14 February

2025

Dear Parents

Happy Friendship Day!

Next week we will be half way through the first quarter. This has been another wonderful week of learning at the Senior Preparatory Faculty.

We start with formal assessments next week. Please ensure that you consult the assessment calendars on the Academics tab to ensure that you are aware of when your child will write their formal assessments for this quarter.

Here are some video highlights in three minutes from week 4...

Week 4 Memo.mov

Friendship Day

Today we celebrated friendship day in combinations of red, pink and white...

NOTICES

School Hours: Please note that school opens at 7:30 and there is no supervision of learners until 7:30. Please do not leave your children unattended. School is LOCKED promptly at 17h00 daily.

Please assist us by ensuring that your child is collected before 16h45 so that our staff can leave campus to get home to their own families. Note that a penalty of R200 per half hour (or part thereof) will be applied should your child be collected after 17h00 from aftercare.

Access to campus: Please note that for security reasons we request that all parents (outside of drop-off times) and visitors report to reception when coming onto campus. All visitors are required to wear a visitors badge and staff have been instructed to ask anyone without a visitor's badge to return to reception.

No Dogs on the fields: Please note that the College does not allow animals, especially dogs, on campus, except in the following cases:

Officially registered guide or support dogs (with the necessary harness)
Pets owned by personnel residing on campus for security purposes

Diphtheria Alert

The Western Cape Department of Health has issued an alert regarding an increase in diphtheria cases in the Cape Metro District and Province. Diphtheria is a highly contagious and potentially life-threatening bacterial disease that can be prevented by vaccination.

The recommended vaccination schedule for diphtheria is as follows:

Primary series: 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age
Booster doses: 18 months, 6 years, and 12 years of age

Please ensure that your child is fully vaccinated to prevent the spread of diseases.

Diphtheria.PDF

ACADEMICS

Formal and Informal Assessments

Formal and informal assessments in the Intermediate Phase (Grade 4 – 6) take place regularly throughout the quarter after certain concepts or skills have been taught.

Informal assessments are usually integrated into daily class activities at any point during the quarter and learners must apply their knowledge and skills learnt in various ways, from oral presentations to written paragraphs that explain their understanding of a concept to research projects that enhance their understanding of a specific topic. All informal assessments are completed at school and no studying is required.

Formal assessments take place on a specific date in the quarter after a larger section of content has been taught. Studying is required for these assessments and it is recommended that a quiet space is set up at home where your child is able to prepare for these assessments. Teachers also do revision in class with the learners before each formal assessment.

The assessment calendars have been populated with the formal assessments for the quarter. Please click on the specific grade on the academic tab to access the Gr 4 – 6 formal assessment calendars. Herein, you will find the specific date and study details of each assessment. The study details are posted at least two weeks before the assessment.

See example below:

Sample Assessment Calendar Entry

NEWS

Grade 6 News

Our Grade 6s clapped, counted, and moved their jaws to master syllables in Afrikaans—try it at home by placing your hand under your chin and feeling each drop! In Mathematics, they sharpened their calculator skills while exploring mode, median, mean, and range. A fun trick they learned? If you arrange the words mode, median, and mean alphabetically, median falls right in the middle—just like in a data set!

In English, learners embarked on an exciting journey through "My Community," discovering how even small actions shape their neighbourhood. This exploration will lay the foundation for their narrative folktale this term, where they’ll weave together themes of citizenship, responsibility, empathy, and respect. Can all these values be captured in a folktale? Keep an eye out as their stories unfold!

Grade 6 Team

Grade 5 News

This week, our Grade 5s took learning outdoors, using their photography skills to capture creative prepositions—Mr. Mayers and Coach Jarred even got roped into the fun! We also explored the theme of Who am I? and the importance of positive self-esteem, sparking meaningful discussions about confidence and self-worth. We can’t wait to see the incredible video creations they produce! Meanwhile, our outreach challenge is in full swing, with 5A taking the lead with an impressive 605 House points. Who will claim the top spot next week?

Grade 5 Team

Grade 5 Science

Our Grade 5 Science learners have been diving into the fascinating world of the human body, starting with the skeletal system! They’ve been learning the names of key bones and discovering how they support and protect us. To take their exploration to the next level, we brought Science to life with an AR app, allowing them to interact with the body’s systems in an immersive and exciting way.

