High School news - 25 January 2016

Issue 1
WE ARE FAMILY - Griffin Grade 8s at the Grade 8 Welcome camp 2016
16 April 2014
Dear Parents, Staff and Students
Our wonderful start to the year was underscored by the excellent Assembly
held this last Thursday with the Grade 8 and Grade 12 Leaders feeding back
to the school in terms of the Grade 8 Camp. Our thanks to Mr Quinn for
allowing the Grade 7s to be a part of this special occasion. It has also been
agreed that when the High School Assemblies allow for it, they will end with
the school war-cry; this has already created some goosebump moments in
terms of spirit.
Matric feedback from the IEB
Whilst our community is aware of our excellent results it is always interesting
to benchmark these based on feedback from our examining body:
 10 212 full time and 563 part time candidates from 200 schools across
Southern Africa wrote the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) National
Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations in October and November 2015.
 This year saw an increase of 236 additional learners that wrote the IEB
examination, compared with 9976 who wrote the examination in 2014.
This increase is largely due to learners from eight new institutions that
have joined the IEB as well as from increases in learner numbers at
existing schools.
 The 2015 pass rate is 98,30%, comparable to last year’s pass rate of
98,38%. All candidates that passed achieved a pass that is good enough
to enter tertiary study at one of the three levels. Dainfern College - 100%
 85,26% (compared to 85,45% in 2014) of the cohort achieved entry to
Degree study. Dainfern College - 91,5%
 11,66% (compared to 11,56% in 2014) qualified for entry to Diploma study.
Dainfern College - 8,8%
 1,37% (compared to 1,37% in 2014) achieved entry for study at the Higher
Certificate level. Dainfern College - 0%
Monday 25 January 2016
PR Interviews
17h00-20h00
Mr Davies’ office
Tuesday 26 January 2016
InterHouse Debating
08h50-11h00
Auditorium
InterHouse Gala
11h30-14h00
Pool
InterHouse Chess
14h30-16h00
Sibling photos
From 14h00
MPH
Wednesday 27 January 2016
Gr 12 Physics Lesson
13h00-14h00
Lecture Theatre
Thursday 28 January 2016
Welcome Tea for New Parents (Gr 1-12)
07h30
Function Room
Student photographs
08h45-12h00
PA Meeting
18h00-19h00
Staffroom
Asia Tour Meeting
18h30-19h30
Auditorium
Saturday 30 January 2016
First Aid Course - Level 3
08h00-16h00
Function Room
 The 2015 IEB examinations have been conducted without any incidents
that challenge the integrity of the process or the credibility of the results.
This is due to the integrity with which IEB schools approach the
examination, together with the IEB’s use of a sophisticated electronic
locking system that ensures that examination material is kept secure at all
times. Umalusi has monitored all aspects of the examination process and
has declared the results as fair and valid.
Anne Oberholzer, CEO of the IEB, commented: “The IEB is proud of the
achievements of the Class of 2015. Learners have again shown that with a
commitment to hard work over their 12 years of schooling, supported by a
dedicated cohort of teachers and parents, they have achieved the first major
milestone in their learning careers.”
The achievement of the NSC certificate through an IEB school signifies more
than just passing an examination. It indicates that a young person has also
developed the skills and attitudes that they require to be successful, not only in
further study, but also as constructive citizens and contributors to the
economy. They persevere in solving problems, they understand the diverse
nature of our world and the challenges it poses for them as citizens of the
future. Most importantly they have been exposed to and have been asked to
grapple with difficult questions that face humanity at a global level. With the
educational experiences they have had, they should feel confident that they
are already ahead of the game and more than ready to take on whatever the
future brings.
