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| Dear Parents, Students and Staff What a “feel good” this week has been! It has been a time of recognition, celebration and affirmation as dreams have been realised, goals met and the effect of strategizing, planning and working together has paid dividends. Our two important events – the 2019 Celebration of Excellence Evening and the Awards Assembly the next day - certainly highlighted an extraordinary, multi-faceted range of talents and achievements at the highest levels. We have a comparatively small cohort of students in the High School and yet they have been selected to represent the zone, the province and even the country. They win prizes in external, prestigious competitions, and shields and placements that the school has not achieved in decades or even a century, are slowly finding their way back to our trophy cupboards. So many new activities are under way too – like debating, Model United Nations and Current Affairs and the school teams have excelled whenever they compete. It all talks to the culture that we have at the school – one of consistently aspiring to excellence through continuous improvement, one of daring to do, one of the valuing of team and pride in the school. Our girls are exhibiting so many of the character traits we highlight in the Round Square Discovery Framework approach to character development: tenacity, appreciation of diversity, a sense of responsibility, and ability to communicate effectively in a team, self-awareness, team skills, courage, and the ability to solve problems and think on their feet. In addition, they have learnt the lessons of discipline, courage, humility, generosity and self-sacrifice. I am so glad that this is what inspires them to persevere despite setbacks, to grow, to work hard and to continue to dream. I am so glad that the culture of toxic competition, that often accompanies the breadth and diversity of achievement that we are seeing coming through, is not our lived reality. Values like humility, gratitude, graciousness are what we focus on developing, as well as an understanding that what we do to facilitate growth and excellence is designed to shape individuals into becoming the best they can be - thus affirming a solid and authentic sense of self - rather than defining themselves in terms of beating down others in order to take their places at the top. I salute all who received awards, and thank and acknowledge their coaches, teachers and their parents for the part they have all played in their journeys to date. Sleeping Beauty: 2019 Ballet Concert It was such a delight to attend the 2019 ballet concert last week - a slightly re-worked production of Sleeping Beauty. Sue de Moyencourt’s talents in mounting productions of this sort are legendary, and it is difficult to believe that she continues to surprise and excel. The choreography, settings, costumes, and adaptation of the original production was of the highest standard and our ballet dancers across the school simply stole the show! The cute factor of the little ones, who were so clearly delighted to be on stage in beautiful costumes in front of a supportive audience, was balanced by the sheer talent of our older ballerinas who showed discipline, grace, skill and poise and a feeling for dramatic presentation. Congratulations to all involved and a special acknowledgement to Sue and Carol, the ballet teachers, the moms who sewed the costumes, and all those involved with make-up and backstage support. Warm regards Sue SJ Redelinghuys Principal |