Grade 4 News

Exploring a Castle was the highlight of the week for our Grade 4 learners. Getting to see pictures and murals of how Cape Town looked when it began as a sandy small town had our learners in awe. Learners also had their first Geography lesson this week. They discovered that Cape Town may have the word town in it but it’s actually a city! In Afrikaans they celebrated friendship by chatting about what makes their friends special to them. They then wrote a paragraph describing their best friends.

Grade 4 Team

Grade 4 Science

Tour de Maths

The first leg of Tour de Maths kicked off on Thursday, 6 February, marking the third year of this exciting event in the Western Cape. We were thrilled to welcome 132 Grade 8 and 9 learners and 56 Grade 6 and 7 learners to the competition at the Secondary Faculty campus.

The event was officially opened by Mr Paul de Wet, who also delivered an insightful talk to parents about managing the anxiety often caused by Mathematics. For parents who couldn’t attend or those who requested a copy, Mr de Wet’s presentation slides are available in this week’s blog.

Tech Connect Session: AI Integration in Education

A team consisting of Mr. Knaggs, Mrs. Steynberg, Mrs. Duke, and myself attended a Tech Connect session focused on integrating artificial intelligence in the classroom. The session explored several promising applications of AI technology in education.

Key areas covered included using AI image generation to help learners visualise curriculum content for exam preparation. We examined effective strategies for teaching learners to critically evaluate AI-generated information while leveraging these tools safely and productively. The importance of crafting precise prompts and analysing AI responses was emphasised throughout the session.

Of particular interest was the potential use of AI-powered drawing tools to help learners create visual aids for complex topics, enhancing their comprehension. We also explored how AI could be utilised to create customised, distraction-free research environments to support more focused learning.

AI Versions of Mr Knaggs, Mrs Duke, Principal Paul and Mrs Steynberg

The session proved highly engaging and left our team energised about exploring AI tools and staying current with educational technology developments.

Parent Talk Maths Anxiety

Thank you to the parents who attended our guest speaker, Paul de Wet's presentation on Maths anxiety. Please find the link to the presentations:

Parent Talk Maths Anxiety

Learner Talk Maths Anxiety

Outreach Quarter 1

It has been so encouraging to see dog and cat food arriving in the mornings. Thank you for your support of our outreach drive this quarter in support of Fallen Angels

CO-CURRICULAR

Our weekly co-curricular programme can be found on the Sports and Co-Curricular Tab

SPORT

From the Sports Desk

Parklands College learners have once again showcased their dedication, skill, and sportsmanship across multiple sporting codes. From tennis courts to cricket pitches and swimming pools, our athletes have made us incredibly proud with their commitment and performances.

Our Tennis and Cricket teams have been hard at work, displaying resilience and determination in every match. Their performances continue to highlight the depth of talent and enthusiasm within our school. Meanwhile, our Swimmers have been making waves, showing incredible effort at training sessions and competitive galas, proving that their hard work is paying off.

As we celebrate these achievements, we eagerly look ahead to our Softballers stepping onto the field for their first game of the season. Their enthusiasm and preparation promise an exciting performance, and we can’t wait to see them in action.

Well done to all our young athletes for their dedication and perseverance. Each week brings new opportunities to grow, compete, and represent Parklands College with pride. Here’s to another week of sporting excellence!

Yours in sport,
Jared Margetts
Head of Preparatory Sports

Looking Ahead

This Saturday from 10:00-11:00, our Open Day Swim Squad session (by invite only) will be led by Coach Nadine and Coach Courtney. We can’t wait to see our talented swimmers in action!

And just like that, another action-packed week of sport has come and gone. The Preparatory faculty continues to shine with outstanding performances, unwavering determination, and true sportsmanship!

Cricket U11 6's Tournament: 21 February '25

Our Cricketers take on the Elkanah Cricket 6's this coming Friday 21 February @ Elkanah Preparatory at 14h00.

Consent to travel for Sport

Week that was

WOW! What a start to our Swimming Galas for 2025! You all really turned out in numbers, and the atmosphere was electric. A massive thank you to our parents and guardians—your support and "gees" made all the difference! Our learners gave it their all, and we can’t wait for another exciting gala this Friday, away at Reddam Durbanville.