“The 21st Century citizen must not only be able to comprehend and empathise
– they must have the courage to uphold the ‘common good’. This means
challenging any attempt to unfairly discriminate against specific groups in our
society or undermine the rights of individuals. It means holding people
accountable for their commitments and their opinions. When we talk about
educating young people, it means so much more than ensuring the
achievement of good results in the NSC examinations or developing flawless
technical know-how. It means providing young people with the power to think
for themselves, to come to well-thought-through opinions that can be defended
as moral, rational and socially constructive. In the context of South Africa, in all
that we have achieved and in the many challenges ahead and disparities that
still exist in our country, this cannot be emphasised enough for our young
people,” said Mrs Olberholzer.
Fostering an appreciation for Mathematics
The IEB has taken the decision that from Grade 10 in 2016 learners wishing to
take Physical Sciences or Accounting at Grade 12 will be required to do
Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy).
IEB schools have always emphasised the importance of Mathematics as a
fundamental discipline of study. Hence it is not surprising that 6598 of IEB fulltime learners, some 65%, offer Mathematics as a subject. Already 2128
students of the 2535 offering Accounting, also offer Mathematics – that is
87%. Furthermore 4697 students of the 4867 offering Physical Sciences, also
offer Mathematics – that is 96.5%. Hence the requirement for Mathematics is
unlikely to negatively affect the number of students in IEB schools that offer
these subjects.
We want YOU!
Do you have amazing networking and
interpersonal skills? Like to get involved
and meet new people? Come and join
the
Dainfern
College
Parents'
Association! We get involved in a wide
variety of activities throughout the year
that involve the students, staff, parents
and wider community - this helps us
raise funds to improve our school and
help our community... and we have fun
doing it! Our first PA meeting of the year
will be on Thursday 28 January in the
High School staffroom at 18h00 - come
along and find out more. You can get
involved in as much or as little as you'd
like: everyone is welcome! Should you
have any questions please contact Helen
Fish on [email protected]
MySchool Card
The MySchool Card programme raises
welcome funds for the PA and our
outreach programmes - it is so easy to
use, too!
If you are new to our school please
contact Jacqui to arrange a card for you.
Contact her at 072 290-0601 or by email
at [email protected].
Click here to learn more about this
programme
Newsletter Classifieds
The Classifieds section in the Dainfern
College newsletters will start up again
next week. The Classifieds appear in all
three of our weekly newsletters and rates
are highly competitive. Contact Leanne
Ford for further information on
082
900
7390
or
[email protected].
Helen Fish
Chair of the PA
083 308 8828
It is worth noting that in 2015, some 48% of full-time IEB learners offered
Physical Sciences. The percentage of learners scoring 40% and above in
Physical Sciences is 86% and the percentage scoring 40% and above in
Mathematics is 88,3%
At Dainfern College Grade 10-12 students have always been required to
take Mathematics when selecting Physical Sciences or Accounting so
this decision will not require any changes to be made at our College.
Advanced Programmes
In order to provide learners with access to a globally competitive examination,
the IEB has overseen the development of three Advanced Programme (AP)
courses, namely AP Mathematics, AP English and AP Afrikaans. The AP
courses are extension courses and hence not part of the NSC. They are
available to any learner in South Africa who chooses to participate. Hence
learners in both IEB and state schools make use of the opportunity to extend
their learning and challenge their own abilities through these programmes.
The IEB conducts the assessment of these courses and the assessment has
been benchmarked by UK NARIC, the UK equivalent of the South African
Qualifications Authority, and are considered equivalent to the UK A-levels.
Contact the PA:
Email: [email protected]
Website links:
About the PA
PA News
Tuckshop Cards
at
Feedback from students at universities who have taken these courses
indicate that they are certainly worthwhile in providing them with a very sound
base for further study. This is particularly true in the case of Mathematics. It is
not surprising then that there is a marked increase in the number of learners
offering the Advanced Programme courses, from 2109 learners in 2013 to
2498 learners in 2015. That is an increase of some 18.5%.
From a total of 2498 learners offering AP Mathematics, 1208 come from state
schools and 1298 from IEB registered schools.
AP Mathematics is offered at Dainfern College.
