟️
Senior Prep Sport | Quarter 2 Is Here! 🏉🏑🏐♟️
Sport is officially back in full swing, and the energy across Senior Prep has been fantastic to see.
We have an action-packed quarter ahead, filled with opportunity, competition, and some exciting experiences for our learners.
A major highlight this quarter will be our U12 Netball Knysna Tour, where our learners will represent the school and test themselves against strong opposition - a fantastic opportunity both on and off the court.
Looking ahead, we are also planning Hockey and Rugby Tours for the end of Quarter 2, giving our learners even more to work towards as the season builds.
This quarter, our sporting offering includes:
🏉 Rugby
🏑 Hockey
🏐 Netball
♟️ Chess
It’s great to see such a diverse programme, ensuring there is something for every learner — whether on the field, court, astro, or in the classroom.
As always, please make sure to check the co-curricular timetable for all training sessions, fixtures, and venues, and ensure learners are correctly equipped with the necessary safety gear.
We’re excited for what lies ahead this quarter as our learners continue to represent the College with pride, commitment, and enthusiasm.
Senior Preparatory Sports Uniform: 2026
Senior Preparatory Sports Uniform: 2026
Senior Preparatory 2026 Uniform requirements.pdfANNOUNCEMENT
ANNOUNCEMENT
Friday Hockey Sports Hour
Please note, all Hockey learners will be transported to the Secondary Faculty for Hockey training on astro at 13h15 - 14h30 starting this Friday 10th April 2026. All learners will be transported back to Parklands College Senior Prep - no learner will be permitted to be picked up at Secondary campus.
External Achievements in Sport
External Achievements in Sport
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
Sport Quick Links
Sport Quick Links
OUTREACH 2026
OUTREACH 2026
GENERAL
GENERAL
Drop off & collection
Drop off & collection
Please ensure that learners arrive on time for the start of the academic day. Parents are welcome to drop their children off between 07:30 and 07:45 and are requested to use the Drop and Go Zone on the SP Campus in Wood Drive.
Parents may pull into the yellow zone for learners to get out and walk into school on their own. Please do not park or leave your car in the Drop and Go Zone.
All learners must be clocked in and ready for the day before this 07:45. Learners who attend early morning activities must clock-in before attending their session in order to avoid being recorded as 'Late Arrival' on the biometric system.
Aftercare
Aftercare
Aftercare is a combined group of Grade 4-6 learners. Parents, please inform the College via email should you wish to make use of our aftercare facility. Learners may wear their Parklands College sports uniform. Learners attending Aftercare will be escorted to the venue. Parents who wish to make use of our aftercare facilities must please inform us via e-mail.
School is LOCKED promptly at 16h45 daily. Please assist us by ensuring that your child is collected on time allowing our dedicated staff to return home to their own families. A late collection fee of R250 per half-hour (or part thereof) will apply for children collected from aftercare after 17h00.
Security & Car Stickers
Security & Car Stickers
For safety reasons no learners are permitted to wait outside the College gates at any time.
Parents entering our campus are required to have a car identification sticker, which can be collected from reception. By displaying the sticker on your car, you will gain easy access to the College premises. Vehicles that do not have a sticker will be scanned. ‘At the Gate’ Access Solution is used by the College and involves drivers' and car license discs being scanned. This information is stored on a secure database off-site for future reference should the need arise. Pedestrians are also required to produce identification.
We request, for the safety of our learners, that parents and visitors who are on our campus during academic time also sign in at reception and receive a visitors badge. The badge must be returned to reception before leaving campus.
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
Quick Links
Quick Links
UNIFORM
UNIFORM
Uniform Requirements (link)
School and Leisure offers free delivery to school. To take advantage of this when ordering please insert school name and address in the address block and add discount code before check-out.
Junior Preparatory - 91 Raats Drive, Parklands 7441
Senior Preparatory - 50 Wood Drive, Parklands 7441
Secondary Faculty - 1 College Avenue, Sandown 7441
Discount Code : PKLSCHOOL (both upper and lowercase works)
Please ensure that the uniform is the correct size for your child, in particular the blazer
Second hand school uniforms
Please contact Tania Fourie if you would like to buy or sell good-quality second-hand uniforms. She is also the supplier of Froggy School shoes. Contact details: +27 83 631 7683 or tania@sportstudio.co.za
Lost Property
Lost Property
Please help us by checking that all the items that your child brings home actually belong to them. If they come home with someone else's item (such as an extra shoe, hat, etc) please send it to reception the next day so that we can return labelled items to the owner.