Cricket Battles & Standout Performances

U12 Cricket secured a strong victory over Milnerton Primary, with Matthew delivering a sensational 43 not out and claiming two wickets, walking away with the Player of the match.
U11 Cricket had a nail-biting match against Rallim, losing by just two wickets in the final over. Despite the close finish, Nick showcased impressive all-round skills with both bat and ball, grabbing the Player of the Match.

Tennis & Tie-breaks

Mixed Tennis demonstrated true Parklands spirit! Although they went down 5-1, the scoreline doesn’t reflect the two hard-fought tiebreakers, with Lea and Declan battling to the very end. The team’s energy and determination were remarkable, and we are incredibly proud of their effort! Nina, with a great performance, was the Player of the match.

Softballers Set for Action
Our Softball team is ready to take on local rivals Rallim this Thursday in their first game of the year. Best of luck to the girls - we know they’ll bring their A-game!

Parklands College Interschools Gala

Parklands College Prep hosted Table View, Curro Durbanville and Reddam Durbanville on Friday, 7 February!

External Achievements in Sport

Ndalo

Ndalo won Bronze Medal at the CTA Brian Button qualifier.

Matthew

Matthew Abrahams achieved a Silver Medal Representing UniCity Karate at the Westen Cape Karate Championship.

Lara, Rachel, Giovanni and Christiano

Lara, Rachel, Giovanni and Christiano won a Bronze medal at the Montague Gardens Action Netball League.

Please find a link to the notification letter informing the College of a learner's external achievements at Area/Regional/Provincial level.

External Achievements

CULTURE

Our musicians are all working extremely diligently in their lessons: learning new repertoire and perfecting techniques.

Save the Date: Autumn Awakenings Choir Concert

ROBOTICS

Exploring Gears & Coding for Space!

This week, Mr. Bridges (from the Secondary Faculty) led an insightful workshop on gears, exploring their uses, ratios, compound gearing, and real-world applications. Learners discovered how gearing enhances efficiency, speed, and power in robotics designs!

Exciting news! Astro Pi Mission Zero gives young learners the chance to have their code run in space this May! They will write a program to take a reading from the colour and luminosity sensor on an Astro Pi computer aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their program will use this data to set the background colour in a personalised image for astronauts as they go about their daily tasks! Mentors Lily & Amelia, along with learners Joshua, Mukundi, Haydn, and Harvey, are taking on this exciting challenge!

Finally, we send our best wishes to our Secondary Faculty First Tech Challenge team, Hyperion Bots, as they compete in the National Competition at Amazon’s Head Office in Black River this weekend! We also wish two of our SP learners, Lily and Amelia best of luck as they compete in the same competition with community team NEX GEN, who are part of a non-profit called HOPE.

#STEM #AstroPi #CodingInSpace #FutureEngineers #Robotics

AstroPi.MOV

LIBRARY

International Kids LIT Quiz

On Wednesday afternoon, our two Lit Quiz teams from Grade 6 and 7 joined 35 teams from Western Cape schools participating in the annual Kids’ Lit Quiz, a literature competition that takes place in various countries worldwide and culminates in a world final in July. Teams faced 100 questions in 10 categories as diverse as escapees, legends, acronyms and abbreviations, confectionery, body parts, and hats. As always, this was a wonderful experience for our enthusiastic readers, who got to share their impressive book knowledge together with a crowd of like-minded peers.

We are so proud of Lucas De Carvalho Smee who won an individual prize when he answered an intricate question from the 2024 World Final in record time. Watching these participants celebrate every correct answer, debate each interpretation and finding joy in their love for books is heartwarming, as this will have a lasting impact on their lives.

Extreme Reading

Excitement is mounting as we receive a steady stream of fascinating photos for the Extreme Reading challenge. February is now halfway so two more weeks to go. Please keep those entries coming!

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)

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 September

Spring Quarter: 14 October - 05 December

PARENT LEARNER DIRECTORY

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

PARENT BUSINESS DIRECTORY

College parents who are in business 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...

CONCLUDING COMMENTS

We hope to see many of you at our Open Day tomorrow (Saturday 15th Feb). Please invite friends and family who may be interested in learning more about our school.

Have a wonderful weekend