Comment
Many of you are aware that Dainfern College is currently investigating ALevel options and is monitoring with interest the expansion of the AP offering
of the IEB in the hope that it may be more formalised into a certificated
accreditation.
Have a good week.
Matthew Davies
College Principal
We have had a wonderful, busy week.
Thank you to all the parents who
attended our “Meet the Music Teachers”
evening on Monday. I do hope you
enjoyed hearing our amazing staff. This
is the first of a number of staff soirées
which we will be holding during the
course of the year… our staff can do as
well as teach! Our next Staff
performance will be at the end of this
term.
New Parents’ Welcome Tea: 28 January 07h30
Grade 1-12 parents who are new to Dainfern College are invited to join our
New Parents’ Welcome Committee for tea in the Function Room on Thursday,
28 January, at 07h30. We would love to meet you and assist you in any way
that we can.
Group theory classes
Group theory classes are offered for
children of all ages. A knowledge of
theory is vital for children learning a
musical instrument and can be equated
to the learning of the alphabet when
learning to read. It helps the children
become
musically
literate
and
guarantees swift progress in their
individual music lessons. Class sizes
are limited to ten children per class so
that individual attention may be given.
Spaces are on a first come first serve
basis. If you are interested in enrolling
your child, please fill in the online form
at http://bit.ly/DainfernCollegeMusicReg
to register.
Round Square News
We are so pleased to have welcomed our first incoming exchange student to
Dainfern College so early on in the year. Adriana Zubiate joins us from
Markham College in Lima, Peru, and is the reciprocal exchange for Deon van
der Merwe who visited Markham College in 2015. Adriana has been welcomed
into the Dainfern College family and joined the Grade 8s and Matric Leaders
on the Grade 8 camp. She recently spent the weekend sightseeing in the
Pilanesberg with the Van der Merwe family and will be visiting the Oprah
Winfrey Academy for Girls’ at the end of this week. We trust that Adriana will
enjoy the rest of her time with us here at Dainfern College.
Music lessons
We still have a number of spaces
available for new students. Please fill in
our online application form at http://bit.ly/
DainfernCollegeMusicReg. We welcome
students of all ages; siblings, parents,
outside students are all welcome.
Please feel free to contact our Music
Department Administration lady Nicole
Pearce for any advice on:
[email protected] .
Sonia Christian
Head of Round Square
Have a wonderful week.
Sibling photographs: 26 January from 14h00
Sibling photographs will be taken on Tuesday 26 January from 14h00 in the
Multipurpose Hall. This is done on a first-come first-served basis and your
patience would be appreciated. Parents are asked to accompany younger
children.
Water drive – Keep it going!
Thank you all for the donations of water that we have already received – it is
always so heart-warming to see how generously our community always
supports our Outreach drives.
With cooler weather and some much-needed rain this week it is easy to forget
the terrible conditions still affecting the people, animals and crops of the Free
State. Please keep supporting this drive – we will inform you once the rains
across the country are sufficient to make a difference. Please continue to drop
off two-litre and five-litre bottles of water in our High School quad.
Thank you so much for your amazing support of those in need.
Message from the Media Centre
This is an appeal to all our parents to assist us in the library by encouraging
your child to return any library books that might still be at home.
Kerry Wessels
Media Centre
Patti van der Ploeg
Director of Music
ENVIRONMENTAL QUOTE
FOR THE WEEK
We cannot think too highly of
nature, nor too humbly of
ourselves.
Charles Caleb Colton
InterHouse Swimming, Chess and Debating - Tuesday 26 January 2016
The programme for tomorrow’s InterHouse events is as follows:
07h40-08h40
08h50-11h00
11h00-11h30
11h30-14h00
14h00-14h30
14h30-16h00
Cycle test
InterHouse Debating (Auditorium)
Break
InterHouse Gala (Pool)
Break
InterHouse Chess
Mouthguards
It is compulsory for all rugby and hockey players to wear a mouthguard during
matches. Max Mouth guards is a reputable supplier of mouth guards at
reduced prices to schools.