It is important that all items are labelled clearly so that lost items can be returned. Parents are welcome to come in to reception to view lost property items. Items not labelled will be in lost property and donated to the second hand shop at the end of each quarter.
MEDICATIONS AND IMMUNISATIONS
MEDICATIONS AND IMMUNISATIONS
Should your child have a medical condition/ allergy /require prescribed medication to be administered, please e-mail Meagan Kotze on mkotze@parklands.co.za.
Please ensure that your child’s immunisations are up to date and forward a copy of the updated immunisation record to the secretary once your child has received the vaccine.
Immunisation_schedule.pdfImmunisations2.pdf
CALENDAR AND EVENTS
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
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
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
2026 Dates
Autumn Quarter: 8 April - 24 June
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
Friday 10 April:
Grade 6 Outing: Two Oceans Aquarium
Sunday 14 April:
Happy Birthday Madame Bailly
Wednesday 15 April:
Happy Birthday Meagan Petersen
Friday 17 April:
Chamber Choir Performance City Hall 18:30
Saturday 18 April:
Happy Birthday Julia Holliday
Tuesday 21 April:
SP Hooked on Books
Thursday 23 April:
U12 Knysna Netball Tour Departs
Friday 24 April:
U12 Knysna Netball Tour
Saturday 25 April:
U12 Knysna Netball Tour
Happy Birthday Liam Maharage
Sunday 26 April:
U12 Knysna Netball Tour Returns
Monday 27 April:
Public Holiday - Freedom Day
Tuesday 28 April:
Normal School Day, including Sport and Co-Curriculars
Wednesday 29 April:
Normal School Day, including Sport and Co-Curriculars
Thursday 30 April:
Normal School Day, including Sport and Co-Curriculars
Friday 1 May:
Public Holiday - Workers Day
Monday 4 May:
Star Wars Day
Friday 8 May:
Happy Birthday Samantha April
Saturday 9 May:
SP Choir Rehearsal for ATKV 9-12
Sunday 10 May:
Mothers Day
Monday 11 May:
Junior Tour de Maths @ Milnerton Primary School 17:45
Wednesday 13 May:
Happy Birthday Coach Jared
Saturday 16 May:
SP Choir Rehearsal for ATKV 9-12
Wednesday 20 May:
Happy Birthday Serena Domingo
Thursday 21 May:
ATKV APPLOUS CHOIR competition @ Gene Louw Primary
Friday 29 May:
Reach for a Dream Slipper Day (bring shoes for sports hour)
Saturday 30 May:
Open Day
Monday 1 June:
Happy Birthday Chef Kerry
Wednesday 3 June:
Happy Birthday Chantel Lamb
Thursday 4 June:
Happy Birthday Elise Crouse
Friday 12 June:
SP Choir Performance (TBC)
Monday 15 June:
Special School Holiday
Tuesday 16 June:
Public Holiday: Youth Day
Happy birthday Thurloe Ernstzen
Wednesday 17 June:
Grade 5 outing (Planetarium)
Thursday 18 June:
SP Music Concert 18:00
Friday 19 June:
SP Reports released to Parents
SP Parent Report Feedback Meetings
Sunday 21 June:
Fathers Day
Monday 22 June:
SP Parent Report Feedback Meetings
Tuesday 23 June:
SP Parent Report Feedback Meetings
Wednesday 24 June:
School Closes at 13:00, no aftercare
Monday 6 July:
Happy Birthday Gary Gilder
Wednesday 15 July:
Happy Birthday Trisha Govender
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
We wish the following staff members a very happy birthday this week:
Sunday 14 April: Madame Bailly
Wednesday 15 April: Meagan Petersen
Saturday 18 April: Julia Holliday
Have a wonderful weekend
Paul Mayers
Senior Preparatory Principal
Follow us on:
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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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