BACK TO SCHOOL!

As you may know, the Department of Social Development regulates Early Childhood Development Centres, which at present still include Grade R, while the Department of Education regulates schools as such (Grade 1 and higher). We have eagerly been awaiting communication from the authorities relating to the relevant permissions and requirements for reopening. As a small independent school, it has been our understanding that we would qualify to be categorised under "schools falling under a different dispensation" as per the Minister's initial briefing, but there has since been a number of uncertainties and grey areas in this regard. We have now at last been provided with communication pertaining specifically to independent schools and ECD centres and have aligned our phased-in reopening dates accordingly. 

In between online curriculum planning,  preparation and uploading, management and senior teachers have been hard at work to ensure the school is able to adhere to stringent official health guidelines when our learners return. The safety of our children is of paramount importance to us - We will be enforcing strict daily protocols around screening, hygiene, social distancing and general routines as outlined in the school’s Covid-19 Health & Safety Plan, currently in the process of being finalised. A summary of this document will be shared with you shortly.

Our team is also preparing a little "We Care" surprise pack for our learners, to let them know that we miss them, they are always in our thoughts and we are so proud of them for being brave and trying their best daily! The packs will be ready for collection on Friday 5 June, during allocated time slots.

School will be set up a little different when the little ones return, to allow for effective social distancing and to enable the observation of all relevant health & safety protocols. To minimise the risk of exposure to learners and staff, we will be operating with a smaller staff complement, comprising mainly of our senior teachers. Protecting our learners and staff is a top priority and we would like to, as far as possible, shield vulnerable employees who travel via public transport. These employees are on standby and may return at a later stage.

Our facility will operate in three main units or phases, each phase comprising of 16 - 20 children divided in two groups and spread over two classrooms, under the tutelage of a head teacher assisted by a second teacher or assistant teacher.

Our three head teachers are all B. Ed. Foundation Phase graduates and have been assigned as follows:

• Junior Pre-school phase: Mozart & Beethoven - Teacher Carina Brits 
• Senior Pre-school phase: Chopin & Stravinsky - Teacher Charleen Schoultz 
• Foundation Phase: Grade R, 1 and 2 - Teacher Rosina Lee-Warden

Our second teachers or assistant teachers will as far as possible remain with the phase assigned to them, but may assume the role on a permanent or temporary basis, as the situation may require:

• Teacher Kay-Lynne Rademeyer (experienced junior teacher who obtained her PLAY childcare certificates)
• Teacher Kirsten de Kock (B.A. Music in Dance graduate, our school administrator and an experienced dance teacher)
• Selection of staff member assigned to the role of our third second teacher is still to be finalized.

Teacher Tashai Simons will continue in her role as performance arts educator and head extra-mural teacher.

Parents will be asked to complete a short survey in due course, in order for us to ascertain which learners will be joining us at school from the dates indicated above. Those preferring to wait a bit longer before having their little one return to class, may continue to utilise our Learn@Home platform in the interim.

To streamline our operations going forward, please note the following important adjusted operational arrangements:

• In line with hygiene protocols, the school will no longer prepare food on the premises - remember to pack a daily, healthy lunch box for your child
• Please note provisional drop-off and collection times above
• Timetables will be adjusted to ensure that social distancing measures are observed and supervised, in class and on the playground
• Creative development programmes such as music, dance and drama will be presented in small groups
• Extra-mural catch-up lessons paid for in Term 2 will be scheduled in June & July and our Term 3 extra-murals will run over the months of August & September (8 lessons per term)
• Extra-mural schedule will be adjusted and number of children per class will be limited
• Aftercare will finish daily at 16.45
• Learners who have paid for aftercare in Term 2, will receive Term 4 aftercare free of charge
• Our main communication platform for all phases will be ChildCloud (Umbilically will no longer be in use)
• Important contact details:
  • Office (general queries): Kirsten de Kock - admin@caprischools.co.za
  • Principal: Rosina Lee-Warden - principal@caprischools.co.za 
  • Managing Owner: Elbe Webber - info@caprischools.co.za
  • Finances: Thornley Webber - accounts@caprischools.co.za 
  • Teachers: For matters relating to lesson materials or learner well-being, parents may send a WhatsApp message to their little one's head teacher between 1.30pm and 4.30pm on weekdays only - numbers below:
    • Carina Brits: 082 375 0668
    • Charleen Schoultz: 071 364 8418
    • Rosina Lee-Warden: 067 746 0343

FINANCIAL MATTERS 

Capriccio! has made every effort to continue providing high-quality education for our learners under very difficult circumstances and we are doing all we can to serve our families in the best way we can during this time. Furthermore, we have continued to support our staff financially, as we believe it is our duty to do so.

Being a small independent school, we do not receive government funding and are solely reliant on income generated through raising school fees. We operate on a break-even budget on the basis that fees are received in full and on time. The majority of the school’s expenses are fixed and not linked to the learners’ physical attendance at the premises, the bulk of it being staff salaries. A number of unforeseen additional expenses have been incurred to ensure the safety of our learners upon their return. Deferring any non-essential expenditure, we have taken all factors into account, considering specific operational adjustments as laid out above. We have passed all savings on to parents, reducing your monthly school fee instalments for the remainder of the year, starting in June, as indicated in our recent accounts communications.

We are aware that many families are facing severe financial challenges and in such circumstances where parents have communicated with us, we have done our utmost to accommodate them. Thank you to all who have diligently been keeping payments on track. Unfortunately, there are some who have been failing to meet their financial obligations and/or who have not made an effort to communicate with us, putting the school's financial integrity at risk. If you fall into this category, it is imperative that you communicate with us in order for us to consider how your situation could be accommodated. We depend on and appreciate everyone's continued support; it greatly contributes to the school's ability to retain its position as service provider to our school community.

CAPRICCIO! CARES 

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” - Helen Keller