Dainfern College would be happy to facilitate the process between the players
and the supplier. If you would be interested in taking up this offer please
contact Mr du Toit urgently. The cost of the mouthguard will be R650 per pupil.
The fitting will take place on Tuesday 26 January 2016 at 14h30-15h30 at the
Dainfern College First aid room.
Swimming
Congratulations to Kelly Fairon who competed in the Lake Heritage Water
Festival in the open water 1200m race where her time was 16:18. She finished
4th out of 232 participants.
Triathlon
Congratulations to Jenna Smart has been selected for the Central Gauteng
Triathlon team to participate in the SA Triathlon Junior Champs to be held in
Bloemfontein on 12 March.
Monday 25 January
B Team Golf
13h00
Observatory GC
B Team Tennis vs Greenside
13h30
Greenside
Tuesday 26 January
1st Team Cricket vs Helpmekaar
15h00
Home
Wednesday 27 January
1st Team Cricket vs Beaulieu
14h00
Home
Junior Boys’ Cricket vs St Benedict’s
13h00
St Benedict’s
Boys & Girls Water Polo vs Beaulieu
14h00
Beaulieu
Thursday 28 January
Swimming Gala
14h00
Randpark High
Friday 29 January
Boys’ A Team Tennis vs Randpark
13h00
Randpark
A Team Golf
15h00
SPORTS
Cricket
Swimming
OPPONENTS
TEAM
RESULTS
Waterstone
1st XI
Lost by 10 wickets
Kivesh Padarath: 38 runs
Hoorskool
Linden
Junior
Team
Won by 154 runs
David Hatton-Jones: 127 runs
A Team
1st HeronBridge - 580
2nd Randpark - 494
3rd Dainfern - 490
th
4 Pecanwood - 450
A Team
A League:
1. St Stithians A - 57
2. KES A - 50
3. St John’s B - 48
4. Dainfern - 48 on a count out
of 4th player
B Team
B2 League:
1. St John’s C - 44
2. Woodlands - 38
3. Southdowns - 37
4. KES C – 26
5. Dainfern -25
A Team
Dainfern lost 48-51
HeronBridge
Pecanwood
Randpark
KES
St John’s
St Stithians
Golf
Tennis
KES
Southdowns
St John’s
Woodlands
St David’s
As we start 2016 refreshed with
new goals, we are encouraged to
have a positive outlook and
Aspiration for the
attitude in order to achieve the
month
goals that we have set for
ourselves. We should also try to
This month’s aspiration is to be embrace
all
the
exciting
positive in outlook and attitude, opportunities and experiences
ready to seize the opportunities that come our way, especially at
of life.
our wonderful College.
Dainfern Country
Club
Saturday 23 January
1st Team Cricket vs Fourways
07h30
Fourways
Junior Cricket vs Bryanston High
08h00
Home
Boys & Girls Water Polo vs
St Stithians
07h00
St Stithians
Website links:
Summer Extramural Timetable
High Performance Centre
Hockey Coaching
Enjoy the year and make the most
of it!
Kian Li Wan Po
Student Head of
Conduct
Do you have a business in the area or have something to
sell? Advertise in the Dainfern College Classifieds.
For more info contact Leanne:
[email protected]
DAINFERN COLLEGE
CLASSIFIEDS
DISCLAIMER:
Dainfern College makes
no warranties or
representations and
bears no responsibility
of any nature
concerning goods,
services or otherwise
advertised here. All
advertisements
displayed are accepted
for publication in good
faith.
Educational
Playgroup
Operating in
DAINFERN
VALLEY
We offer:
Fun filled mornings from
07h30-12h00
Stimulating, happy and safe
environment
Wide range of quality
educational apparatus
Run by qualified teachers
Small classes for individual
attention
Age group:
18 months – 3 years
Contact: Derri on
0828962251 or
[email protected]